I find most Roses lyrics have a William Blake influence, although could easily be over cooking it there. I'm not too sure of their influences all round- anyone know what some of their influences were? But his one for mine seems to be warning of the emptiness of that sort of 'giddy' adolescent love, that sweet kind of love that is horribly chaste and ashamed. Blake wrote' Little mary bell had a fairy in a nut, And long john browne had a devil in his gut, Long john browne loved little mary bell, and the fairy dragged the devil into the nut shell'. It goes on, but it is a tale about the dangers of seeing love as a sin, as something hollow (like a fairy in a nut), or like 'candy floss'. It also could read as a criticism of the way the hippie movement went, where there became an almost forced love through drugs, as though that was a free ticket instead of actually feeling it- "It takes all these things and all that time
Till my sugar spun sister's happy With this love of mine" It's empty, and the sister can't be fooled.
I'm going to have another go at it;
I've recently been hearing about the layered meanings of the SR's song lyrics and some have suggested the entire first album is a love story that each song refers to; almost a concept album. This song then is about the prostitute and the reluctant lover who can't help himself. Jesus was prophesied as the messiah and so was meant to follow the strictures of all of the societies rules laid out at the time, including who he would marry. And then a prostitute comes into the picture.
This song tracks the story of him...
I'm going to have another go at it;
I've recently been hearing about the layered meanings of the SR's song lyrics and some have suggested the entire first album is a love story that each song refers to; almost a concept album. This song then is about the prostitute and the reluctant lover who can't help himself. Jesus was prophesied as the messiah and so was meant to follow the strictures of all of the societies rules laid out at the time, including who he would marry. And then a prostitute comes into the picture.
This song tracks the story of him instead choosing to go with the heart; he's in love with Mary the prostitute because;
for her death is white, not black and-
she hates
All that she does
But she gives
it all that she's got
-she forgives (she sinneth much but shall be saved because she forgiveth much)
So he loves her; against everything expected of him. He's paid for 15 or more(generations) and can't stand it. his hands are stuck to his jeans(genes)- the family line, the inheritance, pleasing the elders -and she knows what it means in terms of the dangers but still no fuss because of what it is.
This is Jesus and Mary Magdalene falling in love, and not giving a fuck(or not being able to stop) what any priest has to say about it, and all the while knowing they are doomed, but doing it anyway. Nothings changed, and there is always a first. This is the first time in the world that two people chose to be together, instead of as a duty to lineage, and we should thank them for it. 'This is the One' preludes it, 'Waterfall', 'IATR', 'Bye Bye Badman'- all of them allude to this same love story. Think of it as 'west side story' but a long time ago(although it feels just like tomorrow)
PS I enjoy the over analysis, it's a little problem of mine
I find most Roses lyrics have a William Blake influence, although could easily be over cooking it there. I'm not too sure of their influences all round- anyone know what some of their influences were? But his one for mine seems to be warning of the emptiness of that sort of 'giddy' adolescent love, that sweet kind of love that is horribly chaste and ashamed. Blake wrote' Little mary bell had a fairy in a nut, And long john browne had a devil in his gut, Long john browne loved little mary bell, and the fairy dragged the devil into the nut shell'. It goes on, but it is a tale about the dangers of seeing love as a sin, as something hollow (like a fairy in a nut), or like 'candy floss'. It also could read as a criticism of the way the hippie movement went, where there became an almost forced love through drugs, as though that was a free ticket instead of actually feeling it- "It takes all these things and all that time Till my sugar spun sister's happy With this love of mine" It's empty, and the sister can't be fooled.
I'm going to have another go at it; I've recently been hearing about the layered meanings of the SR's song lyrics and some have suggested the entire first album is a love story that each song refers to; almost a concept album. This song then is about the prostitute and the reluctant lover who can't help himself. Jesus was prophesied as the messiah and so was meant to follow the strictures of all of the societies rules laid out at the time, including who he would marry. And then a prostitute comes into the picture. This song tracks the story of him...
I'm going to have another go at it; I've recently been hearing about the layered meanings of the SR's song lyrics and some have suggested the entire first album is a love story that each song refers to; almost a concept album. This song then is about the prostitute and the reluctant lover who can't help himself. Jesus was prophesied as the messiah and so was meant to follow the strictures of all of the societies rules laid out at the time, including who he would marry. And then a prostitute comes into the picture. This song tracks the story of him instead choosing to go with the heart; he's in love with Mary the prostitute because; for her death is white, not black and- she hates All that she does But she gives it all that she's got -she forgives (she sinneth much but shall be saved because she forgiveth much) So he loves her; against everything expected of him. He's paid for 15 or more(generations) and can't stand it. his hands are stuck to his jeans(genes)- the family line, the inheritance, pleasing the elders -and she knows what it means in terms of the dangers but still no fuss because of what it is. This is Jesus and Mary Magdalene falling in love, and not giving a fuck(or not being able to stop) what any priest has to say about it, and all the while knowing they are doomed, but doing it anyway. Nothings changed, and there is always a first. This is the first time in the world that two people chose to be together, instead of as a duty to lineage, and we should thank them for it. 'This is the One' preludes it, 'Waterfall', 'IATR', 'Bye Bye Badman'- all of them allude to this same love story. Think of it as 'west side story' but a long time ago(although it feels just like tomorrow)
PS I enjoy the over analysis, it's a little problem of mine