Songs we don't understand

[lucimay]

hey luc, if its about Frisco to you then thats what its about.
when i hear it it'll always be a love song about two misunderstood kids.
thats the bueaty of Counting Crows music imo. all things to all people.

Tazz honey, DON'T call it "Frisco".

The City. SF. Sam Clam's Disco. Fog City. ANYthing but "Frisco"!!

eh? i edited my post. bloody movies!

good man. if you ever make the jack to come visit my fair city, Tazz, i don't want you to get here and look like some RUBE! everybody is expecting the guy from Tasmania to be exceedingly hip.

[Warmark]

I love Counting Crows and Round Here is one of their best.

[Fist and Faith]

Yeah, it's my fav of theirs. And they did a nice job of it on SNL.

[sgt.null]

MacArthur Park
Richard Harris

Spring was never waiting for us, girl
It ran one step ahead
As we followed in the dance
Between the parted pages and were pressed
In love's hot, fevered iron
Like a striped pair of pants

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!

I recall the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave
On the ground around your knees
The birds, like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers by the trees

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!

[break]

There will be another song for me
For I will sing it
There will be another dream for me
Someone will bring it
I will drink the wine while it is warm
And never let you catch me looking at the sun
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
You'll still be the one

I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers through the sky
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you
And wondering why

[extended break]

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!
Oh, no
No, no
Oh no!!

[dlbpharmd]

Another good one - I'll never forget when Carrie Underwood sang this on American Idol, then told the audience that she had no idea what the song was about.

[sgt.null]

I wish I had seen that episode of Idol. did she do a short version of the song? I believe it clocks around 7 minutes.

[dlbpharmd]

She did do a shortened version. It was probably one of her worst performances, but of course she was so popular that she sailed through to the end.

[sgt.null]

Darken the city, night is a wire
Steam in the subway, earth is a afire
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo
Woman, you want me, give me a sign
And catch my breathing even closer behind
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo

In touch with the ground
I'm on the hunt I'm after you
Smell like I sound, I'm lost in a crowd
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Straddle the line in discord and rhyme
I'm on the hunt I'm after you
Mouth is alive with juices like wine
And I'm hungry like the wolf

Stalked in the forest, too close to hide
I'll be upon you by the moonlight side
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo
High blood drumming on your skin, it's so tight
You feel my heart, I'm just a moment behind
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo

In touch with the ground
I'm on the hunt I'm after you
Scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme
I howl and I whine, I'm after you
Mouth is alive, al lrunning inside
And i'm hungry like the wolf

Hungry like the wolf
Hungry like the wolf
Hungry like the wolf

Burning the ground, I break from the crowd
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
I smell like I sound, I'm lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
Mouth is alive with juices like wine
And I'm hungry like the wolf

[Sorus]

Pigeon Camera, by The Tragically Hip.

It was handsome at the auction,
oh but when we got it home,
it grew up into something we could
no longer contain
Where's our pigeon camera,
by now he could be anywhere
and after all that training.
And after all that training,
something we could no longer contain.
It's boring, I'm embarrassed,
I don't endorse that, I didn't want this

This house it has it's politics;
over there that's my room,
and that's my sister's.
And that's my sister,
something we could no longer contain
It's boring, I'm embarrassed,
I don't endorse that; I didn't want this,
it's horrific, I'm embarrassed,
I didn't want that, I didn't want this
It's like we burned our boots with no
contingency plan.


Think on that and be utterly mystified.

[Usivius]

Yah, be totally mystified By Downie's lyrics. He is a very 'interesting' guy....

[sgt.null]

"The Chauffeur"

Out on the tar plains, the glides are moving
All looking for a new place to drive
You sit beside me, so newly charming
Sweating dew drops glisten, freshing your side

[CHORUS]
The sun slips down bedding heavy behind
The front of your dress all shadowy lined
And the droning engine throbs in time
With your beating heart
Sing Blue Silver

Way down the lane away, living for another day
The aphids swarm up in the drifting haze
Swim seagull in the sky
Towards that hollow western isle
My envied lady holds you fast in her gaze

[CHORUS]

And watching lovers part, I feel you smiling
What glass splinters lie so deep in your mind
To tear out from your eyes
With a word to stiffen brooding lies
But I'll only watch you leave me further behind

[CHORUS]

[matrixman]

I recognize that, Sarge! Good ol' Duran Duran, back when they had memorable songs.

It's a good thing that I mostly ignore lyrics when I'm listening to songs, so I can blissfully glide over any convoluted, self-deluded babble that songwriters may try to foist on me.

There have been a few rock/pop lyricists I've paid attention to, such as David Byrne, Kate Bush, the late Stuart Adamson of Big Country, and Sting (back when his music was still relevant to me, before he turned into a New Age Perry Como or whatever his shtick is nowadays). But for the most part, I don't lose sleep over the meaning of song lyrics. It's all about the music.

[sgt.null]

good thing because while Duran did great songs, the lyrics are a bit :wtf?

"The Reflex"

"You've gone too far this time"
But I'm dancing on the valentine
I tell you somebody's fooling around
With my chances on the dangerline
I'll cross that bridge when I find it
Another day to make my stand
High time is no time for deciding
If I should find a helping hand

[CHORUS]
So why don't you use it?
Try not to bruise it
Buy time don't lose it
The reflex is an only child he's waiting in the park
The reflex is in charge of finding treasure in the dark
And watching over lucky clover isn't that bizarre
Every little thing the reflex does
Leaves you answered with a question mark

I'm on a ride and I want to get off
But they won't slow down the roundabout
I sold the Renoir and the TV set
Don't want to be around when this gets out

[CHORUS]

Oh the reflex what a game he's hiding all the cards
The reflex is in charge of finding treasure in the dark
And watching over lucky clover isn't that bizarre
Evey little thing the reflex does
Leaves you answered with a question mark

[Sorus]

Yah, be totally mystified By Downie's lyrics. He is a very 'interesting' guy....

Good point. And add Eldorado to the list.

[dANdeLION]

Send in the clowns

Isn't it rich, are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air.
Send in the clowns.

Isn't it bliss, don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around
One who can't move
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns.

Just when I'd stopped opening doors,
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours.
Making my entrance again with my usual flair,
Sure of my lines;
No one is there.

Don't you love farce?
My fault I fear,
I thought that you'd want what I want,
Sorry my dear
But where are the clowns
There ought to be clowns
Quick send in the clowns

What a surprise!
Who could foresee
I'd come to feel about you
What you felt about me?
Why only now when I see
That you've drifted away?
What a surprise...
What a cliche'...

Isn't it rich, isn't it queer
Losing my timing this late in my career
And where are the clowns
Quick send in the clowns
Don't bother, they're here.

[dlbpharmd]

Good one, dAN.

[matrixman]

Ha ha, "The Reflex" is another excellent Duran Duran head-scratcher, Sarge! I couldn't help but pay attention to the words to that song, but that didn't help me understand any better what the heck Simon Le Bon was singing about. (Great, now you've got me going through their CD's.)

[sgt.null]

matrix: don't remember what song it is, but simon wrote "my head is full of chopsitcks" - gotta love it!

dan: for you!


"victim of the clown"

I heard you crying loud,
all the way across town
You've been searching for that someone,
and it's me out on the prowl
As you sit around feeling sorry for yourself
Don't get lonely now
And dry your whining eyes
I'm just roaming for the moment
Sleazin' my back yard so don't get so uptight
you been thinking about ditching me

No time to search the world around
Cause you know where I'll be found
victim of the clown

I heard it all before
So don't knock down my door
I'm a loser and a user so I don't need no accuser
to try and slag me down because I know you're right
So go do what you like
Make sure you do it wise
You may find out that your self-doubt means nothing
was ever there

You can't go forcing something if it's just
not right

No time to search the world around
Cause you know where I'll be found
victim of the clown
victim of the clown

No time to search the world around
Cause you know where I'll be found
victim of the clown
victim of the clown
victim of the clown
victim of the clown

[dlbpharmd]

Someone explain this one to me:

Norwegian Wood

I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me...
She showed me her room, isn't it good, norwegian wood?

She asked me to stay and she told me to sit anywhere,
So I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair.

I sat on a rug, biding my time, drinking her wine.
We talked until two and then she said, "It's time for bed"

She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh.
I told her I didn't and crawled off to sleep in the bath

And when I awoke, I was alone, this bird had flown
So I lit a fire, isn't it good, norwegian wood.

[CovenantJr]

Sk8er Boi

My choice would be One Armed Scissor by At The Drive-In. It's obviously something science fictiony, but other than that it doesn't make much sense.

I generally avoid posting lyrics, but I might as well this time:


Yes this is the campaign
Slithered entrails
In the cargo bay
A neutered is the vastness
Hallow vacuum check the
Oxygen tanks
They hibernate
But have they kissed the ground
Pucker up and kiss the asphalt now
Tease this amputation
Splintered larynx
It has access now

Cut away, cut away
Send transmission to
The one armed scissor
Cut away, cut away
Send transmission from
The one armed scissor
Cut away, cut away
Send transmission from
The one armed scissor
Cut away, cut away

Banked on memory
Mummified circuitry
Skin graft machinery
Sputnik sickles found in the seats
Self-destruct sequence
This station is non-operational
Species growing
Bubbles in an IV loitering
Unknown origins
Is this the comfort of being afraid
Solar eclipsed
Black out the vultures
As they wait
Unknown, unknown
Unknown, unknown, yeah

Cut away, cut away
Send transmission from
The one armed scissor
Cut away, cut away
Send transmission from
The one armed scissor
Cut away, cut away
Send transmission from
The one armed scissor
Cut away, cut away

Dissect a trillion sighs away
Will you get this letter
Jagged pulp sliced in my veinsI write to remember
'Cause I'm a million miles away
Will you get this letter
Jagged pulp sliced in my veins
I write to remember
I write to remember
I write to remember

Cut away, cut away
Send transmission from
The one armed scissor
Cut away, cut away
Send transmission from
The one armed scissor
Cut away, cut away
Send transmission from
The one armed scissor
Cut away, cut away
Cut away, cut away
Cut away, cut away

Any inaccuracies are down to the site I copied that from. I couldn't be bothered to listen to the song and write the lyrics down.