Cool Songs that people may not know what they are about

[Dion]

Hotel California by the Eagles

http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inth...22950492.shtml

".....One of the top songs of the 70's was "Hotel California" by the Eagles. Most people have no idea the song refers to the Church of Satan, which happens to be located in a converted HOTEL on CALIFORNIA street! �Some of the lyrics: "And in the master's chambers, They are gathered for the feast, They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast." Inside the album, looking down on the festivities, is none other than Anton Lavey, the founder of the Church of Satan and author of the Satanic Bible! �The Eagles manager, Larry Salter, admitted in the Waco Tribune-Herald, (Feb. 28, 1982) that the Eagles were involved with the Church of Satan! Not surprisingly, one of the Eagles's songs is titled "Have A Good Day in Hell."{ and of corse... album title �Hell frezze Over}..."

[iggypop]

Love the lyrics to this song

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/death...olivehere.html

Anything from Death Cab lyrically is amazing. Ben Gibbard tells a story in every single song, and when you figure out what he is talking about its such a cool feeling.

[Bill Bumface]

^ What Sarah Said, although an obvious song at face value, gives me chills every time.

A cool video some film student made as a project set to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO3CyKDo6sM

"Marching bands of Manhattan" and "Your heart is an empty room" have great lyrics too.


Outkast has quite a few songs with good lyrics, especially their older work. They have lots of great one liners too. I quite like Ms. Jackson: "You can plan a pretty picnic but you can't predict the weather".

[Bill Bumface]

I guess this question belongs in this thread too, does anyone know what "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" by the Postal Service is actually about? Lots of room for interpretation on that one.

[burnin_vernon]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I read an interview with Mike Patton (from Faith No More) before where he said that the song "Epic" was about masturbation. Sort of make sense I guess.

Same with "Blister in the Sun" by Violent Femmes and "Longview" by Green Day

[AC]

Originally Posted by Dion

Hotel California by the Eagles

http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/inth...22950492.shtml

Snopes says false:
http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/hotel.asp

[iggypop]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

I guess this question belongs in this thread too, does anyone know what "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" by the Postal Service is actually about? Lots of room for interpretation on that one.

Really? I think thats one of the easiest on Give Up. The beginning he isnt listening as she is breaking up with him. He then goes to a party where he is a complete stranger and therefore he has a name tag on. At the party he then realizes why she left him as he finally sees her around other people there. Thats what I understand at least, unless its way more complex

Clark Gable is such a cool story though, I cant for the life of me figure out for exactly what he is talking about in This Place is a Prison. Any idea?

We could really make a thread devoted just to Death Cab/ Postal Service lyrics, hah there are just so good.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by iggypop

Really? I think thats one of the easiest on Give Up. The beginning he isnt listening as she is breaking up with him. He then goes to a party where he is a complete stranger and therefore he has a name tag on. At the party he then realizes why she left him as he finally sees her around other people there. Thats what I understand at least, unless its way more complex

Just looked it up, as I had thought it was alluding to something deeper, but nope, you're pretty much bang on. I guess he wrote the song about his girlfriend moving to DC. I take the beginning as her demanding he come along, he says no and they break up. I'm guessing she moved on (new guy is the stranger with her door key).

I suck. That is pretty damn obvious

[stuck_in_chuk]

She's Lost Control by Joy Division is about epilepsy. Ian Curtis wrote the song shortly after being diagnosed with epilepsy himself. Ian would sometimes have seizures on stage, brought on by fatigue and flashing lights. His stage presence was inspired by his seizures, and epilepsy was considered to be a significant factor in his suicide.

[Got Miikka?]

If someone could tell me what the meaning is behind "I Am The Walrus" by the Beatles, I'd be much obliged. To this point I have just written it off as a whole lot of psychadelic hooey, based on the cover art for Magical Mystery Tour. Goo goo gee joob? Seriously. What does this song mean.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Got Miikka?

To this point I have just written it off as a whole lot of psychadelic hooey, based on the cover art for Magical Mystery Tour. Goo goo gee joob? Seriously. What does this song mean.

Psychedelic rock has always interested me. You look at a song like "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane that according to VH1 Behind the Music was written and recorded while they were completely high. And yet, they created a song with exceptional metaphors and relating them to Alice in Wonderland.

Some interesting background on the song: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Rabbit_(song)

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by stuck_in_chuk

She's Lost Control by Joy Division is about epilepsy. Ian Curtis wrote the song shortly after being diagnosed with epilepsy himself. Ian would sometimes have seizures on stage, brought on by fatigue and flashing lights. His stage presence was inspired by his seizures, and epilepsy was considered to be a significant factor in his suicide.

Anyone interested in this should check out the movie Control. Its a biopic on Ian Curtis and involves everything listed here.

[Buzzard]

A lot of the Beatles music was just that, music with a bunch of words thrown into match, meaning absolutely squat. They themselves have admitted that. Whether the words were drug influenced or not, I'm sure a lot were.

Lennon was supposed to have smirked to their producer after recording walrus, saying "Let them try to figure that one out".

[Flames in 07]

Does anyone know what OPP stands for? Apparently Naughty By Nature is down with it.

[Resolute 14]

^ I'm guessing not Ontario Provincial Police

Back when Uncle Cracker's song Follow Me was big, I used to kill myself laughing at how many 12 and 13 year old girls would request it on the radio, with no idea it was about cheating on your spouse.

I don't like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats is about an elementary school massacre.

[Got Miikka?]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I don't like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats is about an elementary school massacre.

Interesting - I Don't Like Mondays by Bruce Dowbiggen is about an intellectual massacre.

Figures about The Beatles. I knew it. Like I said: take a look at the cover art for Magical Mystery Tour and try to convince someone that it's possible anything on that record could be more than totally nonsensical.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Got Miikka?

Interesting - I Don't Like Mondays by Bruce Dowbiggen is about an intellectual massacre.

Well played, sir.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

A lot of the Beatles music was just that, music with a bunch of words thrown into match, meaning absolutely squat. They themselves have admitted that. Whether the words were drug influenced or not, I'm sure a lot were.

Lennon was supposed to have smirked to their producer after recording walrus, saying "Let them try to figure that one out".

That is true as far as it goes, but you're lacking the full context.

Lennon was aware of a teacher at his old school who was using his lyrics for classroom assignments, and was having students analyze them. So he added some total gibberish to I Am The Walrus to confuse them and the quote you refer to was directed to that teacher and his or her students.

[Dion]

Phil Collins's "In The Air Tonight"

*Real Meaning*, Phil and his best friend were swimming at the beach and his mate began to drown so Phil asked a man to help and he said no "Thinking it was a joke" so phil watched his best friend as a kid drown and die. So later on Phil whilst on tour tracked this guy down and sent him front row seat tickets and first class air fair ticket to his tour and limosoine and everything, then when he started singing this song he put the spot light on the guy, and started singing, a few weeks later due to all the humiliation and publicity the guy commited suicide.

http://www.inthe70s.com/generated/lyricsmeaning.shtml

[Burninator]

I don't like this kind of music, but the song "Too Close" by Next is pretty hilarious.

step back youre dancing kinda close
I feel a little poke coming through
On you

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/n/next/to..._20099989.html

The video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHH23QYX9Yc