Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Oh me oh my
Get out of your 1950's fantasy,
Your face shines with misery
Transparently
Spew out that sobering
Half-assed victim rhetoric
Make 'em all squirm
While they chew on it
It's a secret handshake
And a passing wink of the eye
As the witches bridge club weekly
Meets to pen the tail on the sly
But they never ask
"why oh why don't we raise our voices to the sky?"
Instead you're mute
And fawn just waiting to die
Like some kind of hopeless housewife
But you can change while you're alive
And let 'em all know
At least you tried to kill the demons inside
Oh me oh my
Damn your transcendental paralysis,
We can work together
And make sense of this
Don't be so sure
You can chuck it all away
You've got to proceed
No matter how bad you want to stay
It's a natural cause
And a comfort zone
There in your head
And the world turns away
As you tap the snooze button in bed
But nobody can hear a word you said
Your history was never read
Instead you're mute
And fawn just waiting to die
Like some kind of hopeless housewife
But you can change while you're alive
And let 'em all know
At least you tried to kill the demons inside
Get out of your 1950's fantasy,
Your face shines with misery
Transparently
Spew out that sobering
Half-assed victim rhetoric
Make 'em all squirm
While they chew on it
It's a secret handshake
And a passing wink of the eye
As the witches bridge club weekly
Meets to pen the tail on the sly
But they never ask
"why oh why don't we raise our voices to the sky?"
Instead you're mute
And fawn just waiting to die
Like some kind of hopeless housewife
But you can change while you're alive
And let 'em all know
At least you tried to kill the demons inside
Oh me oh my
Damn your transcendental paralysis,
We can work together
And make sense of this
Don't be so sure
You can chuck it all away
You've got to proceed
No matter how bad you want to stay
It's a natural cause
And a comfort zone
There in your head
And the world turns away
As you tap the snooze button in bed
But nobody can hear a word you said
Your history was never read
Instead you're mute
And fawn just waiting to die
Like some kind of hopeless housewife
But you can change while you're alive
And let 'em all know
At least you tried to kill the demons inside
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More Featured Meanings
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
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/
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
this is simply a kinder way of saying "get of your fat ass and do something". the chorus "but they never ask why oh why don't we raise our voices to the sky?" totally blows me away since it's so true and the music is so amazing. definetely one of the best songs on the new america.
gofuckyourself, you make good points except when you refer to community. This song is all about the self. Rather than working as part of community, as many BR songs are about, this is more personal and talks to each person separately. Which, of course, could be helping the needy for you, but that is not the point for everyone.
This is my favorite BR song ever.
Yeah, if you want things to change you gotta take action yourself.
A common housewife doesn't make anything of herself, she stays at home and usually wishes she had made something of herself. They think it is too late, but it isn't, you just need to do something, stop complaining and make your life worthwhile, or you'll regret it for the rest of your life.
I believe this song isn't supposed to be taken literally. I think he's using the housewife as a metaphor for the people who live their lives without passion, those who live the way they believe is expected of them: graduate highschool, go to college, get a job (disregarding interest in the work), get married, have children, die. Hence, this song cries out to these people to live for themselves, to live with passion, to direct their lives in the way they see fit; indeed, they should discard the pattern of life that molds multitudes of people's decisions and create a life out of step with this routine-based mode even if, consequently, life becomes difficult. Dealing with the difficulty of living in this manner, the final lines of the song express (with a power that haunts me whenever I hear it) the imperative nature of attempting to live for one's self.
i agree with jeff i dont think it was meant to be taken literally. it seems kinda obvious when it says LIKE some kind of hopeless house wife
Nothing left to say about this song really, apart from the opening line 'Get out of your 1950s fantasy!' sends a shiver down my spine every time :)
We've been talking about Transcendentalist writings in my high school english class and i couldn't help but think of this song. It's the same concept - don't fall into the mindless trap of society and just go through the motions, you have to take the "open road," as whitman said, or the "road less traveled" like frost said. Go out and do something with your life!!
It's another one of those BR songs that just bleeds passion.
This comment is slightly younger than me, wow!
I get what this song is saying, but it doesn't give any solutions. sburke09 mentions "doing something" with my life, but what does that even mean? I can't do anything without money and the only way of getting money is to live the way this song advises one not to.