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.
I lost my membership card to the
human race so don't forget the face
because I know that I do belong here
Go down the checklist let's see
feelings are good dishonesty is bad
and keeping it inside is worse still
If you want problems well I guess we
have one now but I can't tell you how
there's injuns over every goddamn hill
What do you want me to say?
What do you want me to do
to let you know that I still love you?
I see it coming from a million miles
away what else can I say the only way
you know I love you
And there's no eye to eye just Moses on
the mount or I'm down for the count
you need your man above or below you
I can not cry at will but I do wish I
could because it would do you good
when every joke I make is treason
There was a time when you could make
me laugh at will and you can do it still
but never is it for the right reasons
human race so don't forget the face
because I know that I do belong here
Go down the checklist let's see
feelings are good dishonesty is bad
and keeping it inside is worse still
If you want problems well I guess we
have one now but I can't tell you how
there's injuns over every goddamn hill
What do you want me to say?
What do you want me to do
to let you know that I still love you?
I see it coming from a million miles
away what else can I say the only way
you know I love you
And there's no eye to eye just Moses on
the mount or I'm down for the count
you need your man above or below you
I can not cry at will but I do wish I
could because it would do you good
when every joke I make is treason
There was a time when you could make
me laugh at will and you can do it still
but never is it for the right reasons
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Hmmmm... not so sure, Whiteclef. While it is relatively public knowledge that Travis leans towards the right politically and is a practicing Christian (he's blogged about Church choir practice,) I was told that he was in a disintegrating relationship during the recording of the album. This lead to his then girlfriend breaking up with him, over the phone, just as he was set to lay down the vocal track to this particular song. They actually reference that exact event in the liner notes to the recent vinyl reissue of the album. That is the beauty of his lyrics, though...different people can glean different meanings from them. But I do, honestly believe it's a breakup song.
Okay, there’s obviously some kind of relationship situation going on in this song but I think the first verse addresses something more general. Here’s my crack at it:
He’s lost his membership card to the human race, or, he’s an outsider, disconnected from everyone. However(!) he wants to get back into the loop and is, so to speak, in the process of getting his card reprinted. As he prepares to reassimilate himself with people he recalls his priorities: having feelings good, dishonesty bad, holding back worst, i.e. he must make an effort to connect to people and share his feelings, not be defensive or restrained. And as soon as he rises to the occasion, people (Morrison cleverly calls them ‘injuns over the hill’) start to pose problems for him.
The next verse is more concrete and specific. He’s not just having trouble connecting with people in general but with one person in particular, presumably his girlfriend. He can’t be straight (eye-to-eye) with her, honest about his feelings, though he’d like to be. Instead, they’re in a power struggle. He can win the argument and be above her or lose the argument and be below her but he can’t just be on the same level with her, sharing feelings honestly. Moses brought God’s Ten Commandments down from Mount Sinai to the Jews in Exodus, I suppose this comparison is supposed to indicate the state of his relationship since both the narrator and his partner just deliver judgments or moral justifications to each other and don’t share anything they really feel.
His girlfriend distrusts him. They can’t be friendly anymore. They’re miserable. They can’t make each other laugh, except in defiance of one another. And his question to her is the chorus: what do you want me to say so you’ll trust me? So you’ll believe that I’m being straight with you?!
The song is about the challenges of connecting with people; of being honest and sincere with them instead of having to fight or use them; of getting people to trust you, trust that you won’t judge them or use them.
By the way, this song is one of my favorites from E&I. The obscure verses take some unraveling but the music is so immediate that the song is very probably the most cathartic on the whole album.
It's obviously a song about a guy having problems with his girlfriend...everyone can relate to that sort of thing. It also sounds like he could have lied to her at some point.
i think the lyrics come second to dp songs behind the music, funky and original, its quality man!
Feelings are good Dishonesty is bad And keeping it inside is worse still If you want problems well I guess we got one now It's probably about some contradicting and difficult girlfriend. "I lost my membership card to the human race".. makes me think that she totally degrades him, and he's just poking fun at the fact that she goes off on him so much he feels almost inhuman. I cannot cry at will but I do wish I could ?Cause it?d do you some good When every joke I make is treason There was a time when you could make me laugh at will And you can do it still But never is it for the right reasons, yea? Right on. This song kicks my ass. It's great.
It seems like he's trying to show this person (probably his girfriend) that he has a emotions, and isn't just trying to hide everything he feels. At the same time, the line
You need your man above or below you
makes me think it's just about a girlfriend who either needs a boyfriend who's perfect and sort of looks up to, or she needs one that she considers pathetic and that she can sort of make fun of.
I'm not sure where this version of the lyrics is from, but I always thought listening to the song that the line during the chorus was "To let you know that I do mean it" not "To let you know that I do feel and." Though I'm just going by my ear.
cman is right, the line is "to let you that I do mean it" and not "that I do feel and"
66exeter fucked up all these lyrics. He probably downloaded the shit instead of actually buying the CD, which has all the lyrics printed in plain english....idiot.
haha couldBanyone is so righteous
I don't think it's limited to just his relationship with one person.
It reminds me of when I was lonely for a long period of time. Eventually you realise that your misanthropy drove you to this low point where you can't find any love or attention, you want to give it another chance. But it is really difficult to make new connections when you don't have any at all, and you question what made them leave you behind.
Operarational has a good analysis though.