Meaning of lyrics

[Rose Pink]

I don't know why this is eating at me, usually this stuff just goes in one ear and out the other--if I even listen to it in the first place.

I heard the song Flightless Bird/ American Mouth by Iron & Wine. It has such a pretty melody and reminded me of slow dance songs from the 1950s. I got curious as to what the lyrics are and looked them up on line. What a garbled mess of idiocy--or vanity it seemed to me. I couldn't find any explanation on the band's website and the other websites I've read seem to indicate it reflects the lyricist's political bent. Since the song was featured in the movie Twilight, many of the posters appear to be teenagers trying to force these lyrics to fit the movie's love story. The tempo and melody do sound like a love song but the lyrics are definitely not--at least in my mind, they don't fit.

I know some of you tuggers are quite knowledgable regarding music and wondered if any of you could tell me what these lyrics mean as written by their author. I am not interested in conjecture or what they mean to anyone other than the one who wrote them. We can all twist any written word (or anything else for that matter) to fit the meanings we want to give them. I just want to know what the lyrics meant to the one thinking them up in the first place. Have any of you come across this? Thanks.

 

[wackymother]

I didn't know the song, but I went and listened to it. It is very pretty. I'm sure you know it's used in the movie Twilight? It wasn't written for the movie, but the actress who plays Bella suggested it for the prom scene. So there seem to be different interpretations of the lyrics--the "movie-based" version and the "non-movie-based" version.

Now as to MY (non-movie-based) interpretation--the boy singing has an accident where he almost drowns, diving for coins at a fair. (I'm not seeing the "suicide" interpretation here.) While crowds are gathered around him, he sees the girl staring at him. As soon as he recovers from the accident, he gets his map and starts looking for her. (That's the first verse.) (Now it gets a lot hazier.)

He finds her, and they're together, but he's not sure whether he's "won" or "lost" in finding her and being with her--is he the tamed, trapped protector of a helpless bird, or is he a victim of the American dream, Being forced to "swallow" the bitter pill of--what? Consumer excess?

To be honest with you, I think the lyrics are purposely obscure and have no real meaning. The whole middle part is just like words strung together.

 

[pjrose]

I just looked up the lyrics - definitely weird.

Perhaps you could check if the group has a website or myspace and find their interpretation there?

 

[AwayWeGo]

Jabberwockey.

Some tunes just have (on purpose) nonsense lyrics.

Oh ma cameo molesting
Kee pa a poorer for tea
Solar prestige a gammon
Lantern or turbert paw kwee

Solar prestige a gammon
Kool kar kyrie kay salmon
Hair ring molassis abounding
Common lap kitch sardin a poor floundin

Cod ee say oo pay a loto
My zeta prestige toupay a floored
Ray indee pako a gammon
Solar prestige a pako can nord ​

Also . . .

Spring was never waiting for us, girl
It ran one step ahead
As we followed in the dance
Between the parted pages and were pressed,
In love's hot, fevered iron
Like a striped pair of pants

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down...
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!

I recall the yellow cotton dress
Foaming like a wave
On the ground around your knees
The birds, like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers by the trees

There will be another song for me
For I will sing it
There will be another dream for me
Someone will bring it
I will drink the wine while it is warm
And never let you catch me looking at the sun
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
You'll still be the one.

I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers through the sky.
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life
I'll be thinking of you
And wondering why.

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet, green icing flowing down...
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!
Oh, no
No, no
Oh NO!​

Plus . . .

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla, brawla sooit,
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit.
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla, brawla sooit,
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit.​

And who could ever forget . . .

In-a-gadda-da-vida, honey,
Don't you know that I love you?
In-a-gadda-da-vida, baby,
Don't you know that I'll always be true?

Oh, won't you come with me
And take my hand?

Oh, won't you come with me
And walk this land?

Please take my hand!​

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[pjrose]

good examples.

I always thought innagadadavida meant "in the garden of eden"


There's another one, can't remember - female singer - something about a merry go round.....

 

[AwayWeGo]

The Garden Of Eden.

I always thought innagadadavida meant "in the garden of eden"

Correct.

The story goes that when the band showed up at the studio to record that track, they were so stoned that it came out In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

True ?

False ?

Who knows ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[pjrose]

The story goes that when the band showed up at the studio to record that track, they were so stoned that it came out In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

True ?

False ?

Who knows ?

Probably

 

[Rose Pink]

The lyrics to MacArthur Park actually make sense to me unlike Flightless Bird/American Mouth--which seems to be so deliberatley obtuse as to be mere vanity on the part of the lyricist. Hey, let's record a song that means nothing and see how much angst we can stir up with people fighting over the interpretation.

I've also considered that maybe the guy who wrote it was stoned and it made sense to him in his stoned state.

I mentioned in the OP that the song was in the movie Twilight. The movie version lyrics are no different than the original version as far as I can tell. That makes me wonder if the film makers didn't have some statement they were trying to make. Afterall, there are plenty of beautiful love songs with beautiful lyrics that would have fit the prom scene. (oooo... conspiracy theory. )

I also mentioned in the OP that I had tried the band's website but could find nothing there regarding the meaning of these lyrics. The only discussions I have found about the song were on other websites and were just posters' opinions.

I'm relived that tuggers so far have found it as odd as I have. Makes me feel better.

 

[MULTIZ321]

good examples.

I always thought innagadadavida meant "in the garden of eden"


There's another one, can't remember - female singer - something about a merry go round.....

PJ,

See this previous Tug thread for a discussion of mondegreens & scroll down to see some hilarious replies


Richard

 

[Rose Pink]

...
Now as to MY (non-movie-based) interpretation--the boy singing has an accident where he almost drowns, diving for coins at a fair. (I'm not seeing the "suicide" interpretation here.) While crowds are gathered around him, he sees the girl staring at him. As soon as he recovers from the accident, he gets his map and starts looking for her. (That's the first verse.) (Now it gets a lot hazier.)

He finds her, and they're together, but he's not sure whether he's "won" or "lost" in finding her and being with her--is he the tamed, trapped protector of a helpless bird, or is he a victim of the American dream, Being forced to "swallow" the bitter pill of--what? Consumer excess?

....

That sounds as good as any other interpretation of it as a love song. But I still don't think it is a love song between two people.

The phrase "diving too deep for coins" has been interpreted as going after money--think of a bull market. The cops closing the fair could be intrepreted as the current bear market and all of our other financial crises.

Every intrepretation I've read assumes that the flightless bird symbolizes weakness or helplessness of some sort and some say it is the American Eagle in the current worldview. (Twilight posters liken the bird to Bella. But, when I think of a flightless bird I think of ostriches and emus and they are not powerless. They can outrun and outkick most any human. I'd not want to come up against one! If you want to use the Twilight analogy this powerful, flightless bird would be Edward, not Bella.)

The second verse could be referring to the higher political positions (the house meaning houses of power such as the White House or Congress). The warm, poison rats coming through the wide fence cracks could symbolize not being able to protect our borders or it could mean any of the other disasters/crises that are plaguing us such as the economy, healthcare, education, take your pick. I don't know what the lyricist meant. I'm just grasping like everyone else.

The magazine photos could refer to making reality look appealing (think doctored photo shoots with fancy lighting and makeup)

The fishing lures in the cold, clear blood of Christ mountain stream could refer to America's predominate religion--as in many came to the new world in the first place to practice freedom of religion and the religion was usually based in some sort of Christ theology.

The 50's style melody and tempo could be an allusion to the idyllic American life (though I don't know that it was all that idyllic for everyone, it is usually the image that baby boomers refer to when they speak of the gold old days.)

SEE?!?!?!? This song could mean anything. Make up your own interpretation. This is what is bugging me. I don't want to make up my own interpretation. I want to know what was in the mind of the author of these bizarre lyrics.

 

[pjrose]

PJ,

See this previous Tug thread for a discussion of mondegreens & scroll down to see some hilarious replies

Richard

Love it, thanks! My students' papers frequently include mondegreens (thanks for the new vocab word). Perhaps we should just resuscitate that thread instead of hijacking this one...

 

[Rose Pink]

PJ,

See this previous Tug thread for a discussion of mondegreens & scroll down to see some hilarious replies


Richard

I loved that thread! Lots of laughs there. I'm glad you brought it up.

I wish this song were a simple case of misheard lyrics rather than vague lyrics.

 

[wackymother]

SEE?!?!?!? This song could mean anything. Make up your own interpretation. This is what is bugging me. I don't want to make up my own interpretation. I want to know what was in the mind of the author of these bizarre lyrics.

Right--I think it's whatever you think. And I suspect the guy who wrote it intended it to be cryptic.

Did you try e-mailing the band at their website?

 

[Rose Pink]

Did you try e-mailing the band at their website?

No, I haven't. I'd hoped to hear from tuggers. You guys seem to know everything.

I wonder if they would tell me.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

And after you figure out what those lyrics mean, perhaps you might also tell us what the lyrics mean for Whiter Shade of Pale??

 

[Rose Pink]

And after you figure out what those lyrics mean, perhaps you might also tell us what the lyrics mean for Whiter Shade of Pale??

That's your assignment! :hysterical: (love Willie Nelson's cover of that song)

 

[wackymother]

And after you figure out what those lyrics mean, perhaps you might also tell us what the lyrics mean for Whiter Shade of Pale??

Oh, yeah. There's a master's thesis waiting to happen! :whoopie:

 

[easyrider]

Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla, brawla sooit,
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit.
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla, brawla sooit,
Hut-Sut Rawlson on the rillerah and a brawla sooit.​

[/I]

Allan, What is the Hut Sut song?

I never knew that Donna Summers was singing about cake. The girls really liked this disco tune.

 

[AwayWeGo]

The Hut Sut Song.

What is the Hut Sut song?

It's a 1941 popular novelty tune by Kash Killion & Ted McMichael & Jack Owens.

Click here for the music video on U-Tube.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[pjrose]

Allan, What is the Hut Sut song?

I never knew that Donna Summers was singing about cake. The girls really liked this disco tune.

Donna Summers? Richard Harris! And it wasn't REALLY about cake....or maybe I'm just tired and I missed something up above?

 

[thomtaylor]

Excellent Hut Song music video, thanks Alan!

Dr Demento fans (and Southern Californians) still get a laugh from:

Pico And Sepulveda

Doheny.... Cahuenga.... La Brea.... Tar Pits!

La Jolla.... Sequoia.... La Brea.... Tar Pits!

You can keep Alvarado, Santa Monica, even Beverly Drive.

Vine may be fine, but for mine I want to feel alive and settle down in my

La Brea.... Tar Pits....

Pico And Sepulveda

Where nobody's dreams come true.

(there's nothing much more than a lumber store at Pico & Sepulveda)

 

[Rose Pink]

And after you figure out what those lyrics mean, perhaps you might also tell us what the lyrics mean for Whiter Shade of Pale??

Try this, Steve.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iKG4T175vU&feature=related
and if you understand Swedish (or whatever the interviewer's language is) please let us know. Gary Booker's part is in English and he says something to the effect that the lyrics weren't meant to be immediately understood and that is why we're still talking about them 35 years later. He goes on to say that we all understand them anyway.

Personally, I think it is about being stoned.

 

[Dave011]

thats cool! But I can't understand the lyrics too . . . what the language use?lol

 

[wackymother]

MacArthur Park is just about my least favorite song EVER. Because in addition to being incomprehensible, it's so pompous. Sheesh. I just want to smack Richard Harris upside the head and say, "Get over yourself!"

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

MacArthur Park is just about my least favorite song EVER. Because in addition to being incomprehensible, it's so pompous. Sheesh. I just want to smack Richard Harris upside the head and say, "Get over yourself!"

I like the bit in Airplane II where MacArthur Park is playing in the elevator, and everyone leaves the elevator holding their hands over their ears.

SCTV did a great parody one time with Dave Thomas playing Richard Harris as a guest star on Eugene Levy's "Mel's Rock Pile" dance show. I found a clip on a Dutch web site: RICHARD HARRIS: MACARTHUR PARK: MEL'S ROCKPILE (SCTV: EUGENE LEVY). There's a commercial that plays first. The woman sitting on the chair reading a book plays a key role at the end of the video.