Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Lyrical Truths and Hidden Meanings

Most music today seems to mean nothing. Many of the lyrics you here on the radio are mindless and pointless. You know this, so I don't really have to explain it to you. But there is more to the story. The music industry has everyone fooled. Musicians are not who you think they are, and thier music is not what you think it is.

I was watching the Today Show on NBC this morning. One of the anchors was interviewing rap artist 50 Cent, mostly talking about the release of his new movie. Now 50 Cent is one of these guys who is real good at making you think he is something that he really isn't. He would like you to believe that he is a gang-bangin thug ganster who roams the streets shootin people up when he is not rapping. Granted, the man was shot like 42 times and mangaed to survive it. But that is his past. The reporter asked asks him "People are scared of you. Is that really you?" His answer was something to the effect of "You can pick my CD up for $16.99. It's entertainment. It's my job." 50 Cent is a smart man; he knows what people want to hear, what makes money, and thats what he sings about, whether it is true or not. And there are many others out there doing the same thing.

But there are still some songs that actually have meaning. So I thought it would be a good call to point out these songs, and discuss the truths found in the lyrics, as well as any other hidden meaning. That why I am introducing yet another new segment entitled "Lyrical Truths and Hidden Meanings".

Todays songs:

1) Girls and Boys by Good Charlotte-Let me preface this by saying that Good Charlotte is one of the worst bands of all time, and I by no means reccomend that you buy any of their records. I got one for free and I still felt like I got ripped off. At any rate, there was one good song that they put out a couple years ago. Girls and Boys deals with exactly what the title says, but also gives us a good look at why girls like boy and vice versa, as well as an insight to flirtatious behavior. Here is the chorus:

Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money
Boys will laugh at girls when they're not funny

Profound? You bet. Look at the facts. The guys is always the one driving on the date, so if he doesn't have a nice car, she is gonna look elsewhere for love. And money. Who doesn't like money? Girls sure like it, that's for sure. So it is essential that you have at least of of these. But there is more to the song....

There is the flirting phenomenon that has puzzled me for years: boys will laugh at girls when they're not funny. How true is this? I see guys all the time laugh at girls when they tell funny stories, even when it was a terribly unfunny story. So why do they do it? They want the girl to like them, of course. By laughing at her story or joke, you show interest in her. And that's how it all starts isn't it?

So what do we learn from this song? You have two options as a guy: get some money and a nice car, or laugh at her unfunny stories and jokes. Most of us use the latter method, because there just isn't enough money to go around. And if you have a girlfriend/wife and have no money or nice car, you better start laughing at her funny stories because it won't be long before she gives you the boot.

2) Sweetness by Jimmy Eat World- I know that many of you will agree when I say that this is one of the greatest songs of all time. I bought this CD my freshman year, and I still listen to it. Sweetness was by far the best song on the album; it immediatley caught my attention the first time I heard it. And so now we take a closer look at it:

Are you listening. (Whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
Sing it back. (Whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
String from your tether unwinds.(string from your tether unwinds, Whoa oh, Whoa oh)
Up and outward to bind (Up and outward to bind, Whoa oh, Whoa oh)

I was spinning free (Whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
with a little sweet and simple numbing me

Are you listening? (Whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
Sing it back. (Whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
So tell me what do I need (tell me what do I need, Whoa oh, Whoa oh)
When words lose their meaning (When words lose their meaning) (Whoa oh, Whoa oh)

I was spinning free (Whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
with a little sweet and simple numbing me
Yeah, stumble till you crawl (Whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
Sinking into sweet uncertainty

Are you listening? Are you listening?If you're listening (Whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
If you're listening, Are you listening?Sing it back (Whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
If you're listening, Are you listening?I'm still running away, I'm still running away, whoa oh, whoa oh
Won't play your hide and seek game.

I was spinning free (Whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
with a little sweet and simple numbing me.
What a dizzy dance (whoa,oh,oh,oh,oh,oh)
This sweetness will not be concerned with me.
No the sweetness will not be concerned with me.

Many a day and night have I thought about what this song means. What is this "sweetness" that they sing of? It must be good, I mean they wrote a song about it. Well in order to find out what the "sweetness" is, as well as what the song is about, let's break the lyrics down:

Are you listening/Sing it back: this would imply that what the singer is about to say is of the utmost importance, seeing as how he makes sure we are listening, even asking us to sing it back.

String from you tether unwinds, up and outward to bind: he obviously feels held back by some "tether". But what is that tether? A lady perhaps?

I was spinning free, with a little sweet and simple numbing me: alas, there is a happy moment for the singer. Perhaps due to the proverbial "sweetness"?

Are you listening/Sing it back: again making sure we are listening.

So tell me what do I need when words lose their meaning: This guy is obviously trying to say something to someone, but all words have lost meaning, and he wants to know what he needs in order to express his feelings.

I was spinning free, with a little sweet and simple numbing me: again, he's feelin' good.

Stumble to your car, sinking into sweet uncertainty: Hmmmm, things get interesing here. does he stumble to his car perhaps because he finally broke up with his girlfriend who was holding him back (remember the tether), and now there is "sweet uncertainty" as to what will happen next. But that's what he wants: less predictability in his life.

Again we do the whole "Are you listening" thing.

I'm still running away, won't play your hide-and-seek game: here is the breaking point. He is tired of hiding from this girl, so he runs until he knows she won't follow him anymore.

What a dizzy dance, this sweetness will not be concerned with me: he is happy, so he is dancing. There is no more need for concern.

And there you have it. The whole time, he was telling his significant other (not us) to listen, because he was done with her. Of course, there could be other interpretations out there, but this is what I think. So what do we learn? Nothing really, it is just a cool song about a breakup that made him feel good and not bad like most break-ups do. It's irony. And that's what makes it good.

posted by Wes @ 11:10 AM

4 Comments:

At 11/08/2005 01:49:00 PM, Blogger troy said...

i think it is not about a girl, but about the hidden meaning of life... be yourself

 
At 11/08/2005 02:02:00 PM, Blogger JTapp said...

It sure sounds like a drug-enduced song to me... I mean, could it be anything else?
No guy is going to talk about how good it feels to break up with a girl. He either played her and dumped her, or got dumped by her. In the first case, he's pretty apathetic, not blissful as these lyrics imply. In the second, getting dumped would create a bitter song, not a happy one.

"I was spinning free, with a little sweet and simple numbing me... stumble until you crawl..." clearly talking about mj or maybe Troy's laughing gas.

 
At 11/09/2005 02:34:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"...everybody knows the point of Moby Dick is to be yourself..."

 
At 11/09/2005 09:58:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe he left her because she wasn't listening.

 

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