In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Will you take the pain
I will give to you?
Again and again
And will you return it?
There'll be times
When my crimes
Will seem almost unforgivable
I give in to sin
Because you have to make this life livable
But when you think I've had enough
From your sea of love
I'll take more than another river full
Yes, and I'll make it all worthwhile
I'll make your heart smile
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Will you take the pain
I will give to you?
Again and again
And will you return it?
There'll be days
When I stray
I may appear to be constantly out of reach
I give in to sin
Because I like to practice what I preach
I'm not trying to say
I'll have it all my way
I'm always willing to learn
When you've got something to teach
Oh and I'll make it all worthwhile
I'll make your heart smile
Pain, will you return it?
I'll say it again, pain
Pain, will you return it?
I'll say it again, pain
Pain, will you return it?
I'll say it again, pain
Pain, will you return it?
(I won't say it again)
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Will you take the pain
I will give to you?
Again and again
And will you return it?
There'll be times
When my crimes
Will seem almost unforgivable
I give in to sin
Because you have to make this life livable
But when you think I've had enough
From your sea of love
I'll take more than another river full
Yes, and I'll make it all worthwhile
I'll make your heart smile
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Will you take the pain
I will give to you?
Again and again
And will you return it?
There'll be days
When I stray
I may appear to be constantly out of reach
I give in to sin
Because I like to practice what I preach
I'm not trying to say
I'll have it all my way
I'm always willing to learn
When you've got something to teach
Oh and I'll make it all worthwhile
I'll make your heart smile
Pain, will you return it?
I'll say it again, pain
Pain, will you return it?
I'll say it again, pain
Pain, will you return it?
I'll say it again, pain
Pain, will you return it?
(I won't say it again)
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
Strangelove
Strange highs and strange lows
Strangelove
That's how my love goes
Strangelove
Will you give it to me?
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Hayalperest
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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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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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
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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.
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.
To me this is a song about a relationship where the guy cheats on his girlfriend and she knows about it but still stays with him and they don’t break up even though both of them know they should. That’s why I think the title is strange love, because it is considered strange to want to be in a relationship where one of the parties is unfaithfull.
In the first lines: There'll be times When my crimes Will seem almost unforgivable I give in to sin Because you have to make this life liveable
The guy is talking about his need to cheat even though he knows its kind of wrong Then, he talks about how his girlfriend maybe thinks that this is the last time it will happen but he keeps on doing it again and again, and how, even though this is going on she still likes him: But when you think I've had enough From your sea of love I'll take more than another riverfull And I'll make it all worthwhile I'll make your heart smile
In the next lines he is maybe acknowledging that this is how his behavior will always be and how he knows its painful for his girlfriend to be in a unfaithful relationship with him and that maybe she will also cheat on him one day: Strangelove Strange highs and strange lows Strangelove That's how my love goes Strangelove Will you give it to me Will you take the pain I will give to you Again and again And will you return it
Then he is talks about how he is cheating on her some more and again how this damages the relationship: There'll be days When I'll stray I may appear to be Constantly out of reach I give in to sin Because I like to practise what I preach
I think that the next lines maybe mean that he is willing to try to be faithfull: I'm not trying to say I'll have it all my way I'm always willing to learn When you've got something to teach And I'll make it all worthwhile I'll make your heart smile
The rest of the song maybe means that his girlfriend is tired of his cheating and is also cheating on him but they remain together anyway.
Nicely broken down!~
I agree. Thanks for the analysis, very thorough!