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Davey Moore · 08-31-2010, 02:29 PM

Five Great and Bitter Songs

1. Intervention by Arcade Fire(2007)

A lot of interpretations pin this as a political piece, an anti-war song. They're probably right. But to me, it's intensely personal. There are different types of wars, including interpersonal. I'd like to think of this song as the chronicling of the black sheep of the family. It's a stretch, but I see symbolism in the lyrics many people take as literal('The King's taken back the throne'), and take literally many might take as symbolic. 'When they say they're cuttin' off the phone, I'll tell 'em you're not home.'

Some of my favorite lyrical turns are in this song ('Oh, who's gonna reset the bone?'), not because they're poetic, but because they're sung with such feeling. 'I know no matter what you say, there are some debts you'll never pay' is a great line, something so obvious, and so true. In our Western culture, redemption is a large theme, especially in the Abrahamic religions, but I think this song is anti-redemption. And that's an interesting stance. Sometimes, there's nothing you CAN do to make up for a situation. Bridges will forever be burned.

Maybe I like to see this song as personal rather than political because it fits with why Arcade Fire are so powerful to me, their songs are universal, communal, and powerful because they sound so personal. They deal with family and the relationships that people really care about. I mean, I care more about people in my family and friends and the struggles and little battles they go through, than some war in a foreign land. Unless a family member was involved. If Funeral was an uplifting album, a catharsis, than Neon Bible is an album of indictment and bitterness. And Intervention is it's thematic foundation. It's an amazing song from my favorite band of the 21st century.

YouTube - Arcade Fire - Intervention

2. No Children by The Mountain Goats(2002)

And the winner for most bitter and angry song goes to The Mountain Goats, in a song that's really surprising the first time you hear it. The lyrics are brutal, said from a place of pain, the singer is lashing out and instead of turning pain into sadness, turning it into anger, into 'f*ck you, I can't leave you but I hate you.' It's fast and concise. There are no mysteries in these lyrics, just bile.

The fact that it's so honest and so to the point, make it extremely poetic. The poetry of angry, bitter pain has never been done so well and has never been so easy to understand and relate to. It's rare that a song can be the angriest thing I've ever heard simply by the words themselves, not the delivery, not the pacing or the melody of the song, but the lyrics on their own terms. I mean, I can't think of a metal or punk song that's more brutal than what is said here. The content isn't graphic, but it's so hateful, so full of despair. And that's a rare feat.

YouTube - The Mountain Goats - No Children

3. Train in Vain by The Clash(1979)

Another song in the spirit of a scorned lover. The Clash didn't do a lot of songs like this, but they pull it off with flying colors. The song is bitter yet apologetic at the same time. This is a lover on the losing end of a break-up speech, feeling wronged but still holding onto the faint hope of getting the other person back. It's an interesting dynamic, because it goes from, 'without your love, I won't make it through', to the pissed off sounding 'You didn't stand by me. No not at all. You didn't stand be me. No way.' It switches from bitterness to 'I'm so sorry, please love me', which is so much more realistic. There's anger, but also sadness, confusion and pleading.

YouTube - train in vain the clash

4. These Boots are Made for Walkin' by Nancy Sinatra(1966)

Hell hath no fury. But this is a cold, dormant anger that lies beneath the surface of this song, with it's descending bass and guitar that sounds like it's taking a little stroll down the street. It's almost more of a warning, that whoever this guy is, he's messing around where he shouldn't be messing, and that sh*t won't fly around Nancy, and unless this guy shapes up, he better be prepared for the pointed toes of her leather boots to be acquainted with his face(also, c'mon Nancy, you're too good for this guy! Look at this picture of her back in the day. Gorgeous and talented.)

YouTube - These Boots Are Made For Walking

5. Common People by Pulp(1995)

So, you wanna live like common people, do you? You stuck up bitch(even if you are pretty much offering to have sex with me in the most obvious possible fashion) It's not something you can pretend to be. You either are, or you aren't. Have or have not. This songs seethes with justifiable rage, and it sort of is infuriating when rich people complain about the boredom and doldrums they encounter, and wish they could have the same lust for life that the 'common' people have, who seem to be enjoying life so fully. They may be, but only because their opportunities are so much more limited, yadda yadda. Listen to the song. Pulp explains it pretty well. I mean, you just gotta dance and drink and screw, because what else is there to do? They can't ride horses, go to college, travel, and all that. You'll never live like common people. Bitch.

YouTube - Pulp -- Common People

08-31-2010, 02:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
Davey Moore The Great Disappearer Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: URI Campus and Coventry, both in RI Posts: 462	Five Great and Bitter Songs 1. Intervention by Arcade Fire(2007) A lot of interpretations pin this as a political piece, an anti-war song. They're probably right. But to me, it's intensely personal. There are different types of wars, including interpersonal. I'd like to think of this song as the chronicling of the black sheep of the family. It's a stretch, but I see symbolism in the lyrics many people take as literal('The King's taken back the throne'), and take literally many might take as symbolic. 'When they say they're cuttin' off the phone, I'll tell 'em you're not home.' Some of my favorite lyrical turns are in this song ('Oh, who's gonna reset the bone?'), not because they're poetic, but because they're sung with such feeling. 'I know no matter what you say, there are some debts you'll never pay' is a great line, something so obvious, and so true. In our Western culture, redemption is a large theme, especially in the Abrahamic religions, but I think this song is anti-redemption. And that's an interesting stance. Sometimes, there's nothing you CAN do to make up for a situation. Bridges will forever be burned. Maybe I like to see this song as personal rather than political because it fits with why Arcade Fire are so powerful to me, their songs are universal, communal, and powerful because they sound so personal. They deal with family and the relationships that people really care about. I mean, I care more about people in my family and friends and the struggles and little battles they go through, than some war in a foreign land. Unless a family member was involved. If Funeral was an uplifting album, a catharsis, than Neon Bible is an album of indictment and bitterness. And Intervention is it's thematic foundation. It's an amazing song from my favorite band of the 21st century. YouTube - Arcade Fire - Intervention 2. No Children by The Mountain Goats(2002) And the winner for most bitter and angry song goes to The Mountain Goats, in a song that's really surprising the first time you hear it. The lyrics are brutal, said from a place of pain, the singer is lashing out and instead of turning pain into sadness, turning it into anger, into 'fck you, I can't leave you but I hate you.' It's fast and concise. There are no mysteries in these lyrics, just bile. The fact that it's so honest and so to the point, make it extremely poetic. The poetry of angry, bitter pain has never been done so well and has never been so easy to understand and relate to. It's rare that a song can be the angriest thing I've ever heard simply by the words themselves, not the delivery, not the pacing or the melody of the song, but the lyrics on their own terms. I mean, I can't think of a metal or punk song that's more brutal than what is said here. The content isn't graphic, but it's so hateful, so full of despair. And that's a rare feat. YouTube - The Mountain Goats - No Children 3. Train in Vain by The Clash(1979)* Another song in the spirit of a scorned lover. The Clash didn't do a lot of songs like this, but they pull it off with flying colors. The song is bitter yet apologetic at the same time. This is a lover on the losing end of a break-up speech, feeling wronged but still holding onto the faint hope of getting the other person back. It's an interesting dynamic, because it goes from, 'without your love, I won't make it through', to the pissed off sounding 'You didn't stand by me. No not at all. You didn't stand be me. No way.' It switches from bitterness to 'I'm so sorry, please love me', which is so much more realistic. There's anger, but also sadness, confusion and pleading. YouTube - train in vain the clash 4. These Boots are Made for Walkin' by Nancy Sinatra(1966) Hell hath no fury. But this is a cold, dormant anger that lies beneath the surface of this song, with it's descending bass and guitar that sounds like it's taking a little stroll down the street. It's almost more of a warning, that whoever this guy is, he's messing around where he shouldn't be messing, and that sht won't fly around Nancy, and unless this guy shapes up, he better be prepared for the pointed toes of her leather boots to be acquainted with his face(also, c'mon Nancy, you're too good for this guy! Look at this picture of her back in the day. Gorgeous and talented.) YouTube - These Boots Are Made For Walking 5. Common People by Pulp(1995)* So, you wanna live like common people, do you? You stuck up bitch(even if you are pretty much offering to have sex with me in the most obvious possible fashion) It's not something you can pretend to be. You either are, or you aren't. Have or have not. This songs seethes with justifiable rage, and it sort of is infuriating when rich people complain about the boredom and doldrums they encounter, and wish they could have the same lust for life that the 'common' people have, who seem to be enjoying life so fully. They may be, but only because their opportunities are so much more limited, yadda yadda. Listen to the song. Pulp explains it pretty well. I mean, you just gotta dance and drink and screw, because what else is there to do? They can't ride horses, go to college, travel, and all that. You'll never live like common people. Bitch. YouTube - Pulp -- Common People __________________ The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.