Interpreting Lyrics

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Defiant · #1 Post by **Defiant** » February 17th, 2006, 11:56 pm

I was reading a review of David Gray's "Life in Slow Motion" (which is one of the best CDs I've heard in a LONG time). The reviewer gave the CD great reviews (naturally), but mentioned one "silly" song that jjust seemed to be for fun. It's called "The One I Love."

I think the reviewer must be dumb as a brick, 'cuz I think the lyrics are pretty dark and tragic. At least, the story I think Gray's trying to tell here is pretty sad. The lively music is, IMNSHO, supposed to be ironic.

What do YOU think it means?

THE ONE I LOVE

Gonna close my eyes
Girl and watch you go
Running through this life darling
Like a field of snow
As the tracer glides
In its graceful arc
Send a little prayer out to ya
‘cross the falling dark

Tell the repo man
And the stars above
You’re the one I love

Perfect summers night
Not a wind that breathes
Just the bullets whispering gentle
‘mongst the new green leaves
There’s things I might have said
Only wish I could
Now I'm leaking life faster
Then I'm leaking blood

Tell the repo man
And the stars above
You’re the one I love
You’re the one I love
The one I love

Don’t see Elysium
Don’t see no fiery hell
Just the lights up bright baby
In the bay hotel
Next wave coming in
Like an ocean roar
Won’t you take my hand darling
On that old dancefloor

We can twist and shout
Do the turtle dove
And you’re the one I love
You’re the one I love
The one I love

#2 Post by **Aurian** » February 18th, 2006, 10:24 am

OOh fabulous topic, but i think its more suited in the music forum.

*swoosh*

(if i can figure out how to do this.. its been a while..)

Niorah · #3 Post by **Niorah** » February 19th, 2006, 9:38 am

To tell you the truth, I have stopped asking myself this kind of question.

When an artist writes something, only -they- know what it means, and to try and give it an explanation of your own would be to twist their own inspiration, and that is something you don't want to do to an artist, ever...

I do wonder what that song meant to the one who wrote it, but you only can ask him... and I agree it doesn't have the feeling of a silly song, I like the lyrics too.

desert rose · #4 Post by **desert rose** » February 19th, 2006, 8:29 pm

I have written essays on interpreting lyrics, of both songs and poems (i marked essays too, while I did a brief spell as an English teacher). However, I also write them and open them up to reviews. It's very true that the writer is the only one who knows the true meaning, but the reader/listener can get prett close too.

Theophilus · #5 Post by **Theophilus** » February 20th, 2006, 5:53 pm

The music, rythym, and tempo can also change dramatically how one interprets lyrics.

desert rose · #6 Post by **desert rose** » February 20th, 2006, 6:42 pm

I guess, but then again if you're listening to the actual lyrics, then it doesn't matter so much what the music's doing. Most of the Goo Goo Dolls lyrics are depressing, but the music is so upbeat that you don't always notice.

Theophilus · #7 Post by **Theophilus** » February 21st, 2006, 6:43 am

The first example I can think of to illustrate my point is with Emeniem. His song about will the real Slim Shady please stand up... It could be taken as a commentary from him about how everyone is copying him. In Futurama, Shatner does a version of it that just makes it farcical.

Defiant · #8 Post by **Defiant** » February 22nd, 2006, 2:11 am

Try it with some highlighting:

THE ONE I LOVE

Gonna close my eyes
Girl and watch you go
Running through this life darling
Like a field of snow
As the tracer glides
In its graceful arc
Send a little prayer out to ya
‘cross the falling dark

Tell the repo man
And the stars above
You’re the one I love

Perfect summers night
Not a wind that breathes
Just the bullets whispering gentle
‘mongst the new green leaves
There’s things I might have said
Only wish I could
Now I'm leaking life faster
Then I'm leaking blood

Tell the repo man
And the stars above
You’re the one I love
You’re the one I love
The one I love

Don’t see Elysium
Don’t see no fiery hell
Just the lights up bright baby
In the bay hotel
Next wave coming in
Like an ocean roar
Won’t you take my hand darling
On that old dancefloor

We can twist and shout
Do the turtle dove
And you’re the one I love
You’re the one I love
The one I love

the cool thing is, I just found an article confirming my interpretation... nice!In The Artists Own Words (link)

BlackDog · #9 Post by **BlackDog** » February 24th, 2006, 1:59 pm

I have an odd, (and extremely nerdy) habit of mentally attributing song lyrics to fictional characters and settings. For example - Bob Dylan's Dirge (click for lyric) comes out as a song about the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, and Shelter From The Storm is a song about Odo.