8 Jul 2011

It's Lonely Down On Track Street - Lyric Day

Today's song is This Is Your Life by The Killers, from their 2008 album Day & Age. Check out a pretty awesome live version at the Albert Hall here.

Lyric day is a new kind of post on the blog. The first one was back in this post in June. I guess, I know we all get addicted to songs from time to time - and I certainly get cravings to hear some stuff the way I get a jonesing for chocolate, or sushi or whatever.

When I've got a song like that, I have to listen to it over -and-over-and-over-and-over-and-over again, on a loop, on my iPod. It's like my ears itch until I can hear it again. And it's not enough to hear it on a radio, I need to listen to it with my headphones on. It feels like the music travels right into some weird erogenous-type zone in my head where the best kind of music touches you.

Over the years I've had literally zillions of these songs - and certainly the most played list on my iPod is testimony to this. A sample of tunes would be Decode - Paramore, Umbrella - MSP, Starcrossed-Ash, All Is Full of Love - Bjork, Everytime - Britney Spears. I might even put some of these up on a lyric day.

Anyway I've been listening to This Is Your Life a whole lot over the last month or so - and the album too - which I think rocks and is better than Hot Fuss/Sam's Town IMO. I like the 80's synth-y new wave feel to a lot of the songs and the weird-ass intrumentals (inc. bagpipes on this tune). I love Human and Joyride and Goodnight, Travel Well - but This Is Your Life just got me totally hooked.

Partly it's the pounding, marching beat - it's a real on the move track - I've listened to this all over the place in London. The bass is also pretty special and seems to get right into your brain somehow. 

I'm not really sure what the lyrics are about, I don't think they're really that cheery. Candi doesn't seem to be in a great place to me - but she's trying to get out of it. And really, aren't we all just trying to do that - fighting for our little bit of happiness. I think it's a really well crafted pop-rock song and Brandon Flowers really works it (watch him work the crowd in the live video above).

Anyway, here are today's lyrics.

Candy talks to strangers
Thinks her life's in danger
No one gives a damn about her hair
It's lonely down on track street
She used to go by Jackie
The cops, they'll steal your dreams and they'll kill your prayers
Take a number where the blood just barely dried

Wait for something better
No one behind you
Watching your shadows
This feeling won't go

Crooked wheels keep tuning
Children, are you learning
Climatize but don't you lose the plot
A history of blisters
Your brothers and your sisters
Somewhere in the pages we forgot

Take a number Jackie
Where the blood just barely dried
You know I'm on your side

Wait for something better
No one behind you
Watching your shadows
You gotta be stronger than the story
Don't let it blind you
Rivers of shadow
This feeling wont go

And the sky is full of dreams
But you don't know how to fly
I don't have a simple answer
But I know that I could answer
Something better

This feeling won't go

Wait for it (x4)

Thank you and goodnight

Stupidgirl has left the building

2 comments:

  1. compelling lyrics, but they did not rise up from nothing. they are a manifestation of someone's viewpoint...someone's reality...they can illuminate a possibility....they illustrate the power of 'having voice.'.....they inspire..... what lyrics would you write? what style? what rhythm?.....it is better to shape than to be shaped....let others taste your creations...(and this goes for ALL of us).....)...TRUE---- I did appreciate the lyrics in question, but I also appreciate YOUR creative talents....what words would YOU write if called to do so?.....BOY, DO I SOUND LIKE A FRESHMAN YEAR CREATIVE WRITING PROFESSOR!!....but it's an honest response. it's how I feel right now....we all edit ourselves too much....as always, thanks for shaping a format that encourages us to think....Now I GOTTA hurry and go shape a blog post of my own before the flame goes out. (I've been slacking off too). Adios for now. glad to have you back. and if I missed your birthday, hope you had a great one!

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  2. Good morning. Read your guest post on tips for bloggers - well done. (I'd link it, but I'm not very good at links in commenting.) Blogging can be very daunting at first, so posts with simple tips are always a big help.

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