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[Kagus]

Congratulations to anyone who manages to catch the damnably obscure reference in the thread title...

Anyways, here's the deal...  A similar thread was started a very long time ago, and it reached a whopping six or seven posts before dying mysteriously.  The idea recently came back into my head again, and I thought it might be fun to see how it would pan out a second time around.

What I'd like to do, is have a discussion about music.  Not the preferential discussion about who likes what, but a more philosophical talk about specific songs and what their "true meaning" is.  Seeing as I believe an aspect of "the perfect song" is enough lyrical vagueness as to make possible a different and unique meaning for each listener, I think it should be quite entertaining to find out exactly how varied each person's intake will be on whatever items are presented.


Because I am naturally biased by my own listening preferences, I cannot be expected to post something that everyone will like, and as such I'm not going to try.  I fully respect and understand differing musical tastes, but I just can't pull off something like that.  If you don't care for a particular item, there's nothing saying you have to discuss it or even listen all the way through.  I know that I avoid music that I don't care for, and I can only expect others to do the same.


Blargh, disclaimers...  Anyways, first item on the list is Soundgarden's 'Fresh Tendrils' (I've been listening to a lot of Soundgarden lately).

This one's a bit tricky for me...  Parts of it ("Give me little bits of \ more than I can try ... Long to taste the shame \ that everybody tries ...  Shame! Shame!  Throw yourself away") might hint towards drug usage, an ever-popular subject, but the lyrics "If it sits upon your tongue \ or naked in your eye" could also be interpreted as communication (or rather, restrained/nonverbal communication).

This could hint at something different from YADS (Yet Another Drug Song).  The main character of the song might be in a relationship-gone-sour, and is well aware of his partner's distaste at their continued acquaintance.  This leads to small, snide remarks now and again ("Give me little bits of...") and also the ever-present shadow of the inevitable breakup ("If it sits upon your tongue...").  Rather than taking any initiative however, the character merely sits back and waits.  Maybe things will start to look up, and maybe some part of him wants to experience the pain and "shame" of being left.

This is somewhat backed up by Soundgarden's other works regarding usurious relationships ("Mailman" comes strongly to mind...), but the whole picture is still somewhat unclear to me.  I've yet to find a particularly solid interpretation of the song's lyrics...  Mostly, however, I just like the way he shouts "Shame!".


Also, someone once commented on the song by saying it was about blowjobs.  So there's that, too.

[Helmaroc]

Well I'm a huge Soundgarden fan, I think that Chris is (was?) a talented songwriter. Fresh Tendrils is generally thought to be about women or drugs or both. One of his more vague songs. I think with some good songwriting the artist didn't necessarily have one singular meaning he/she was trying to get across, but maybe a mix of thoughts or emotions.

Mailman is a great one, could be about a certain relationship ('For all of your kisses turned to spit in my face, for all that reminds me which is my place') but could relate to any situation where a victim is fed up with the treatment he is receiving.

One of my favorites is 4th of July, and I think it might have some deeper meanings that just the obvious nuclear warfare/apocalyptic references. And then some claim it was all about an acid trip.
Anyway dinner is ready, and I think this thread will interest me regardless of how much I can contribute.