This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
the wind is ruthless
the trees shake angry fingers at the sky
the people hunch their shoulders
hold their collars over their ears and run by
it's a cold rain
it's a hard rain
like the kind you find in songs
i guess that makes me the jerk with the heartache
here to sing to you about how i been done wrong
i am sitting, watching
out the window of the coffee show
and i'm waiting, waiting
waiting for it to let up
i am rocking like a cradle
warming my hands with the cup in between
i am leaning over the table
holding my face over the steam
and before it gets so cold
that the rain turns to snow
there's just a couple things
i'd like to know
like how could you do nothing
and say, i'm doing my best
how could you take almost everything
and then come back for the rest
how could you beg me to stay
reach out your hands and plead
and then pack up your eyes and run away
as soon as i agreed
it just all slips
away so slowly
you don't even notice till you've lost a lot
i've been like one of those zombies
in vegas
pouring quarters into a slot
and now i'm tired
and i am broke
and i feel stupid and i feel used
and i'm at the end of my little rope
and i am swinging back and forth
about you
and before it gets so cold
that the rain turns to snow
there's just a couple things
i'd like to know
like how could you do nothing
and say, i'm doing my best
how could you take almost everything
and then come back for the rest
how could you beg me to stay
reach out your hands and plead
and then pack up your eyes and run away
as soon as i agreed
the trees shake angry fingers at the sky
the people hunch their shoulders
hold their collars over their ears and run by
it's a cold rain
it's a hard rain
like the kind you find in songs
i guess that makes me the jerk with the heartache
here to sing to you about how i been done wrong
i am sitting, watching
out the window of the coffee show
and i'm waiting, waiting
waiting for it to let up
i am rocking like a cradle
warming my hands with the cup in between
i am leaning over the table
holding my face over the steam
and before it gets so cold
that the rain turns to snow
there's just a couple things
i'd like to know
like how could you do nothing
and say, i'm doing my best
how could you take almost everything
and then come back for the rest
how could you beg me to stay
reach out your hands and plead
and then pack up your eyes and run away
as soon as i agreed
it just all slips
away so slowly
you don't even notice till you've lost a lot
i've been like one of those zombies
in vegas
pouring quarters into a slot
and now i'm tired
and i am broke
and i feel stupid and i feel used
and i'm at the end of my little rope
and i am swinging back and forth
about you
and before it gets so cold
that the rain turns to snow
there's just a couple things
i'd like to know
like how could you do nothing
and say, i'm doing my best
how could you take almost everything
and then come back for the rest
how could you beg me to stay
reach out your hands and plead
and then pack up your eyes and run away
as soon as i agreed
Lyrics submitted by aur0ra
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Hayalperest
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
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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/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
I know it's not intended to be about this, but this song sounds like a coping cycle of abuse. I don't know. It goes from people observations, and then to feelings of herself, and then about the perpatrator.
Once again, I know there are many expamles to disprove this point, but this website is called songmeanings, and I thought I'd share what this song means to me.
I completely agree. for me, it mirrors the cycle of emotional abuse in a relationship with a heroin/opiate addict.<br /> <br /> "i guess that makes me the jerk with the heartache" <br /> <br />
One of the songs I always discuss when teaching poetry. The fact its name and style makes reference to country music without actually being a country song is fantastic, but the language and imagery is beautiful. The opening, a perfect example of personification. But my favourite part is the imagery she creates by combining two very different cliches: I'm at the end of my rope means simply you've had enough; swinging back and forth about you, means she's in two minds about her relationship with him. But put them together and you have a suicidal desire image that wasn't there in either one of them. Beautiful in its simplicity.
"like how could you do nothing and say, i'm doing my best how could you take almost everything and then come back for the rest how could you beg me to stay reach out your hands and plead and then pack up your eyes and run away as soon as i agreed" ~good part
I have been on either end of the bitter end of a relationshhip she describes.. Neither side is any fun.. I wish I'd learn my lesson and quit trying romance..
I still don't get your country observation. Just because a song has slide guitar doesn't necessarily make its style or sound country.
You're right about slide guitar doesn't necessarily mean country, but listen to the song again after thinking about what we stereotypically associate with country music. Ani doesn't usually use slide guitar or that little twang in her voice, so in this when she uses it, it sticks out like dog's balls. I don't presume to to say definitely that's what she intended, but the links (if you look for them) are there.
I think the slide just gives the song that desolate and aching tone.
Now I sound like a pretentious arse.
i guess this about the breakdown of a relationship... there were obviously problems that needed sorting out, and she feels her lover was pretending to try and work at it but not didn't: "like how could you do nothing, and say, 'i'm doing my best'". and then he begged her to stay & upped and left: "how could you beg me to stay, reach out your hands and plead, and then pack up your eyes and run away, as soon as i agreed ". i love when she sings "i guess that makes me the jerk with the heartache"...it is, indeed, heartbreaking. it's a heartbreaking song, sung with such passion. aching, yes...
I can't find anything "country" in this song, although she makes a reference to Bob Dylan's A hard rain's a gonna fall... I love this song and all Ani´s music, she is a wonder-
These lyrics have some stunning imagery, and they do well at showing the confusion in a relationship that has rocked back and forth between breaking up before ending on a go to hell note