"Long time listener, first time caller", as the saying goes...
I have a habit of cruising around the "Stars" songs on my phone, occasionally finding one that I obsess on, interpreting it in my head, and then coming here to see what the crowdsourced interpretation is.
On this song, I was in a totally different place than any of you, and I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse. IIRC my first listens were to the version where Torq does not sing the "return" of the "call and return" in the chorus and I think that set me off on a very different direction.
To me, cellophane is a metaphor for heroin, since you buy it in cellophane bags. Listen to the whole song with that in mind and it could be interpreted as a piece where Amy/Emily is singing about a friend or a sister, who's killing time between hits, maybe turning tricks to pay for the dope, maybe using gin and lime as a bridge between hits...and worried if maybe she is next.
Or am I totally whacked?
PS I didn't see the spot where Torq talks about the mall, but I have occasionally seen him push interpretations towards very simple meanings, versus the deep ones that we write about here. Who's right or who's wrong? That's why it's poetry - we all see what we want to see. (Worst offender in this case is Carl Newman of the New Pornographers, who more-or-less says the words are chosen only because they rhyme with each other!)
@Marty Being Marty I was surprised to see only one interpretation like this. This is way after the fact, but in case you still check this know that you're not alone in thinking the song is about heroin/addiction.
@Marty Being Marty I was surprised to see only one interpretation like this. This is way after the fact, but in case you still check this know that you're not alone in thinking the song is about heroin/addiction.
"Long time listener, first time caller", as the saying goes...
I have a habit of cruising around the "Stars" songs on my phone, occasionally finding one that I obsess on, interpreting it in my head, and then coming here to see what the crowdsourced interpretation is.
On this song, I was in a totally different place than any of you, and I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse. IIRC my first listens were to the version where Torq does not sing the "return" of the "call and return" in the chorus and I think that set me off on a very different direction.
To me, cellophane is a metaphor for heroin, since you buy it in cellophane bags. Listen to the whole song with that in mind and it could be interpreted as a piece where Amy/Emily is singing about a friend or a sister, who's killing time between hits, maybe turning tricks to pay for the dope, maybe using gin and lime as a bridge between hits...and worried if maybe she is next.
Or am I totally whacked?
PS I didn't see the spot where Torq talks about the mall, but I have occasionally seen him push interpretations towards very simple meanings, versus the deep ones that we write about here. Who's right or who's wrong? That's why it's poetry - we all see what we want to see. (Worst offender in this case is Carl Newman of the New Pornographers, who more-or-less says the words are chosen only because they rhyme with each other!)
@Marty Being Marty I was surprised to see only one interpretation like this. This is way after the fact, but in case you still check this know that you're not alone in thinking the song is about heroin/addiction.
@Marty Being Marty I was surprised to see only one interpretation like this. This is way after the fact, but in case you still check this know that you're not alone in thinking the song is about heroin/addiction.
@Marty Being Marty Yeah there are lots of interpretations but it's almost definitely about heroin addiction
@Marty Being Marty Yeah there are lots of interpretations but it's almost definitely about heroin addiction