I've always been interested in pop music, most of the lyrics are forgettable bilge around which to hang a tune, but some are precise, poetic and meaningful.
One song i've always been curious about is Don't fear the Reaper, by Blue Oyster Cult, some of it below.....
40,000 men and women everyday... Like Romeo and Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday... Redefine happiness
Another 40,000 coming everyday...We can be like they are
Come on baby... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby take my hand... Don't fear the Reaper
We'll be able to fly... Don't fear the Reaper
Baby I'm your man...
Love of two is oneHere but now they're gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear we couldn't go on
The door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew and then disappeared
The curtains flew then he appeared
Saying don't be afraid
Come on baby... And we had no fear
And we ran to him... Then we started to fly
We looked backward and said goodbye
We had become like they are
We had taken his hand
We had become like they are
Now it strikes me this is clearly a song about suicide, although it is claimed it isn't, but i'ts about someone consumed with sadness, being encouraged to step into the dark unknown by someone else. While the concept of suicide in popular culture isn't new -Romeo and juliet, might be an example, in Don't fear the Reaper death is seen as some sort of virtue in itself instead of a means of ending sadness.
i still find it an enchanting, but profoundly strange song.
Another great poetic lyric is 'One of the Broken' by Prefab Sprout below......
Hi, this is God here,
Talking to me used to be a simple affair
Moses only had to see a burning bush
And he'd pull up a chair
Well it's been a long time since we talked in that way
If you're wondering what to say...
Sing me no deep hymn of devotion
Sing me no slow sweet melody
Sing it to one, one of the broken
And brother your singing to me.
I remember King David
With his harp and his beautiful, beautiful songs
I answered his prayers
And showed him a place where his music belongs
It's not too far from here come get up off your knees
If you're looking for ways to please...
Sing me no psalm you're not King David
Sing me no high hushed Glory Be
Sing it to one, one of the broken
And brother you're singing, singing to me
This is a perfectly simple lyric, but wonderful in the presentation of it's message which is-to love your brother, is to love god-it's also sung almost perfectly -Paddy Mcaloon is a true poet.
Somwhere from West Side Story, Stephen Sondheim
There's a place for us,
Somewhere a place for us.
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us Somewhere.
There's a time for us,
Some day a time for us,
Time together with time spare,
Time to learn, time to care,
Some day!
Somewhere.
We'll find a new way of living,
We'll find a way of forgiving
Somewhere . . .
There's a place for us,
A time and place for us.
Hold my hand and we're halfway there.
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow, Some day, Somewhere!
Stephen Sondheim is Jewish (though not practising i think) and think of the lyric in that context, or sung by anyone in a place or situation they long to get out of, it's perfectly ambiguous and has a different meaning for each person who sings it.
This is quite a famous song, but I think the lyrics are amazing. Despite the fact that Trent Reznor wrote this song about his heroin addiction, when Johnny Cash covered it the lyrics seemed to work so well to explain his life and feelings. In that way, these lyrics seem to work on so many levels:
Johnny Cash - Hurt
I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything
[Chorus:]
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here
[Chorus:]
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way
Hurt is a great song, and i remember the video, he looked very old and fragile, but the vocal performance is amazing.
His wife was in the video too, there's one scene where they look at each other in it, and she almost looks in tears-i think Cash was ill when it was made-it's one of the most powerful pop promos i've ever seen.
Yeah, it's a great song, although I prefer the Nine Inch Nails version to the Johnny Cash one, but each to his/her own!