A few things... I don't think we're analyzing all of Josh's poetry to it's maximum potential. THe reason I love QOTSA lyrics and TCV lyrics especially is because Josh adds amusing plays on words and double entendres in all his songs. A few things that haven't been mentioned that I thought I should bring to your attention...
"you can't always do right, you can always do what's LEFT" (instead of "right" or correct. Just a little funny play on words he threw in)
"So I told her I was trash, so she winked & laughed and said I already know..." Earlier in the song he told her he was rich so he could convince her to have sex with him. Here, he's admitting he was full of shit. But she said she already knew so obviously she didn't care anyways. This song is entirely about have sex for the fun of it and giving into your desires.
"I know how to burn with passion
Hold nothing back for future ration
Give all you are, do not make haste
Savor every single taste you get
Cut
I know how to beat control
Do opposite of what you're told
Quick to react, to break the box
Turn on queue, as your cell door locks
Behind you
I know how to be lost in lust
Not because you should, but because you must
It burns white hot, and so clouds the mind
This lightning strike isn't always kind"
This part of the song is so deep! I guess in a nutshell, he's saying not to get caught up in relationships that aren't going anywhere or you'll feel trapped (in a cell for example)
The last stanza is my favourite: Lust is a natural thing that is completely uncontrollable. Whether you control your actions or not is something completely different. Lust clouds your judgement and makes it impossible to make decent choices and it's not always a good thing to have because you can't control when you lust or who you lust for.
He is pretty clever with the wordplay, I admit, but he has a tendency to put it out of context or at random moments in a song. Obscurities are fine in poetry, but in music it's alot harder to follow, and that sometimes undermines the message- inasmuch as playing the same riff over and over again is monotonous. Lyrics like that need to be built up to. Vocally, his phrasing is almost always the same throughout the album.
He is pretty clever with the wordplay, I admit, but he has a tendency to put it out of context or at random moments in a song. Obscurities are fine in poetry, but in music it's alot harder to follow, and that sometimes undermines the message- inasmuch as playing the same riff over and over again is monotonous. Lyrics like that need to be built up to. Vocally, his phrasing is almost always the same throughout the album.
@nolimit24 I agree with almost all of what you said. However ironically over on the genius site they got the lyrics listed as " I know how to be controlled ,do one percent of what your told" and all I'm thinking is holy fuck who the hell fabricated that in their head, he clearly says do opposite of what your told, so when I see that's what you have I am releived, but then I notice you have "i know how to beat control" It's certianly "*I kNOW HOW TO BE CONTROLLED" when have you heard of the phrase "beat...
@nolimit24 I agree with almost all of what you said. However ironically over on the genius site they got the lyrics listed as " I know how to be controlled ,do one percent of what your told" and all I'm thinking is holy fuck who the hell fabricated that in their head, he clearly says do opposite of what your told, so when I see that's what you have I am releived, but then I notice you have "i know how to beat control" It's certianly "*I kNOW HOW TO BE CONTROLLED" when have you heard of the phrase "beat control" I never have heard somebody say something like that, however "be controlled " on the other hand is extrememly common, plus if you listen carefully there is no T sound at fucking all. He may roll his "ed"'s such as controlled, but he isn't going to leave off half the word "beat" as a stylistic preference, it's clearly "I know how to be controlled, do opposite of what you're told.
A few things... I don't think we're analyzing all of Josh's poetry to it's maximum potential. THe reason I love QOTSA lyrics and TCV lyrics especially is because Josh adds amusing plays on words and double entendres in all his songs. A few things that haven't been mentioned that I thought I should bring to your attention...
"you can't always do right, you can always do what's LEFT" (instead of "right" or correct. Just a little funny play on words he threw in)
"So I told her I was trash, so she winked & laughed and said I already know..." Earlier in the song he told her he was rich so he could convince her to have sex with him. Here, he's admitting he was full of shit. But she said she already knew so obviously she didn't care anyways. This song is entirely about have sex for the fun of it and giving into your desires.
"I know how to burn with passion Hold nothing back for future ration Give all you are, do not make haste Savor every single taste you get Cut
I know how to beat control Do opposite of what you're told Quick to react, to break the box Turn on queue, as your cell door locks Behind you
I know how to be lost in lust Not because you should, but because you must It burns white hot, and so clouds the mind This lightning strike isn't always kind"
This part of the song is so deep! I guess in a nutshell, he's saying not to get caught up in relationships that aren't going anywhere or you'll feel trapped (in a cell for example) The last stanza is my favourite: Lust is a natural thing that is completely uncontrollable. Whether you control your actions or not is something completely different. Lust clouds your judgement and makes it impossible to make decent choices and it's not always a good thing to have because you can't control when you lust or who you lust for.
TCV!! \m/
He is pretty clever with the wordplay, I admit, but he has a tendency to put it out of context or at random moments in a song. Obscurities are fine in poetry, but in music it's alot harder to follow, and that sometimes undermines the message- inasmuch as playing the same riff over and over again is monotonous. Lyrics like that need to be built up to. Vocally, his phrasing is almost always the same throughout the album.
He is pretty clever with the wordplay, I admit, but he has a tendency to put it out of context or at random moments in a song. Obscurities are fine in poetry, but in music it's alot harder to follow, and that sometimes undermines the message- inasmuch as playing the same riff over and over again is monotonous. Lyrics like that need to be built up to. Vocally, his phrasing is almost always the same throughout the album.
@nolimit24 I agree with almost all of what you said. However ironically over on the genius site they got the lyrics listed as " I know how to be controlled ,do one percent of what your told" and all I'm thinking is holy fuck who the hell fabricated that in their head, he clearly says do opposite of what your told, so when I see that's what you have I am releived, but then I notice you have "i know how to beat control" It's certianly "*I kNOW HOW TO BE CONTROLLED" when have you heard of the phrase "beat...
@nolimit24 I agree with almost all of what you said. However ironically over on the genius site they got the lyrics listed as " I know how to be controlled ,do one percent of what your told" and all I'm thinking is holy fuck who the hell fabricated that in their head, he clearly says do opposite of what your told, so when I see that's what you have I am releived, but then I notice you have "i know how to beat control" It's certianly "*I kNOW HOW TO BE CONTROLLED" when have you heard of the phrase "beat control" I never have heard somebody say something like that, however "be controlled " on the other hand is extrememly common, plus if you listen carefully there is no T sound at fucking all. He may roll his "ed"'s such as controlled, but he isn't going to leave off half the word "beat" as a stylistic preference, it's clearly "I know how to be controlled, do opposite of what you're told.