Ted Leo frustrates me. I've been trying to like Ted and his Pharmacists for something like 20 years now. This whole album is an example of why I feel hypocritical when I call myself a fan: I simply do not ever really understand where he's coming from.
In my opinion this song is the best on the album, partially because it is so understandable. Clearly, this song is about looking back at previous decisions (youth?) and realizing that some of your actions and decisions were foolish.
1.) "I heard new music on the radio/I thought that gradual dissolution would be the way to go" attempting to appeal to more of the masses by increasing pop influence to his music when he should have stayed true to his own muse.
2.)"Modern agriculture gave me a thrill/Until I saw the things it brutally kills" This does not require interpretation - it is so painfully straightforward that I refuse to elaborate.
3.)"Modern architecture gave me a kick/Until I lived among the Brutalist bricks" Living in the cold, hard city has it's downfall. People are often lured to the city with it's skyscrapers and other 'modern architecture' only to realize that it's a dog-eat-dog world in the city.
4.) "All the suffering evened out in the end/Stars and scriptures had some things to portend" Uhhh... your guess is as good as mine, probably better.
5.) "Thought that I could speak my mind but avoid a fight/I'd do it all and make sure everybody's doing alright" This speaks to the classic mistake of youth... attempting to keep everyone happy - especially while pushing an agenda. This line works in so many ways that it is easy to come up with examples. A new manager who pushes his employees and then is surprised when they hate him, a young hippie who thinks he can change the world just by explaining his position to the right people, so many more.
Where was his brain? It was with him all the time, getting it wrong again! The fallacy of youth and inexperience viewed through the eyes of experience. (Hindsight is 20/20)
Ted Leo frustrates me. I've been trying to like Ted and his Pharmacists for something like 20 years now. This whole album is an example of why I feel hypocritical when I call myself a fan: I simply do not ever really understand where he's coming from.
In my opinion this song is the best on the album, partially because it is so understandable. Clearly, this song is about looking back at previous decisions (youth?) and realizing that some of your actions and decisions were foolish.
1.) "I heard new music on the radio/I thought that gradual dissolution would be the way to go" attempting to appeal to more of the masses by increasing pop influence to his music when he should have stayed true to his own muse.
2.)"Modern agriculture gave me a thrill/Until I saw the things it brutally kills" This does not require interpretation - it is so painfully straightforward that I refuse to elaborate.
3.)"Modern architecture gave me a kick/Until I lived among the Brutalist bricks" Living in the cold, hard city has it's downfall. People are often lured to the city with it's skyscrapers and other 'modern architecture' only to realize that it's a dog-eat-dog world in the city.
4.) "All the suffering evened out in the end/Stars and scriptures had some things to portend" Uhhh... your guess is as good as mine, probably better.
5.) "Thought that I could speak my mind but avoid a fight/I'd do it all and make sure everybody's doing alright" This speaks to the classic mistake of youth... attempting to keep everyone happy - especially while pushing an agenda. This line works in so many ways that it is easy to come up with examples. A new manager who pushes his employees and then is surprised when they hate him, a young hippie who thinks he can change the world just by explaining his position to the right people, so many more.
Where was his brain? It was with him all the time, getting it wrong again! The fallacy of youth and inexperience viewed through the eyes of experience. (Hindsight is 20/20)