Finger Back Lyrics
Wrap it in a paper towel
Break a twig in half and set it straight
Hit me with a canister that's fired while
The soldiers drive away
On and on and on and on for days
Hit me like a yankee, like a son of
Freedom never as a slave
Spend time behind the line
Show sympathy to LA where the sun don't ever shine
Everybody wants you, but baby you are mine
And baby you're not anybody's fool
A real crise cardiaque
And show me where to find the surgeon's knife
Take me to my punishment
The punishment I've needed all my life
On and on and on and on with strife
Listen to the evidence exonerating me from being right
Spend time behind the line
Show sympathy to LA where the sun don't ever shine
And baby you're not anybody's fool
Cursed by curiosity that made us go inside
Everyone was charming but they took us for a ride
But baby, you're not anybody's fool
Wrap it in a paper towel
Break a twig in half and set it straight
Hit me with a canister that's fired while
The soldiers drive away
On and on and on and on for days
Hit me like a yankee, like a son of
Freedom never as a slave
Spend time behind the line
Show sympathy to LA where the sun don't ever shine
Everybody wants you, but baby you are mine
And baby you're not anybody's fool
The city's getting hotter like a country in decline
Everyone's a coward when you look them in the eyes
But baby, you're not anybody's fool
You know - the one at W. 103rd and Broadway?
'Cause this Orthodox girl fell in love with the guy at the falafel shop
And why not?
Should she have averted her eyes and
Just stared at the laminated poster of the dome of the rock?
I don't wanna live like this but I don't wanna die
I don't wanna live like this but I don't wanna die
I don't wanna live like this but I don't wanna die
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Ezra said in an interview that this is a true story about a Jewish girl that fell in love with an Arabic guy who worked at the falafel shop called Jerusalem and there is actually a laminated poster of the dome of the rock. "Condolences to gentle hearts who couldn't bear to try I don't wanna live like this but I don't wanna die" Maybe he's talking about people who didn't try out new relationships because of their race etc. Feel free to add more
Give us a link to that interview please!!!!
Give us a link to that interview please!!!!
I like your comment and would love to add a couple of things to it.
I like your comment and would love to add a couple of things to it.
Firstly, I believe that the Jerusalem being "you know - the one at W. 103rd and Broadway?" is important, because he's clarifying (and also providing some verbal irony) the fact that it's not really Jerusalem he's talking about. This is important, because there's a theme of fake things versus real life occurring in this little spoken verse.
Firstly, I believe that the Jerusalem being "you know - the one at W. 103rd and Broadway?" is important, because he's clarifying (and also providing some verbal irony) the fact that it's not really Jerusalem he's talking about. This is important, because there's a theme of fake things versus real life occurring in this little spoken verse.
After he acknowledges this fact he continues to say that this (presumably American) Orthodox Jewish girl found herself falling in love with someone who historically people...
After he acknowledges this fact he continues to say that this (presumably American) Orthodox Jewish girl found herself falling in love with someone who historically people of her culture are supposed to hate.
Then, by saying:
"And why not? Should she have averted her eyes and Just stared at the laminated poster of the dome of the rock?"
He's basically prodding the audience and asking not only what's wrong with this scenario, but why should anyone choose tradition or historical prejudice over here and now?
The restaurant is called Jerusalem, but it isn't Jerusalem...the picture of the dome of the rock is laminated to stand up to time, but it's just a picture. Is she supposed to continue to live her life based on images, imitations and interpretations of her historical homeland? Or choose to live a new life by her own moral compass?
She can start a new life and step outside of her historical background by simply embracing those around her. Maybe it's not being a good girl (from the Orthodox perspective), but what does the tradition really offer her in today's society? Laminated pictures of her supposed homeland that's thousands of miles away?
It is an obvious choice.
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"Hit me with a canister that's fired while The soldiers drive away"
I believe this refers to the infamous killing of a Palestinian by an Israeli soldier in 2011. You can read about it here:
http://www.btselem.org/press_releases/20131205_mag_closes_file_on_mustafa_tamimi_killing
Mustafa Tamimi was killed during a demonstration in the Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh when a soldier in a moving vehicle hit him with a tear gas canister during a demonstration.
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Ezra Koenig, being a diaspora Jew, spent lots of time in Israel before and during the production of this album. The MVOTC album itself is a confrontation and a near-rejection of his own Jewish identity - with Finger Back and Ya Hey cutting closer to the bone than any other songs on the album.
Israeli citizens are required to serve at least two years in the military. The entire first verse (bend my finger back...on and on for days) refers to the rigorous training that goes into preparing for combat. From an extreme leftist point of view, this could represent brainwashing of IDF troops as well.
Many diaspora Jews spend time on the line as well because it's an honor to their family and a service to their motherland. The song's chorus alludes to this (it's etiquette, you idiot, spend time behind the line). The following verses allude to the influx of interest in Israel and Jewish culture as of late, what with migration of diaspora Jews into Israel, desire for Jewish conversion (everybody wants you, but baby you are mine) but Koenig, disagreeing with Israel's political and military culture, is embarrassed of the country's wrongdoings and calls them out (baby, you're not anybody's fool).
The second verse is Koenig's subsequent lamentation (bless me with a heart attack...exonerating me from being right). He is unhappy with the actions of the Jewish state with which he is associated by birth.
The combination of Koenig's observation of Israeli military culture and his expression of grief at what he has found lay the perfect foundation for the story of the Orthodox girl and the falafel shop guy (who, after verse 1 and 2, we can assume is Palestinian). These verses are very literal. This story and the lyrical break at the end of the song bring the entire story back home to New York. This is to emphasize that despite the fact that the conflict is far away from the US, it affects everyone from teenage soldiers there to would-be lovers in the US.
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i think that the very literal meaning is about tourture and how the protagonist is asking for it but i'm not smart enough to figure out the rest...
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Jerusalem used to sell really good falafel.
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I think this song resembles the hate between Islam and Judaism, Like the general middle east, and the intervention there. Both countries capture and torture, and i think this song generally is about men of faith being tortured. Also the talking bit about the orthodox girl falling in love with the guy. Amazing song overall, i love how MVOTC is so spiritual.
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Read previous comment that is about another romance, but same idea but when read thought was him for himself personally. But that love that is also poison painful.
I thought was the actually girl making the love painful, she didn't reciprocate it or was a wild type self destructive to have someone soft for them in pain both personally and for them but being hopeless to do anything about either.
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I just like the way that the song ends up being about star-crossed lovers even though it doesn't start out that way.
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I found the falafel place!\nYou know, the one at 103rd and Broadway?\n\nhttps://www.google.com/maps/place/Jerusalem/@36.5093752,-80.9367813,4.64z/data=!3m1!5s0x89c2f625ab97ba31:0xf0f17a48b3d1f675!4m9!1m2!2m1!1sfalafel!3m5!1s0x89c2f625aba22861:0xccf2ffb21fe88dd3!8m2!3d40.7997301!4d-73.9685277!15sCgdmYWxhZmVsWgkiB2ZhbGFmZWySARBoYWxhbF9yZXN0YXVyYW50mgEjQ2haRFNVaE5NRzluUzBWSlEwRm5TVVJyYm5WbWRrVm5FQUU
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It's saying that the kind of torture that the prisoners at Guantanamo bay suffer is no different than the way Muslims and Middle Easterners suffer from racism in the US
LOL Muslim suffer from racism LOL.
LOL Muslim suffer from racism LOL.