This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
a gloomy stroll, all alone
around the flagpole.
inclement plain,
salt is rain,
i'm a tiny temple.
little ropes of wire,
a copper spire,
and feigning bashful.
call it nonchalance,
a coquette's wand,
dissembling fool.
come out spark, and stop my heart
come out spark, and stop my heart
come out spark, and take my heart
come out spark, and stop my heart
a blistered bruise;
i'm contused
where you kissed me.
come in the window at home,
through the phone,
and the tv.
your stay so brief,
life is grief
and flashes of ecstasy.
is love and time on it fine?
nevermind...
it's mine it's mine it's fine
come out spark, and stop my heart
come out spark, and stop my heart
come out spark, and take my heart
come out spark, and stop my heart
around the flagpole.
inclement plain,
salt is rain,
i'm a tiny temple.
little ropes of wire,
a copper spire,
and feigning bashful.
call it nonchalance,
a coquette's wand,
dissembling fool.
come out spark, and stop my heart
come out spark, and stop my heart
come out spark, and take my heart
come out spark, and stop my heart
a blistered bruise;
i'm contused
where you kissed me.
come in the window at home,
through the phone,
and the tv.
your stay so brief,
life is grief
and flashes of ecstasy.
is love and time on it fine?
nevermind...
it's mine it's mine it's fine
come out spark, and stop my heart
come out spark, and stop my heart
come out spark, and take my heart
come out spark, and stop my heart
Lyrics submitted by nemequittepas
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The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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/
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
yeah, so, please say what you think, because i'm not sure if this is right.
Hey, thanks so much for posting these. I'm glad to see people still are listening to this awesome band.<br /> <br /> I thought the one line "a coquette's wand" was "a coke-head's want". Like, the character in the story (real or imaginary), Roy, is begging for the lightning in the same way that a coke-head would be begging for coke, some irrational addiction. <br /> <br /> But what I don't understand is if he's asking the lightning to kill him or to be in love with him. The "on the make" in the title suggests he's looking for love, but when he talks about "life is grief", it seems the other way. The phrase "stop my heart" could really mean either thing, I guess maybe it's meant to be ambiguous that way.<br /> <br /> Really cool song.
thats pretty good man. its nice to see people still listening to this. i mean its still cool that this band is going strong long after its end. i have 3 songs 7inch and i will hopefully pass it on someday to show this hidden genre years from now. im pretty sure its coquettes wand. you can hear the "T" in his speech.