So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
So long, Frank Lloyd Wright
I can't believe your song is gone so soon
I barely learned the tune
So soon
So soon
I'll remember Frank Lloyd Wright
All of the nights we'd harmonize till dawn
I never laughed so long
So long
So long
Architects may come and
Architects may go and
Never change your point of view
When I run dry
I stop awhile and think of you
Architects may come and
Architects may go and
Never change your point of view
So long, Frank Lloyd Wright
All of the nights we've harmonize till dawn
I never laughed so long
So long
So long
So long
So long
So long
So long
So long
So long
I can't believe your song is gone so soon
I barely learned the tune
So soon
So soon
I'll remember Frank Lloyd Wright
All of the nights we'd harmonize till dawn
I never laughed so long
So long
So long
Architects may come and
Architects may go and
Never change your point of view
When I run dry
I stop awhile and think of you
Architects may come and
Architects may go and
Never change your point of view
So long, Frank Lloyd Wright
All of the nights we've harmonize till dawn
I never laughed so long
So long
So long
So long
So long
So long
So long
So long
So long
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Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows
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Love in a Vacuum
'Til Tuesday
'Til Tuesday
Well, in my opinion this song is about being a young & maybe a little naive &/or introverted girl and finding yourself loving a man who is at first very charming, carefree & outgoing, and seems at first to be without limits, as in
"There was a time
you opened up every doorway
you didn't mind if everything
wasn't your way"
then that man starts to gradually become more introverted & shows their more possessive/obsessive side to you as the relationship progresses, even while they keep up the appearance of being carefree & outgoing to everyone else,
"Don't pull away
that goes against what you told me
I look in your eyes
I realize what you've sold me
is love in a vacuum"
so you confront them about the way they're acting and of course they deny it,
"I think you've changed
but you insist that
that's not true"
quite possibly they are an addict of some sort, my guess would be cocaine, &/or showing very obsessive behavior towards you (early on in the video for this song we see the man hanging a picture up, it is a very large portrait of Aimee & it is prominently displayed in his/their apartment for the duration of the song), thus their "love in a vacuum",
"You look so strange, so distant
that you're hardly you
Now I can see
how you have been acting different
You say it's me
but I know
that it isn't
it's love in a vacuum"
but still you are in love with them and don't want to leave them and you know that they are truly in love with you and they don't want you to leave them either, maybe they are convinced you can save them from themself, maybe they are so broken that the possibility of an overdose &/or suicide attempt is very real and you want to get through to them that their behavior not only dangerous but it is also just pissing you off and if they don't wise up they run the risk of loosing you, as in the lines
"You will be lonely
if you leave me alone", so you want to save them but can't get through to them due to the addiction &/or emotional problems they have,
"Love in a vacuum
and that's not enough
love in a vacuum
You will be lonely
you'll be the only one who feels this way
You will be lonely
if you leave me alone
You will be lonely
you'll be the only one who feels this way
it's just not enough"
you want them to understand that the love they are giving you is not enough when it is filtered through the vacuum of their drug addiction &/or emotional impairment,
"You will be lonely
you'll be the only one who feels this way
it's just not enough
and just wait
you will be lonely
Love in a vacuum
Love in a vacuum
and that's not enough
Love in a vacuum".
'Love In A Vacuum' for me is a hauntingly truthful acute argument on the loneliness of obsession and almost inevitable loss of love that follows people who are broken in some way or another; the obsessives, the coke heads, the drunks, addicts or the just-plain-old emotionally broken; a razor sharp, lyrically driven, deceptively poppy, yet ultimately-depressing-in-the-best-way song.
Quintessential Aimee Mann.
Siberian Kiss
Glassjaw
Glassjaw
its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
Spirit Within
Bertoldi Brothers
Bertoldi Brothers
Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
The Spy
Doors, The
Doors, The
Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
I heard somewhere, I can't remember exactly where though, that this song is about Art Garfunkel (who trained as an architect) rather than Frank Lloyd Wright. Looking at the lyrics, it's pretty obvious, it's not even really a double-meaning: "all of the nights we'd harmonize till dawn". Or was this a reference to the as-yet unreleased Frank Lloyd Wright & Paul Simon duets album? :-)
Art Garfunkel studied Architecture in college. Simon referred to Art as Frank. This song is about when Art left for a movie in, if i remember correctly, Mexico. Rich you are right about his reference to Art and Frank. The lyrics are very obvious to how Simon was feeling at the time.
I don't believe it was Paul saying goodbye to Art as much as foreshadowing the breakup of the group. It was released on their final album, Bridge Over Troubled Water. Msleamich, the song your thinking of is The Only Little Boy in New York. Paul wrote this song when Art when down to Mexico to shoot Catch 22.
Yes, has to be a goodbye to Garfunkel. Musical group breakups are often full of animosity, but this shows a lot of affection. Frank Lloyd Wright died 10 years before this song was written, so how could it be about him? Safe to say Simon never harmonized with him! But comparing Garfunkel to such a genius, to one of the greatest architects ever, is flattering. Nice to see they get together from time to time for concerts, and Simon has continued to compose great music.
Paul is saying goodbye to Artie; if you listen closely towards the end of the song you can hear Paul say "So long already Artie."
It's actually Roy Haylee saying "So long already Artie"
@BryanOU Yes, at the 2:56 mark, to be precise. You can clearly hear it, even without headphones. I remember that I picked it up unconsciously, as a child, and now 'recognize' what it is that I have heard all along.
@BryanOU I don't think it is Roy Halee's voice. I really sounds like Paul. And it wouldn't be fitting if it was Roy, since it is a comment of Paul to his friend Art.<br /> <br /> What makes you think it was Roy Halee?
I bought the BOTW album on LP a few years ago and I got shivers listening to this song. It's one of my all time fav's. It's like it symbolizes the end of a stage in my life.
maby its about the music buisness, im thinking people/artist having "One hit wonders"
good comments there...
The production of this song is amazing, especially the shimmering background vocals as the song fades out. Beautiful piece.
Incredible song great wit, about art garfunkle before the break up.