Number of posts : 8665 Location : California Country Mood :
Subject: Song Meanings... Tue Dec 30, 2008 8:20 pm
Have you ever found yourself humming the tune to a song that you didn't really know the meaning of? Sometimes we like the beat and don't really pay attention to the lyrics. So let's talk about the meanings of songs here. :3gather:
I will post a song and the lyrics and you tell me what you think the song means to you. :band:
It Never Rains in Southern California
susansmoose New Pioneer
Number of posts : 154 Location : long island, ny Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:11 pm
this is an interesting topic...thanks carol for posting this
i think that he's gone out to la expecting to be a famous actor but it just didn't pan out and now he's having trouble getting back to normal so to speak...he doesn't want his friend telling mutual acquaintances how bad off he is...
that's my take
Rob Nip it in the bud!
Number of posts : 62635 Location : Michigan Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:30 pm
Remember that one well! Albert Hammond. Nice song, neat bellbottoms.
The line "All that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies" is an eye-opener. Back in '74, I thought he was saying "All that talk of all the tooties." I thought maybe tooties was a slang term for hot California babes. :shy:
Carol Adventure Seeker
Number of posts : 8665 Location : California Country Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:05 pm
Rob wrote:
The line "All that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies" is an eye-opener. Back in '74, I thought he was saying "All that talk of all the tooties." I thought maybe tooties was a slang term for hot California babes. :shy:
Rob
Yeah, pretty much that is what it means. I guess a song needed to be done because a lot of people would think that you automatically had it good if you lived there lol There is so much competition down there when it comes to trying to get into the Hollywood scene ... you REALLY gotta stand out and provide something fresh for people to notice and to get good parts... so all the people who moved there to try to make it like that guy on the song... sure got an eye opener and found themselves under a storm...
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 2:49 am
Rob wrote:
Remember that one well! Albert Hammond. Nice song, neat bellbottoms.
The line "All that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies" is an eye-opener. Back in '74, I thought he was saying "All that talk of all the tooties." I thought maybe tooties was a slang term for hot California babes. :shy:
:Hahaha:
Kristina Ingalls Friend for Life
Number of posts : 7892 Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:14 am
sometimes I'll do that, listen to a song and just enjoy the beat but not really the lyrics. but now that I'm older, I'm beginning to understand and appreciate songs more!
Amy Somewhere in Time
Number of posts : 13417 Location : Michigan Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:48 pm
Great topic!
Here's one---this is one I don't really understand the words OR the meaning! LOL! But I love the song!
"Big Yellow Taxi"
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
~Mother Teresa
susansmoose New Pioneer
Number of posts : 154 Location : long island, ny Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:59 pm
They paved paradise And put up a parking lot With a pink hotel, a boutique And a swinging hot spot Dont it always seem to go That you dont know what youve got Till its gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot
They took all the trees Put em in a tree museum And they charged the people A dollar and a half just to see em Dont it always seem to go That you dont know what youve got Till its gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot
Hey farmer farmer Put away that d.d.t. now Give me spots on my apples But leave me the birds and the bees Please! Dont it always seem to go That you dont know what youve got Till its gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot
Late last night I heard the screen door slam And a big yellow taxi Took away my old man Dont it always seem to go That you dont know what youve got Till its gone They paved paradise And put up a parking lot
when i first heard this song by joni mitchell in the 70's i always associated it with environmental issues...the last verse of the song, i believe, is referring to her boyfriend or husband who left her and she misses him....that's my take on this song...
Rob Nip it in the bud!
Number of posts : 62635 Location : Michigan Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:00 pm
I didn't know Counting Crows covered that song. It's a Joni Mitchell original from about 1970.
It's a pro-ecology song. But the title and the line about "the big yellow taxi came and took away my old man" don't really fit with the overall theme. :think:
Amy Somewhere in Time
Number of posts : 13417 Location : Michigan Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:04 pm
Wow, sure does help to see the lyrics. Thanks Susan! And LOL, my son always thought they said a certain swear word in that song. :think:
Ok, yep, I get the ecology theme now...I would never have gotten that before! Duh! :sillySmiley:
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
~Mother Teresa
Carol Adventure Seeker
Number of posts : 8665 Location : California Country Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:56 pm
Rob wrote:
It's a pro-ecology song. But the title and the line about "the big yellow taxi came and took away my old man" don't really fit with the overall theme. :think:
Hmmm... yeah that is strange... maybe she misses the grass & trees like she misses her old man... didn't really appreciate it till he or it were gone... :think: lol
Good one Amy
Misti Red Hummingbird
Number of posts : 4112 Location : Texas Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:59 pm
I think he's using comparisons to how things are naturally as opposed to how they (man) alter things, (Garden of Eden; growing food) believing they are making things better but in reality, they aren't.
I think they use that to tie it into the song, how you go along there and you might get bored or upset with something (or a relationship) that you may think is "same old, same old" but they when something gets altered (she leaves) its like the old saying, "You don't know what you have until its gone."
That's with the line, "Late last night I heard the screen door slam and a big yellow taxi took my girl away..."
Am I making any sense? ROFL
BTW, I love this song, too!
Now, if someone can explain "Blinded by the Light" to me (maybe just one word...DRUGS) I could count a mystery in my life solved!
"I would fight for you - I'd lie for you - walk the wire for you - ya I'd die for you..."
Rob Nip it in the bud!
Number of posts : 62635 Location : Michigan Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:09 pm
Misti wrote:
That's with the line, "Late last night I heard the screen door slam and a big yellow taxi took my girl away..."
Oh, when I said "...took away my old man," I was quoting the Joni Mitchell version.
susansmoose New Pioneer
Number of posts : 154 Location : long island, ny Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:15 pm
well, here's the words..i never did understand what bruce was singing about or manfred mann for that matter...
Madman drummers bummers and Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat With a boulder on my shoulder feelin' kinda older I tripped the merry-go-round With this very unpleasing sneezing and wheezing the calliope crashed to the ground Some all-hot half-shot was headin' for the hot spot snappin' his fingers clappin' his hands And some fleshpot mascot was tied into a lover's knot with a whatnot in her hand And now young Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot and throws his lover in the sand And some bloodshot forget-me-not whispers daddy's within earshot save the buckshot turn up the band
And she was blinded by the light Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night Blinded by the light She got down but she never got tight, but she'll make it alright
Some brimstone baritone anti-cyclone rolling stone preacher from the east He says: "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in its funny bone, that's where they expect it least" And some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner all alone watchin' the young girls dance And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone to remind him of the feeling of romance
Yeah he was blinded by the light Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night Blinded by the light He got down but she never got tight, but he's gonna make it tonight
Some silicone sister with her manager's mister told me I got what it takes She said I'll turn you on sonny, to something strong if you play that song with the funky break, And go-cart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart to see if it was safe to go outside And little Early-Pearly came in by her curly-wurly and asked me if I needed a ride, Oh, some hazard from Harvard was skunked on beer playin' backyard bombardier Yes and Scotland Yard was trying hard, they sent a dude with a calling card, he said, do what you like, but don't do it here Well I jumped up, turnedaround, spit in the air, fell on the ground Asked him which was the way back home He said take a right at the light, keep goin' straight until night, and then boy, you're on your own
And now in Zanzibar a shootin' star was ridin' in a side car hummin' a lunar tune Yes, and the avatar said blow the bar but first remove the cookie jar we're gonna teach those boys to laugh too soon
And some kidnapped handicap was complainin' that he caught the clap from some mousetrap he bought last night,
Well I unsnapped his skull cap and between his ears I saw a gap but figured he'd be all right
He was just blinded by the light Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night Blinded by the light Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun Oh but mama that's where the fun is
actually, by reading the lyrics, i think bruce is just talking about different people here...especially the last line..mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun, oh but mama that's where the fun is..he's just looking for trouble.. and from there comes the title of the song blinded by the light...
Misti Red Hummingbird
Number of posts : 4112 Location : Texas Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:23 pm
Rob wrote:
Misti wrote:
That's with the line, "Late last night I heard the screen door slam and a big yellow taxi took my girl away..."
Oh, when I said "...took away my old man," I was quoting the Joni Mitchell version.
I've never heard the Joni Mitchell version. I'd keep with my analysis, just switch it from a boy's view to a girl's view!
"I would fight for you - I'd lie for you - walk the wire for you - ya I'd die for you..."
susansmoose New Pioneer
Number of posts : 154 Location : long island, ny Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:24 pm
i posted the lyrics to the joni mitchell version...
Carol Adventure Seeker
Number of posts : 8665 Location : California Country Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 6:44 pm
Here is the "Blinded by the Light" video, Lyrics posted above
susansmoose New Pioneer
Number of posts : 154 Location : long island, ny Mood :
Subject: Re: Song Meanings... Wed Dec 31, 2008 6:52 pm