‘This might be about dying and not being afraid of it.’ – I agree. That pretty much succinctly and efficiently sums up what I think it means too. I’m still going to go on big repetitive essay length spiel though (I’m bored, and I like ranting )
The symbolism of the stars is probably the most obviously interpreted thing in this song. Within stars the process of nuclear fusion perpetually recurs, producing energy in a fiery, gaseous and complex system (clearly I’m too lazy to relearn that physics lesson). To most people a star is nothing but light and energy, words synonymous with life. Stars represent life, as a star is what gives the earth energy, allowing us to live. However, a star, the sun, will ultimately die, and thus the theme of cycles is introduced.
This theme is strengthened with line ‘on the lonesome tide’, as a tide is also a constant cycle. Tide is personified - in fact, everything in this song to do with cycles is given human characteristics. In doing this, the listener relates humans, ourselves, to both the majesty and splendour of the stars, the way they live and die with a kind of explosive dignity, and to the quiet and ever-present force of the tide. The idea that the cycle of human life is just as miraculous and incredible as these natural phenomenons is presented.
It’s such a simple yet timeless message. ‘If you can’t see the stars, you’ve probably gone too far’. If you lose sight of what’s important, your lust for life, and begin to fear the darkness, then you’ll be lonely and your life will lack an essential essence - a light that keeps us all going, seeking love and passion and meaning.
I love the imagery in the second verse, the juxtaposition of an owl, small and wise, and a stork, graceful and young. I think of youth when I think of storks because of the fables involving storks delivering children, whereas owls are just conventionally thought of as wise. The owl is educating the stork, passing on his worldly knowledge. Once again, this is a reference to cycles. He says that ‘death is a door that love walks through over and over again’. I love this line, but its meaning is kind of fuzzy in my mind. It could be read negatively, but the way I see it is that humans, at the very fundamental core, are love. We love and we are loved, and then we die, which is always tragic and inevitable, but at least there was always love. In the end, that’s really the only thing that matters in life – the people we love. (I can’t believe I just wrote that. How many times did i use the world love in the paragraph? It makes me want to vomit with shame. It really does.)
Storms often imply peril, danger and strife. The chorus is stating that we need to not fear the risky and scary things in life, and instead we should eagerly embrace ardour, immerse ourselves in… well, everything the world has to offer. The caged fire references the star mentioned earlier, and represents the fervour, spirit or ‘fire’ many of us contain within ourselves. Let this free, then hold onto it tight, because it’s the only thing that protects us from the damage that fear can inflict. Fear is a cage, causing too many people to waste away the time they’ve been given. I can relate, as can probably every human being. If I could shake my simple fears – the common fear of failure, and of being judged, mainly - my life would probably be drastically different.
The third verse. I love how the moon and the Dog Star are personified. It paints a vivid image in my mind of dancing moons and stars, highlighting the magnificence and constant movement of space. Sirius, the brightest star, consists of Sirius A and B. B is a dwarf star which orbits A, and this is probably what the ‘dance’ alludes to. ‘It goes and it goes’ in a constant cycle, reinforcing the theme. The next line emphasizes the very basic beauty of this, fortifying the magical brilliance and definitive beauty of this phenomenon through the fairly obvious symbolism of a rose. Roses typically signify beauty, oh yeah, and also cycles (well, anything in nature represents cycles, really. I need not state the obvious. That’s probably a bit late. Grats if you read this far, btw.)... Hm, and now that I've read over it, the rose idea I have sounds extremely weak… ah well, what you gonna do.
The final two verses kind of sum up the central meaning of this song. Yes, the bright star may die, but it doesn’t leave devastation or ruin in its wake - it leaves nothing. Perfect nothing.
In the end we will inevitably be nothing, and nothing we did wrong or screwed up in our lifetime will make any difference.
Therefore, life is all there is, and it is all that matters, so we should make the most of it, and fear nothing except fear itself (unashamed clichés abound… I’m sorry, but they apply here! Still, no excuse… I’m sorry.). The phrase ‘Candle of life’ evokes ideas of light and fire, and fire represents passion. If we’re passionate and zealous, the problems in our lives, ‘blights are bruises’, are not as significant, and are easily eclipsed by life’s beauty.
To me this song just epitomizes everything music should be. That’s all I have to say about it.
This is just my interpretation. And I wouldn’t be surprised or offended if this post is met with big fat TL;DR replies. Inb4: this is the most pretentious garbage I’ve ever read (i'll be the first to admit it is somewhat pretentious and rubbish.) :)
Great interpretation. I might be able to add to a couple points though.
Great interpretation. I might be able to add to a couple points though.
The moon is what determines the ("lonesome") tide, which occurs every day. By focusing on this, you miss the larger cycles, which is represented by the yearly system that was based on Sirius' cycle through the sky by the Egyptians. In other words don't just focus on the simple life in front of you, but look towards celestial markers. The former being "the lonesome tide" while the latter, Dogstar/Sirius' dance, "it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes." Seven "goes", there...
The moon is what determines the ("lonesome") tide, which occurs every day. By focusing on this, you miss the larger cycles, which is represented by the yearly system that was based on Sirius' cycle through the sky by the Egyptians. In other words don't just focus on the simple life in front of you, but look towards celestial markers. The former being "the lonesome tide" while the latter, Dogstar/Sirius' dance, "it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes." Seven "goes", there are seven manifestations of life aka the sevenfold spirit. when all seven come together, in death, when "it falls apart," it becomes "perfect nothingness."
Love conquers and is unaffected by death, as it walks through it like a door, except in more dimensions than humans can. "In and out" and "back and forth." Usually we just walk in or out to accomplish what we want, but love has complete dominion over it that suggests a timeless quality.
The Jessica Rose part throws me off a little. Jessica Rose was the girl who pretended to be a young, innocent youtube blogger known as lonelygirl who became extremely popular. I think tv on the radio might be saying that by following the higher instructions of life, such as by Sirius, it creates a life that is beautiful in its innocence, the ideal example of which was that of lonelygirl, who enchanted the world in her natural beauty, despite being fake.
This is my favorite TVotR song; the "ah"'s provide a heavenly feel that represent the wisdom of the owl who responds confidently to the energetic, quick pizzicato-strings who voice the questions of the young stork.
‘This might be about dying and not being afraid of it.’ – I agree. That pretty much succinctly and efficiently sums up what I think it means too. I’m still going to go on big repetitive essay length spiel though (I’m bored, and I like ranting )
The symbolism of the stars is probably the most obviously interpreted thing in this song. Within stars the process of nuclear fusion perpetually recurs, producing energy in a fiery, gaseous and complex system (clearly I’m too lazy to relearn that physics lesson). To most people a star is nothing but light and energy, words synonymous with life. Stars represent life, as a star is what gives the earth energy, allowing us to live. However, a star, the sun, will ultimately die, and thus the theme of cycles is introduced.
This theme is strengthened with line ‘on the lonesome tide’, as a tide is also a constant cycle. Tide is personified - in fact, everything in this song to do with cycles is given human characteristics. In doing this, the listener relates humans, ourselves, to both the majesty and splendour of the stars, the way they live and die with a kind of explosive dignity, and to the quiet and ever-present force of the tide. The idea that the cycle of human life is just as miraculous and incredible as these natural phenomenons is presented.
It’s such a simple yet timeless message. ‘If you can’t see the stars, you’ve probably gone too far’. If you lose sight of what’s important, your lust for life, and begin to fear the darkness, then you’ll be lonely and your life will lack an essential essence - a light that keeps us all going, seeking love and passion and meaning.
I love the imagery in the second verse, the juxtaposition of an owl, small and wise, and a stork, graceful and young. I think of youth when I think of storks because of the fables involving storks delivering children, whereas owls are just conventionally thought of as wise. The owl is educating the stork, passing on his worldly knowledge. Once again, this is a reference to cycles. He says that ‘death is a door that love walks through over and over again’. I love this line, but its meaning is kind of fuzzy in my mind. It could be read negatively, but the way I see it is that humans, at the very fundamental core, are love. We love and we are loved, and then we die, which is always tragic and inevitable, but at least there was always love. In the end, that’s really the only thing that matters in life – the people we love. (I can’t believe I just wrote that. How many times did i use the world love in the paragraph? It makes me want to vomit with shame. It really does.)
Storms often imply peril, danger and strife. The chorus is stating that we need to not fear the risky and scary things in life, and instead we should eagerly embrace ardour, immerse ourselves in… well, everything the world has to offer. The caged fire references the star mentioned earlier, and represents the fervour, spirit or ‘fire’ many of us contain within ourselves. Let this free, then hold onto it tight, because it’s the only thing that protects us from the damage that fear can inflict. Fear is a cage, causing too many people to waste away the time they’ve been given. I can relate, as can probably every human being. If I could shake my simple fears – the common fear of failure, and of being judged, mainly - my life would probably be drastically different.
The third verse. I love how the moon and the Dog Star are personified. It paints a vivid image in my mind of dancing moons and stars, highlighting the magnificence and constant movement of space. Sirius, the brightest star, consists of Sirius A and B. B is a dwarf star which orbits A, and this is probably what the ‘dance’ alludes to. ‘It goes and it goes’ in a constant cycle, reinforcing the theme. The next line emphasizes the very basic beauty of this, fortifying the magical brilliance and definitive beauty of this phenomenon through the fairly obvious symbolism of a rose. Roses typically signify beauty, oh yeah, and also cycles (well, anything in nature represents cycles, really. I need not state the obvious. That’s probably a bit late. Grats if you read this far, btw.)... Hm, and now that I've read over it, the rose idea I have sounds extremely weak… ah well, what you gonna do.
The final two verses kind of sum up the central meaning of this song. Yes, the bright star may die, but it doesn’t leave devastation or ruin in its wake - it leaves nothing. Perfect nothing.
In the end we will inevitably be nothing, and nothing we did wrong or screwed up in our lifetime will make any difference.
Therefore, life is all there is, and it is all that matters, so we should make the most of it, and fear nothing except fear itself (unashamed clichés abound… I’m sorry, but they apply here! Still, no excuse… I’m sorry.). The phrase ‘Candle of life’ evokes ideas of light and fire, and fire represents passion. If we’re passionate and zealous, the problems in our lives, ‘blights are bruises’, are not as significant, and are easily eclipsed by life’s beauty.
To me this song just epitomizes everything music should be. That’s all I have to say about it.
This is just my interpretation. And I wouldn’t be surprised or offended if this post is met with big fat TL;DR replies. Inb4: this is the most pretentious garbage I’ve ever read (i'll be the first to admit it is somewhat pretentious and rubbish.) :)
Kthxbye.
Great interpretation. I might be able to add to a couple points though.
Great interpretation. I might be able to add to a couple points though.
The moon is what determines the ("lonesome") tide, which occurs every day. By focusing on this, you miss the larger cycles, which is represented by the yearly system that was based on Sirius' cycle through the sky by the Egyptians. In other words don't just focus on the simple life in front of you, but look towards celestial markers. The former being "the lonesome tide" while the latter, Dogstar/Sirius' dance, "it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes." Seven "goes", there...
The moon is what determines the ("lonesome") tide, which occurs every day. By focusing on this, you miss the larger cycles, which is represented by the yearly system that was based on Sirius' cycle through the sky by the Egyptians. In other words don't just focus on the simple life in front of you, but look towards celestial markers. The former being "the lonesome tide" while the latter, Dogstar/Sirius' dance, "it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes, it goes." Seven "goes", there are seven manifestations of life aka the sevenfold spirit. when all seven come together, in death, when "it falls apart," it becomes "perfect nothingness."
Love conquers and is unaffected by death, as it walks through it like a door, except in more dimensions than humans can. "In and out" and "back and forth." Usually we just walk in or out to accomplish what we want, but love has complete dominion over it that suggests a timeless quality.
The Jessica Rose part throws me off a little. Jessica Rose was the girl who pretended to be a young, innocent youtube blogger known as lonelygirl who became extremely popular. I think tv on the radio might be saying that by following the higher instructions of life, such as by Sirius, it creates a life that is beautiful in its innocence, the ideal example of which was that of lonelygirl, who enchanted the world in her natural beauty, despite being fake.
This is my favorite TVotR song; the "ah"'s provide a heavenly feel that represent the wisdom of the owl who responds confidently to the energetic, quick pizzicato-strings who voice the questions of the young stork.
Just for clarification, Jessica Rose is Kyp Malone's girlfriend. He wrote this song about her.
Just for clarification, Jessica Rose is Kyp Malone's girlfriend. He wrote this song about her.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/realestate/residential/item_U6s3jUPvkiyNpblOvOQV1M
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/realestate/residential/item_U6s3jUPvkiyNpblOvOQV1M