In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I've finally come to realize that we are all the same
If there's nothing left to lose then there's everything to gain
All the paragraphs and pages you could write could not contain
It is curious and careless and it's flowing through my veins
The fear of growing old, and doing what you're told
You can't disguise a heart while it's breaking
You hide behind the smile you're faking
It's all about the the chance you're taking
Oh, and you know that you're making it all come alive
It all come alive
If your life is so damn comfortable then why do you complain?
A reflection in the alcohol you're pouring down the drain
Just because you paint a picture doesn't mean it fits the frame
This is my West Coast intervention and I'm getting on that plane
When all of your mistakes are keeping you awake
You can't disguise a heart while it's breaking
You hide behind the smile you're faking
It's all about the the chance you're taking
Oh, and you know that you're making
You can't disguise a heart while it's breaking
You hide behind the smile you're faking
It's all about the the chance you're taking
Oh, and you know that you're making it all come alive
It all come alive
The sun is setting and it's ending 'cause you're letting it go
Forgetting everything you already know
And it all goes to show that you're moving to slow
It will end up changing you, it will end up changing you
You can't disguise a heart while it's breaking
You hide behind the smile you're faking
It's all about the the chance you're taking
Oh, and you know that you're making
Life flies by so you have to embrace it
Forget the past 'cause you cannot erase it
And live the dream, and learn to chase it
And when you can almost taste it
It's all come alive
It's all come alive
It's all come alive
It's all come alive
If there's nothing left to lose then there's everything to gain
All the paragraphs and pages you could write could not contain
It is curious and careless and it's flowing through my veins
The fear of growing old, and doing what you're told
You can't disguise a heart while it's breaking
You hide behind the smile you're faking
It's all about the the chance you're taking
Oh, and you know that you're making it all come alive
It all come alive
If your life is so damn comfortable then why do you complain?
A reflection in the alcohol you're pouring down the drain
Just because you paint a picture doesn't mean it fits the frame
This is my West Coast intervention and I'm getting on that plane
When all of your mistakes are keeping you awake
You can't disguise a heart while it's breaking
You hide behind the smile you're faking
It's all about the the chance you're taking
Oh, and you know that you're making
You can't disguise a heart while it's breaking
You hide behind the smile you're faking
It's all about the the chance you're taking
Oh, and you know that you're making it all come alive
It all come alive
The sun is setting and it's ending 'cause you're letting it go
Forgetting everything you already know
And it all goes to show that you're moving to slow
It will end up changing you, it will end up changing you
You can't disguise a heart while it's breaking
You hide behind the smile you're faking
It's all about the the chance you're taking
Oh, and you know that you're making
Life flies by so you have to embrace it
Forget the past 'cause you cannot erase it
And live the dream, and learn to chase it
And when you can almost taste it
It's all come alive
It's all come alive
It's all come alive
It's all come alive
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Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Live life while your living it. "its all about the chance your taking" take chances. act how your feeling. be yourself. cause you mistakes could be keeping you up at night. you make your life happen. embraces life cause before you know it its gone. what happened in the past is the past. you cant change it so go forward full force. Full speed ahead. i think thats what its about. did that help??