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Kookaburra Lyrics
Lightning shot from the sky
It breathed life into every, every living thing
It made you, it made me
It gave us the Kookaburra, it gave us
Frangipane tree
From dusk to dawn and dawn to dusk
The sky will fill with vaporized dust, raining
White on white, like streamers of dirty confetti
White on white, the Chrysler Tower had disappeared
White on white, the capitol dome was invisible
White on white, the hoisted flag had disappeared
It can't be stopped
Thunder clouds are tightening in the sky tonight
We can't be saved
Electricity will scribble out your name
Lightning shot from the sky
It gives, it takes away from every living thing
It made you, it made me
It gave us the terrabyte, it gave us 117
From dusk to dawn and dawn to dusk
The sky will fill with vaporized dust, raining
White on white, like streamers of dirty confetti
White on white, the looming spire had disappeared
White on white, the Bundestag was invisible
White on white, the hoisted flag had disappeared
White phosphor rain
And blackout bombs are falling out the sky tonight
We can't be saved
Electricity is crossing out your family name
It made you, it made me
It gave us the Kookaburra, it gave us
Frangipane tree
It breathed life into every, every living thing
It made you, it made me
It gave us the Kookaburra, it gave us
Frangipane tree
The sky will fill with vaporized dust, raining
White on white, like streamers of dirty confetti
White on white, the Chrysler Tower had disappeared
White on white, the capitol dome was invisible
White on white, the hoisted flag had disappeared
Thunder clouds are tightening in the sky tonight
We can't be saved
Electricity will scribble out your name
It gives, it takes away from every living thing
It made you, it made me
It gave us the terrabyte, it gave us 117
The sky will fill with vaporized dust, raining
White on white, like streamers of dirty confetti
White on white, the looming spire had disappeared
White on white, the Bundestag was invisible
White on white, the hoisted flag had disappeared
And blackout bombs are falling out the sky tonight
We can't be saved
Electricity is crossing out your family name
It gave us the Kookaburra, it gave us
Frangipane tree
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HOW has no one said anything yet? this song, numbered lithograph, and the parade are some of the most beautiful songs from his new album. john vanderslice is AMAZING.
Every site has the line listed as "and the star was invisible".
Is this confirmed? Is it in the book? Because listening, and watching his lips in videos, it really sounds and looks like "the Bundestag was invisible". I don't know what German parliment has to do with anything but that's really what it sounds like.
I actually considered emailing John just to ask what he says there...
If it is a German parliament reference, I have to think it has something to do with historical suspicions that the Reichstag fire, which resulted in Hitler's appointment to chancellor (the first notable step in his rise to power), was started by Hitler himself, or at least his cronies. John seems to be of the opinion that the Twin Towers falling was no accident, either. Maybe he's throwing it out there to make a point. Although this is a completely different house established after Hitler's death, so I could just be blowing it out my ass.
If it is a German parliament reference, I have to think it has something to do with historical suspicions that the Reichstag fire, which resulted in Hitler's appointment to chancellor (the first notable step in his rise to power), was started by Hitler himself, or at least his cronies. John seems to be of the opinion that the Twin Towers falling was no accident, either. Maybe he's throwing it out there to make a point. Although this is a completely different house established after Hitler's death, so I could just be blowing it out my ass.
Such an amazing song, on an equally amazing album. There are just a few minor corrections, as found in the album booklet that comes with Emerald City. Instead of "gleaming spire," it is "looming spire." Also, it is "the Bundestag was invisible," instead of "and the star was invisible." Lastly, it is "frangipane tree," instead of "friend Japan tree." Other than that, the lyrics seem to be completely correct.
Thanks for the corrections - just updated the lyrics. This song is amazing.
if we're gonna get super technical it's spelled "frangipani"
and acidmilk, i did email john about white dove when i couldn't figure out "bonita point". he's actually really quite nice about it, ending the email with "thanks for caring". warmed my heart :)
this whole album definitely grows on you.
jv is super nice, i got a hug from him once at a show.
boy, if i were to choose any song to sing everywhere i go it would be this one(even if it were to annoy the crap outta evryone)but id like to kno the meaning of this song..i thought it had something to do with war because the bombs and the flag..but..which war?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller-Urey_experiment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller-Urey_experiment
lightning's a plausible scientific creation story. that's what the beginning is about - electricity creating life on earth. later on it gave us more: the terabyte.
lightning's a plausible scientific creation story. that's what the beginning is about - electricity creating life on earth. later on it gave us more: the terabyte.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_Pete
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_Pete
white phosphorous munitions burn everything they touch. the song has a vibe like nothing can be helped - "we can't be saved" - but white phosphorous is a decidedly human technology that humans choose to use. we cannot save ourselves, i think he's saying, from ourselves.
white phosphorous munitions burn everything they touch. the song has a vibe like nothing can be helped - "we can't be saved" - but white phosphorous is a decidedly human technology that humans choose to use. we cannot save ourselves, i think he's saying, from ourselves.
it reminds me a little of the theories of Hans Jonas. we...
it reminds me a little of the theories of Hans Jonas. we no longer control technology, technology controls us; lightning makes history just like it made us, and "Thunder clouds are tightening in the sky tonight."
I don't get the '117' reference. Anyone?
The "117" bit, some have speculated, was the # of confirmed elements on the periodic table at the time this song was written.