Hey,
So, I’m
sorry I did not get this post up last night, but I’ve been sick all week with
strep throat and honestly, I was absolutely miserable last night. I’m trying to
be punctual and keep to my promise of a new post every Friday, but I needed
one more night to rest. I’m doing better today, still sneezing like crazy, but
at least I can think clearly. J
Health
issues aside, this week, I’m writing about my favorite lyrics. As a music
conisseur, I like to pay as much attention to the lyrics as I do the music.
This sometimes ends in disappointment due to the kiddie-pool-depth of most
songs, but occasionally, especially in these five instances, I am pleasantly surprised.
Without
further ado, I present to you my five favorite songs that boast beautiful
lyrics…
Plastic
Jungle by Miike Snow- One of my favorite European-alternative bands! This song
makes it on my list because I have no idea what the heck they’re talking about.
It opens with “I was born into money/and sold down the river.” What? It goes on
to say “I was choked by a jailor and f***ed a gorilla.” And I have to hope that’s
a metaphor for something J I love the fact that their
lyrics are so confusing. I know that’s kind of weird, but it makes you think.
It’s different from other groups where their lyrics are simple and you know
exactly what they’re trying to say. It is impossible to decode this song
without doing some research. And from what I’ve gathered, everyone else is
confused too, but a few people have hazarded a guess that the singer is telling
his own personal story about how he hates his evil ways. That may be true, but
I’m going to keep appreciating these crazy lyrics for what they are: creative.
Cousins
by Vampire Weekend- Another song with equally confusing lyrics. Unlike Miike
Snow’s song, I think there is an actual meaning to this one. J The song is essentially a slam against critics who
are putting Vampire Weekend down because of their wealthy backgrounds. And VW,
ironically, showed those critics that just because they’re rich, it doesn’t
mean they can’t write amazing songs. Do you think those snot-nosed, hipster
critics could write beautiful lyrics like these? Nope, didn’t think so. I chose
this song because it’s the ultimate diss track, yet they do it with style and
end up looking even better than they did before. Not to mention, it is literally
lyrical poetry and that, most definitely, deserves a place on my blog. J
Dance
Dance by Fall Out Boy- Oh, Fall Out Boy. While I cannot say that I am a big FOB
fan, I do like several of their songs and truly love their lyrics. You may be
sitting at home thinking, “Wow, Bella, ‘Dance Dance’ is one of FOB’s most
mainstream songs. Why’d you pick that one?’” Well, thanks for asking. I chose
it because, in my opinion, it’s one of their best songs, showcasing their lyrical
originality and ingenuity, so that’s why I’ve included it on my list. Now, I
can make sense of these lyrics, so that’s good. J It’s about a failed
relationship, though, like the other two songs, it takes a little bit of
digging to discover that. My favorite line is “Why don't you show me/ A little bit of spine/ You've been saving/ For his
mattress, love?” It’s a completely squirmy, pervy line, yet, due to their
syntax, it comes across as slightly beautiful. I don’t condone using that as a
pickup line, but it goes to show why FOB was/is so popular.
Mercenray by Panic! At the Disco- Yes, my
favorite scandalous band. This song came off the Batman: Arkham City video game, so, yeah, this song is about
Batman. It would have been easy to just write a song like “He’s a superhero/you
don’t know his history/his parents are dead/he be fighting the man with bad
makeup/yo, he’s Batman.” Instead, Panic! At the Disco rely on bright diction
(word choice) such as “collateral damage,” “mercenary,” and “dodge.” Laugh all
you want, but I’m including “dodge” because how often do we really use that
word in every day conversation? Never. So, diction aside, I love the phrasing
as well. “I dodge the blast/and apologize for collateral damage” not only sums
up Batman, but it could also fit into any other PATD song because it’s
different and unique. My other favorite line is “I can only recall/and spend
some time” because it straddles the line of sounding conversational and formal.
A truly fantastic track.
Pins and Needles by MuteMath- One of the best
alternative bands of our generation! And, understandably, their lyrics are
incredible as well. The lyrics are much less confusing compared to “Plastic
Jungle,” yet there is a great depth to them. This is hardly a fluffy pop song. At
first, the instrumentation caught my attention, but there is more to this song
than just Darren’s incredible drumming. The lyrics are quite breathtaking. The
song is about facades and how the lead singer, Paul, is tired of people
pretending to be someone they’re not and eventually comes to the realization
that he is “broken.” I love the brutal honesty and laments contained within
these lyrics. More than that, this song makes my list because of the vivid
visual imagery. My favorite examples are “facades are a fire on the skin,”
which one can easily picture, “I get tired of pin and needles,” a beautiful
metaphor, and “paper thin conviction,” which is a very true observation.
MuteMath always creates such stunning musical masterpieces and it is so
refreshing to find a band, like all the others highlighted on my list, who puts
as much emphasis on the lyrics as they do the actual music.
Alright, that’s about it for this week. Next
week, I’m hoping to do another edition of “What’s on my Spotify” or something
along those lines.
Until then,
Bella
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