December 04, 2004
Curious George: Explain that tune.
We know who Yoshimi is. We know all about Daniel. Moneyjane tracked down Jane in Spain. We found Kenneth's frequency, can you?
This is a call to my fellow musically inclined MoFites - Do you know the story behind an album or song? Do you have info to back it up: a quote from a bio, an article from Rolling Stone? Songfacts is good, SongMeanings has more noise than signal. I want to know what its all about Alfie, and why it was important enough for you to find out, or why it left enough of an impression that you remember.
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Well, there's always Helô Pinheiro, the real Girl from Ipanema.
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There used to be a column on an internet zine somewhere talking to indie artists about the process they went through when writing their songs. The only one I remember was Elizabeth Elmore explaining the meaning behind "Homewrecker." So, um, jump in your time machine and find the column. It was awesome.
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Thanks, DIMN. Musa.
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This is good. I love looking for meaning in metaphorical lyrics. I recently read that there is speculation that Elton John's "Rocket Man" is about cocaine addiction and I can see that. Leigh Nash's (who is a major hottie) former band, Sixpence None the Richer, recorded a cover of The La's "There She Goes", which is supposedly about heroin. The song is currently being used to flog birth control pills on American TeeVee every five seconds. It's ironic in that the band was pretty much a Christian rock band and the song's supposed meaning. There are so many songs that I have been curious about - I really look forward to other's comments.
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They're all about heroin.
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Paul McCartney recently admitted that "Got To Get You Into My Life" was about marijuana.
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I'll give a running start. This may end up becoming a depository. Bob Marley and the Wailers - "No Woman, No Cry" Tori Amos - "Cornflake Girl" Sting - "When We Dance" Bob Dylan - "Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts" James Taylor - "Fire and Rain" Traffic - "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" REM - "Swan, Swan, Hummingbird"
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U2 - All albums: this is user contributed, can't verify validity of some.
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Kuro5hin has a great explanation of 'Brimful of Asha', which had puzzled me for years. Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow. Obviously.
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Elton John - "Benny and the Jets"
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Don McLean - "American Pie"
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A few great Straight Dope columns: In the song "Hotel California," what does "colitas" mean? In Steve Miller's "The Joker," what is "the pompatus of love"? Why did Charles Manson think "Helter Skelter" was about a race war?
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Carly Simon - "You're So Vain"
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Johnny Cash - "A Boy Named Sue" Shel Silverstein is one beautiful, crazy motherfucker.
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Radiohead - All Albums Your one stop shop for Radiohead info.
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More about "American Pie," with possible interpretations of the more esoteric stanzas and a non-response from McClean himself. On preview: I just heard for the frist time the other day that Silverstein wrote the lyrics to "A Boy Named Sue." My head almost exploded.
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*waves to lilnemo*
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*waves back*
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This Might Be A Wiki has interpretations (some good, some lame) of songs by They Might be Giants.
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Pink Floyd - Album Descriptions Love the description of Hipgnosis' original idea for the cover of Animals.
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Beatles - All Albums Fansite, can't vouch for authority but seems reputable. Scholarly even.
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Beastie Boys - All Albums. More concerned with explaining various turns of phrase than content, but still highly recommended. And for mashup historians: Paul's Boutique Samples and References List
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Whiter Shade of Pale - still absolutely no idea.
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Blue Oyster Cult - "Imaginos"
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*CHROMINANCE* Is this it: Elizabeth Elmore - "Homewrecker"
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Hey, sweet! That's the one.
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Glad to oblige.
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John Mayer's "Your Body is a Wonderland" was written about a callgirl. John Mayer told me that. But wait. The guy who told me that was emailing me as John Mayer when really he was a 36-year-old black dude from DC. Never mind.
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Alienation and memories of a midnight picnic: Suzanne Vega's famous Tom's Diner
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Don't forget: Suzanne Vega - Luka
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For the Bowie fans: Low Hunky Dory Lodger
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moneyjaney, if that were true, wouldn't he have called it "Your Body Is a Disneyland"? If you're surprised that the Beloved Shel Silverstein wrote "A Boy Named Sue", then sit down while I remind you of "The Cover of the Rolling Stone". His "Freakin' at the Freakers Ball" is one of the funniest collections of songs for semi-grown-ups in the History of Music...
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"Happy Birthday to You" is about the alienation and conformity of early 20th century factory work. And drugs. All songs are about drugs.
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Exactly.
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MacArthur Park
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The tragic tale of the Boris of "Boris the Spider". Oh, they dug him when they were all stoned and shit, but the next day, in the shower, the shrieking and the whapping cut his life tragically short. Stupid Who...
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Walk on the Wild Side The Lou Reed song.
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"Practically every one of the top 40 records being played on every radio station in the United States is a communication to the children to take a trip, to drop out, to groove. The psychedelic jackets of the record albums have their own hidden symbols and messages, as well as all the lyrics of the top rock songs, and all sing the same refrain: it's fun to take a trip, put acid in your brain." That's the meaning of the songs.
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Oh, and the samples in "Jesus Built My Hotrod"? All from Flannery O'Connor's book, Wise Blood.
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Desperado Johnny Cash