Mysteries In Song

[silicone skyline]

Has anyone actually defined the meaning behind Don McLean's American Pie?

I was always intrigued by Richard Marx's Hazard as well.

i had to do an assignment on this song in year 9 at school.

i got my girlfriend at the time to do it, otherwise i may have been able to shed some light on the problem!

but, from what i can remember reading of "my assignment", it had something to do with moving to/from a town called "Hazard". but thats about all i can remember!

It's about the dukes of hazard

[silicone skyline]

What about The Killers' Mr Brightside?

[therisingblues]

Ita - Cold Chisel

How any one could write a song about Ita Buttrose and wanting to tap her is beyond me....

Ita's tongue never touches her lips
She could always be my godmother
And though the desk-top hides her hips
My imagination's strong
She's the sweetest thing I've ever seen
I'd like to take her out to dinner
But when I think about the places I've been
I'd probably hold my fork all wrong

I read about this a long time ago. It was written from the perspective of prison inmates. The material they are allowed to read is highly censored to prevent inciting various unwanted urges, I guess, so it turns out that the most sexually provocative image they had regular access to back at the time the song was written was Ita.

[therisingblues]

Has anyone actually defined the meaning behind Don McLean's American Pie?

The song is about the death of Buddy Holly, "the day the music died". This is common knowledge. Or did you mean specifically what the "bye bye miss American Pie" lyric refers to?

(edit) if you meant what all the various references in the song are, then the answer might be no. See here, if you have faith in Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_p ... rpretation

There's a real good clip on YouTube which flashes the relevant iconology and images across the screen as the lyrics are sung.
The Jester stole his thorny crown is apparently a reference to Bob Dylan taking Elvis' role as "King". The quartet in the Park is the Beatles..etc.
After viewing it I was intrigued by the references to Jack Flash, Angels born in hell, etc and did a YouTube search regarding those aspects of the song. I also later had the fortune of speaking to somebody who was alive and in California at the time of the Stones concert with the Angels doing security. Unbelievable stuff.

[Leaping Lindner]

Has anyone actually defined the meaning behind Don McLean's American Pie?

The song is about the death of Buddy Holly, "the day the music died". This is common knowledge. Or did you mean specifically what the "bye bye miss American Pie" lyric refers to?

(edit) if you meant what all the various references in the song are, then the answer might be no. See here, if you have faith in Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_p ... rpretation

There's a real good clip on YouTube which flashes the relevant iconology and images across the screen as the lyrics are sung.
The Jester stole his thorny crown is apparently a reference to Bob Dylan taking Elvis' role as "King". The quartet in the Park is the Beatles..etc.
After viewing it I was intrigued by the references to Jack Flash, Angels born in hell, etc and did a YouTube search regarding those aspects of the song. I also later had the fortune of speaking to somebody who was alive and in California at the time of the Stones concert with the Angels doing security. Unbelievable stuff.

Apparently McLean himself was also a big fan of 50's rock and roll and no so much the "new" sound of the 60's thus Bye Bye Miss American Pie, as 50's R&R was thought of as an American thing. It's not the name of the plane that crashed with Holly, Valens and The Bip Bopper in it. That's a myth.

[Dogwatcher]

it had something to do with moving to/from a town called "Hazard". but thats about all i can remember!

Is that next door to a town called Malice?

[JAS]

Just heard one on the radio that I've always loved listening to but I haven't got a clue what they're singing about...

Birdhouse in Your Soul by They Might Be Giants.

Here's the lyrics if anyone wants to attempt to make some sense of them

http://www.answers.com/topic/birdhouse-in-your-soul

Regards
JAS

[Leaping Lindner]

Just heard one on the radio that I've always loved listening to but I haven't got a clue what they're singing about...

Birdhouse in Your Soul by They Might Be Giants.

Here's the lyrics if anyone wants to attempt to make some sense of them

http://www.answers.com/topic/birdhouse-in-your-soul

Regards
JAS

I interviewed one of these guys (the one with glasses) when they toured Adelaide in 91 or 92. IIRC the song is about a night light.

[JAS]

Just heard one on the radio that I've always loved listening to but I haven't got a clue what they're singing about...

Birdhouse in Your Soul by They Might Be Giants.

Here's the lyrics if anyone wants to attempt to make some sense of them

http://www.answers.com/topic/birdhouse-in-your-soul

Regards
JAS

I interviewed one of these guys (the one with glasses) when they toured Adelaide in 91 or 92. IIRC the song is about a night light.

haha...funny how it's often the simplest answer...I never even thought of a night light...thanks LL

Regards
JAS

[Barto]

Beck. WTF is that guy on?

Scientology.

[Leaping Lindner]

Not so much a mystery but an interesting story. Also probably the only time The Ramones got political.

Bonzo goes to Bitburg by The Ramones

You've got to pick up the pieces C'mon, sort your trash
You better pull yourself back together Maybe you've got too much cash
Better call, call the law When you gonna turn yourself in? Yeah
You're a politician Don't become one of Hitler's children

Bonzo goes to bitburg then goes out for a cup of tea
As I watched it on TV somehow it really bothered me
Drank in all the bars in town for an extended foreign policy
Pick up the pieces

My brain is hanging upside down I need something to slow me down
My brain is hanging upside down I need something to slow me down

Shouldn't wish you happiness, wish her the very best Fifty thousand dollar dress
Shaking hands with your highness See through you like cellophane
You watch the world complain, but you do it anyway Who am I, am I to say

Bonzo goes to bitburg then goes out for a cup of tea
As I watched it on TV somehow it really bothered me
Drank in all the bars in town for an extended foreign policy
Pick up the pieces

My brain is hanging upside down I need something to slow me down(x2)

If there's one thing that makes me sick It's when someone tries to hide behind politics
I wish that time could go by fast Somehow they manage to make it last

My brain is hanging upside down I need something to slow me down (x4)


It's about Reagan (Bonzo) visiting a German War Cemetery (Bitburg). Didn't go down well at the time....

From Wikipedia...
In February 1985, then White House deputy chief of staff Michael Deaver made an advance-planning visit to Bitburg. The 32 rows of headstones were covered with snow. Deaver was usually very skillful in carrying out his role as public relations maestro for Reagan, but this time he and his team failed to discover that 49 members of the Waffen-SS were buried at Kolmeshöhe. .

[Columbo]

Always found Goodbye Yellow Brick Road interesting....

So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough
Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road

Lots of explanations about what its all about....but which one is on the money is anybody's guess i suppose.

[silicone skyline]

Always found Goodbye Yellow Brick Road interesting....

So goodbye yellow brick road
Where the dogs of society howl
You can't plant me in your penthouse
I'm going back to my plough
Back to the howling old owl in the woods
Hunting the horny back toad
Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road

Lots of explanations about what its all about....but which one is on the money is anybody's guess i suppose.

[whufc]

Peter Coombes - Newspaper Mamma