Monday, October 31, 2011

fun with song lyrics

on our local rock station, DC101, they have a 90s at Noon segment every day at...you guessed it, noon. Having been the ages of 12 - 21 in the 90s, I have a special affinity for the music of this era. However, today, I was listening to a song and just thinking about, wow, those are some dumb lyrics. So, i thought we'd do a little analysis here.

Today's song - Superman's Dead, from apparent one-hit-wonder, Our Lady Peace. This is not a good song, ladies and gents, but it was quite popular for a smidgen of time. Okay, wikipedia tells me I am wrong, " They have enjoyed many hit singles, ranging from "Starseed" in 1994, to "Somewhere Out There" in 2002." I listened, I don't remember these.


Ok, so..here are the lyrics

do you worry that you're not liked
how long till you break
you're happy cause you smile
but how much can you fake
an ordinary boy an ordinary name
but ordinary's just not good enough today

alone I'm thinking

why is superman dead
is it in my head
we'll just laugh instead
you worry about the weather and
whether or not you should hate

are you worried about your faith

kneel down and obey
you're happy you're in love
you need someone to hate
an ordinary girl an ordinary waist
but ordinary's just not good enough today

doesn't anybody ever know that the

world's a subway...


Okay, at first read through here, I'm thinking we're dealing with the struggles of adolescence. Hence, the reference to Superman (stand in for childhood hero/idol/toy,etc.) being dead and all the references to feeling alone, not liked, etc.

They get a lil' squirrelly though.

First stanza

do you worry that you're not liked
how long till you break 


(yep, teen angst)
you're happy cause you smile
but how much can you fake 

(more angst)
an ordinary boy an ordinary name
but ordinary's just not good enough today

(we're going to go with John. Is life easier if you are Taylor?)

Chorus

alone I'm thinking
why is superman dead 

(that should actually be "why-eee-eye-eee-eye")
is it in my head 
(yes)
we'll just laugh instead 

(good plan)
you worry about the weather and
whether or not you should hate 

(okay, this is just a random tangent.)

Second Stanza

are you worried about your faith
kneel down and obey 

(what the shit does this have to do with teen angst? veiled reference to pre-marital sex?)
you're happy you're in love
you need someone to hate 

(if you say so dude)
an ordinary girl an ordinary waist
but ordinary's just not good enough today 

(ok, this one makes sense. Girls feel not skinny enough. Makes more sense than the boy's ordinary name. Get the feeling they built the song around this lyric?)


Refrain / Weird ending part


doesn't anybody ever know that the
world's a subway... 


This is actually what put me in a state about this song. Trying to figure this statement out. Ummm, ok. So, the world is a subway. Subways are...crowded? Impersonal? I get that. but they don't make you feel bad about yourself, which seems to be the songs theme, if it has one. And aren't we emphasizing empowerment about being different? Ahhhh, ok, ok, I see. Its a stretch, but a subway (really referencing the New York transit system here), is a diverse place, where everybody is different but not bad. Unless they are pickpockets, or degenerates, or crackheads...hmmm.

 Right then, so I'll give this song a 2 for likability and a 5 for sense-making-ness. Major fail. But its a little catchy, right?

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