@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
They were raining from the sky
Exploding in my heart
Is this a love in disguise?
Or just a form of modern art?
From the skies, you could almost hear them cry
Tora! Tora! Tora!
In the town, they were going down
Tora! Tora! Tora!
I had a nightmare only yesterday
You played a skeleton
You took my love then died that day
I played an American
From the skies, you can almost hear them cry
Tora! Tora! Tora!
In the town, they were going down
Tora! Tora! Tora!
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (an American)
I played an American
I played an American (an American)
Exploding in my heart
Is this a love in disguise?
Or just a form of modern art?
From the skies, you could almost hear them cry
Tora! Tora! Tora!
In the town, they were going down
Tora! Tora! Tora!
I had a nightmare only yesterday
You played a skeleton
You took my love then died that day
I played an American
From the skies, you can almost hear them cry
Tora! Tora! Tora!
In the town, they were going down
Tora! Tora! Tora!
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (I played an American)
I played an American (an American)
I played an American
I played an American (an American)
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More Featured Meanings
Holiday
Bee Gees
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Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
When We Were Young
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No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
"Tora" = "Tiger" in Japanese. "Tora! Tora! Tora!" was the code signal for the Japanese bombers of Pearl Harbor, during World War II.
In my opinion this song is about deception. I think it is specifically about the potentials and suspicions around Pearl Harbour.(Tora,tora,tora - anonymous attack).
It is not clear who was the intended benefactor, at Pearl Harbour. There is still controversy about the why of Pearl Harbour.
Was the Emperor attempting to tip the balance (all leaders hate war, they just want victory, or failur), or was America looking for a way in?
I believe that this song is about japanese attack on Perl Harbor "From the skies you could almost hear them cry Tora Tora Tora In the town they were going down Tora Tora Tora" I think it's valid proof
great song !
Martin's first work recorded with Depeche Mode. It's a very interesting introduction that paved the way to a very brilliant career indeed.
AgenOren paints a very interesting picture of it...
"I played an American..."
Tora also means 'now' in Greek....
@interpolarity that’s true, add an “h” and it’s also the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, the Torah. <br /> <br /> But, they are definitely talking about the Japanese Tora Tora Tora! (meaning, Tiger Tiger Tiger!) which was the code/war cry to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the name of the 1970 Japanese film about the bombing. Exactly three “Tora!” in a row.<br /> As the lyrics say “from the sky you can almost hear them cry Tora Tora Tora”. Never mind the illusions towards dead Americans. The doomy sound of the music works towards war, rather than seizing of the day “now“. And, last, the industrial techno sound of their music implies an industrial techno event<br />
I believe budofmay if correct is in interpretation. Tora! Tora! Tora! was the title of a 1970 film that was a dramatic retelling of the Pearl Harbor attack details including everything in the days that led up to that tragic moment in American history.
After "Speak and Spell", Vince Clarke left the band to pursue other musical avenues (Yazoo, Erasure), leaving Martin Gore to handle most of the songwriting duties on DM's album #2, "A Broken Frame"--including this cleverly seductive tune about the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, of course, with that hooky chant, "I played an American" at the end...very cool!
Whoops, my bad...this was on "Speak and Spell"!
(Please tell me this slip was not one of those "senior moments"--I maybe over 40 now; plus the "midlife crises" are enough to cope with at the moment!! :P )
It seems so strange that Martin would write a song about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. For some odd reason or other this song really reminds me of an UFO encounter-being analogized to the Pearl Harbor bombing.