I'm learning so much from these comments...
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This song is cute and happy but the lyrics are absolutely devastating and make me cry. https://open.spotify.com/track/2E3hdMguyNDQswLXyUotYR
https://genius.com/Bloc-party-signs-lyrics
[Verse 1]
Two ravens in the old oak tree
And one for you and one for me
And bluebells in the late December
I see signs now all the time
The last time we slept together
There was something that was not there
You never wanted to alarm me
But I'm the one that's drowning now
[Verse 2]
I can sleep forever these days
Cause in my dreams I see you again
But this time-fleshed out fuller face
In your confirmation dress
It was so like you to visit me
To let me know you were okay
It was so like you to visit me
You're always worried about someone else
[Bridge]
At your funeral I was so upset
So, so upset
In your life you were larger than this
Statue statuesque
[Chorus] (x2)
I see signs now all the time
That you're not dead, you're sleeping
I believe in anything
That brings you back home to me
I hate this song. Literally sobbing at the fear of the state my mental health would be in if my wife suddenly passed.
Harper Road from Sun Kil Moon is similar, super beautiful song but tragic fucking lyrics
My blood runs through my lonely daughter
Her eyes are mine, so wild with wonder
Be my voice, my light, my power
Be with me in my leaving hour
I think it's really interesting how people interpret music completely different than other forms of art. People sometimes assume the worst instead of realizing that the singer is speaking from another perspective. So for example if a writer has a first person perspective of a killer/rapist you wouldn't make an association that the author is anything of the sort. But if they wrote a song and sang it then people would question if they really felt that way. Polly is a great example. By many accounts (Kathleen Hanna , Kim Gordon) Cobain championed feminism and woman's rights but the lyrics of Polly are brutal and from the perpetrator view. Randy Newman's - Rednecks is a tough one to listen to. You can understand how it is trying to point out ignorance and racism like Blazing Saddles but it's sung in first person and should never be played in a public setting. Oingo Bongo's - Little Girs was always a bit creepy now seems to age poorly the more time has gone on. Minor Threat - Guilty of being white is a tough listen because you know racist people think this is a rallying cry instead of the emotionly reaction from a a teenage kid who was bullied in highschool for being white.
So for example if a writer has a first person perspective of a killer/rapist you wouldn’t make an association that the author is anything of the sort.
That does happen all the time in movies, shows, books, and other forms of art. "What kind of a person would come up with that" isn't an uncommon accusation.
Sure but I think it is less immediate. In music we have to make a decision if they are speaking about themselves nonfiction or fiction and in a book or movie we assume they are creating fictional character.
Stinkfist - Tool
You think from the title it would be obvious. Never thought why it was named like that until after I realized what the song was about.
Baby, It's Cold Outside. It's such a fun song as the guy and girl go back and forth. Until you realize that he's guilting her into sleeping with him. Eww!
In my late teens one of my friend gave me thumb stick with some poorly tagged mp3 mess. It was mostly black metal which I kind of liked (still do, some of it, sometimes when the mood is right). Years later I found out it was compilation of some NSBM bullshit. Not that it mattered in lyrics, as it was allindistinguishable, impossible to hear in true black metal "recorded band jam on a tape in one go from room next door" style, but still... People producing that pretty good music were probably the most degenerate retards in their countries (from USA, through France to Russia).
I don't know what the vast majority of songs I listen to are about. I have some genetic defect that makes it near impossible to hear lyrics. It all sounds like melody to me.
"Freshmen" by the Verve Pipe
When I loved this song as a teenager I did understand that it was about the girlfriend’s suicide, but I missed the abortion piece. I assumed the “baby’s breath” referenced wedding flowers and “shoe full of rice” was like the rice you throw on newlyweds.
Turns out the only true part of the story is the abortion, which is a rough topic but not inherently tragic. TBH these days a song about abortion could be considered wishful thinking. (Or even celebratory? Cue the Sextina Aquafina abortion song from Bojack.) The suicide is poetic license, but does make for a beautiful narrative of guilt and naïveté.
Contemporary to that one is "Brick" by Ben Folds Five...
I stopped explaining to people why they were selling their gifts, and where he was dropping her off...After a while, I felt as though I was just ruining something that made people happy.
Same with "Pumped Up Kicks" - although that one, I thought, was pretty self explanatory. I guess people just jam to the beat, and don't pay attention to the lyrics
I’m surprised at the number of people who don’t know Weezer’s “Hashpipe” is about male prostitution.
Pretty much everything that's EDM. Lots of Deadmau5 songs sound like they're meaningful when you only catch a few words here and there, then you read the lyrics and find out they're all about sex. Pomegranate is a good example. I still like them, but I don't think they're meaningful now.
the two Who rock operas are chock full of stuff that went over my head because i heard them when i was younger than i probably should have been. in this case the songs are written from character POVs so i wouldn't say they make me think less of the band because of the content, but jeez, 10 year old me never would've figured Love Reign O'er Me for example was about a suicide attempt as opposed to, you know, feeling loved
Running to the Sea - Royksopp. Now that I know it's about some sort of terrorist attack, I just feel weird listening to it now