I usually don't like these kinds of threads (because I know the band reads the board and it's a little insulting to openly say you don't like some of their art), but I have to admit, I think it's pretty amazing that some of the least favorite songs from one person is always a favorite of others. I think that's pretty cool. Just goes to show what amazing writers they are to speak to people on so many different levels.
I hear you with that rusco, anyone who doesnt like "aimless desire" has clearly never worked shift in a deadend industrial job, just listen to the "found a bird caught in the machinery" line and "someone like jesus" the third best song nma have written that makes nick cave look like shit leonard cohen as for "archway towers" do those who hate this song know what it is and symbolises? I drive past it everyday, there probally to dumb and lazy to find out.x
there probally to dumb and lazy to find out.x
The truth hurts does it spacey mate, anyhow glad to see i'm getting to you! If you care to read what i said about "archway towers" properly it was that people who "hate" this song are probally to lazy or dumb to know what it is about, this was aimed specifically at you and you have now proven my point twice you doughnut!
With a cannon of so many songs it not that surprising that there are a few that just don't do it for certain people (me included). I'd say that for me NMA have a 98%-ish hit rate, which isn't bad at all, in my view. Furthermore I don't feel let down or angry that the other couple of percent of their output doesn't do it for me personally.
At the risk of sounding a bit Neil, why don't we all just calm down and talk about it as the OP intended?
Why not look at the positive side of this thread.
I am number one here in listing the highest number of NMA songs that I dislike, and, yet, that number is only 20. Think about that. Thirty plus years of making music -- a whole lot of albums, singles, B-sides, extra tracks, discarded tracks -- and only 20 bad tunes.
But they're not bad tunes... they are tunes that you regard as 'bad'.
you have now proven my point twice you doughnut!
Master Ray, there is good and there is bad. A piece of music can be good, it can bad. Opinions have zero to do with that. Extreme case: Play something completely out of key, out of time, out of tune, lyrics that are jibberish...that would be bad. The creator may think it is good, but he'd be wrong. It's bad. You can coddle them and build their self-esteem by telling them it is brilliant, but the truth is it is bad. Music, songs can be bad. If you don't believe that, then you are on an island alone.
Critics in the media do not voice their opinions when they review something -- they take a criteria and judge the work using that criteria. If a movie is completely out of focus, has nonsensical editing, plot holes that you can drive a truck through, acting that a sixth grader would laugh at, effects that are hilarious....it is a bad film! Go see PLAN NINE FROM OUTER SPACE. My God, it is bad! That's not an opinion, it is bad. Artistic creations can be bad. You honestly don't see that?
Inheritance. For me, the music never really goes anywhere. I don't skip it, but I don't think I've ever felt the need to listen to that song in particular.
Inheritance. For me, the music never really goes anywhere. I don't skip it, but I don't think I've ever felt the need to listen to that song in particular.
I guess this one is almost bordering on spoken word, rather than musical song in a way. It does have some great vocal lines, like "Mother, Father, I am your son, right down to the long thin, pointed face, and this muddled up and twisted tongue". Love that ! :)
This was an interesting thread taken down by the petty and inappropriate comments of a select few. Pity. I thought it was an interesting thread.
Pete, Huw, Space et al stop this pathetic bickering. Stop it now. I will not be giving another warning.
Inheritance is a brilliant song, with fantastic lyrics. I love the way this is stripped down to the drums and voice. further instrumentation would have made this just another track and it is brave of them to create diverse work in this way.
You're from the US, thought you lot believed in freedom of speech and, by definition, opinion?
Interesting points you make Sequoia and part of me agrees. BUT its avalid topic of conversation, if its fair comments being made. As Ive said there are songs Im not keen on. I'll never slag them off cos it is entirely personal and if by some miracle someone from the band asked why Id hope itd be understood. Not a criticism in sight. Just doesnt do anything for me.Cheers Drummyb, I agree, as I stated, I am not for any sort of censoring and controlling of conversation on boards like this. Its part of what made me leave when the board was re-booted as conversation (and even words) were much more heavily regulated.
Be a bland world if everything was sanctioned and controlled to niceties.That said there are nicer ways of saying things than have been.
Not sure of the point you're making mate?? :-\sorry - I screwed my my posts and formatting. - again - not used to posting on here. My reply to you is in the later post. lol.
Interesting points you make Sequoia and part of me agrees. BUT its avalid topic of conversation, if its fair comments being made. As Ive said there are songs Im not keen on. I'll never slag them off cos it is entirely personal and if by some miracle someone from the band asked why Id hope itd be understood. Not a criticism in sight. Just doesnt do anything for me.Cheers Drummyb, I agree, as I stated, I am not for any sort of censoring and controlling of conversation on boards like this. Its part of what made me leave when the board was re-booted as conversation (and even words) were much more heavily regulated.
Be a bland world if everything was sanctioned and controlled to niceties.That said there are nicer ways of saying things than have been.
But I have to admit I felt some agreements of Joolz statements about this topic.
Something starts to bother me when I realize people wouldnt be saying the same thing if they were truly physically in the other peoples presence. Its a strange social thing this sort of medium creates in that way...Not to say I have not been guilty of the same in my day frequenting this board.
Something starts to bother me when I realize people wouldnt be saying the same thing if they were truly physically in the other peoples presence.
You're from the US, thought you lot believed in freedom of speech and, by definition, opinion?
hahaha - seriously?
I said this countless times years ago - but any time any of you from across the Atlantic try to say that WE LOT believe in any ONE thing together, you are likely to be flat out mistaken. haha (Im being friendly here - not argumentative).
America is HUGE - and I would argue as diverse and divided as many of the European countries.
We are the most together in our ignorance of the rest of the world and arrogance about our country and I wouldnt go much beyond that.
or maybe I am just really jaded. ;)
[ Is it really wrong, bad manners, cold-hearted, whatever to say to an artist I didn't like such and such song because...?
Hi Sequioa (spelt wrong) good to see you back...
I for one think Joolz did the right thing. She can be abrasive but we need a fire-brand like that sometimes.
Plus she was being loyal and wanting the family to play nice.
She only intervened when things got disrespectful which I believe this thread has!
Plus i'd much rather hear why you like / love a certain song.
In a world weary with negativity I could do without it personally.
So turn the thread on it's head, what song do you love and why?
Ok, I could talk all day about BAD OLD WORLD but in a nutshell,
No matter where I am, what i'm doing that song reminds me of the romance of the road, the chance of escape.
The euphoric verse where JS eloquently describes 'being up on the north coast'.
The chorus of 'I'm never going back there..."
I was fortunate enough to be in Hyde 4 years ago, where upstairs above a pub, The Verge I think it was called they played it on request in the encore. It turned into the most raucous singalong ever and there was even an impromtu mosh-pit.
Truly life affirming stuff!
And here it is....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MZyE1yF26o&spfreload=10
TXP
Sequinoa, I didn't mean to insult. It was a blunt statement, granted, but I stand by it.
I have been to the US several times and I can honestly say the people I met there were open-minded, friendly and genuinely interested in meeting someone from a different continent. I had some amazing times with lovely folks.
Which is why it upsets me when somebody posts from the US and plugs into some idiotic and COMPLETELY untrue idea of how ignorant / arrogant Americans are, like some cliché from a shit movie. The people I've met DO believe in freedom of speech and opinion and couldn't have been more polite about it... well, there was one a-hole in Chicago, but we won't talk about that... ::) ;)
So, again, sorry if I caused offence. It was aimed at Space, not the lovely folks of the US.
"that was back in a time people really didnt get banned (that I remember and I was here a lot) (or even warned about it) nor was the board censored like it is now" - Sequoia225
Actually, to put the record straight there has only been two people banned in the last five years. It is not the policy of this board to ban people for no good reason. As for censorship on this board, a couple of posts were removed last week because they went way beyond banter and were down right offensive. Any other posts that have been removed were not by my hands but from the original poster or commentor - everyone has the right to delete their own comments.
Sadly, in the last couple of weeks I have had no option but to read the riot act several times and I do not think anyone on here has covered themselves with any glory at all. Myself included. If we are to continue the home analogy, that this is someone elses home, please treat it and the people herein with the respect it, and they, actually deserve. Time for peace to break out...
"that was back in a time people really didnt get banned (that I remember and I was here a lot) (or even warned about it) nor was the board censored like it is now" - Sequoia225
Actually, to put the record straight there has only been two people banned in the last five years. It is not the policy of this board to ban people for no good reason. As for censorship on this board, a couple of posts were removed last week because they went way beyond banter and were down right offensive. Any other posts that have been removed were not by my hands but from the original poster or commentor - everyone has the right to delete their own comments.
Sadly, in the last couple of weeks I have had no option but to read the riot act several times and I do not think anyone on here has covered themselves with any glory at all. Myself included. If we are to continue the home analogy, that this is someone elses home, please treat it and the people herein with the respect it, and they, actually deserve. Time for peace to break out...
Something starts to bother me when I realize people wouldnt be saying the same thing if they were truly physically in the other peoples presence.
Why do you assume we wouldn't be able to speak our opinions in the presence of those we are speaking about? Is it really wrong, bad manners, cold-hearted, whatever to say to an artist I didn't like such and such song because...? When we converse with an enteratiner should we simply do the standard twelve year old kid stuff, "Oh, my GOD! You are the best! I have every album! I have your picture on my wall! Oh, my God you are the cooleset bestest person in the world!!!"
No thanks to that.
I only read the last page of this thread and the thing about it with NMA is that I don't really not like any songs, the one I'd sneak out during it being played is probably 225, but then I snuck out at the Roadmender during No Greater Love which I love, just cos I'd drunk too many pints of cider shortly before kick off :-[Really? Isn't that the gig where people loudly shouted out 225 for an entire hour and it got a bit annoying?
I only read the last page of this thread and the thing about it with NMA is that I don't really not like any songs, the one I'd sneak out during it being played is probably 225, but then I snuck out at the Roadmender during No Greater Love which I love, just cos I'd drunk too many pints of cider shortly before kick off :-[Really? Isn't that the gig where people loudly shouted out 225 for an entire hour and it got a bit annoying?
And they didn't play it then but they did the next gig. ;D There isn't an emoticon good enough to to describe my laughter at this.
Brilliant! I remember Justin, at some gig or other some years back, hearing the crowds shouting for certain songs, saying something like 'You should have figured out, by now, after all these years, that if you shout out requests, we WON'T play them...' ;D
"Get me out", i never quite clicked with it although i love the thrash metal drumbeat an over all sentiment, its probally due to the fact that they have played it at every gig i've been to since 1991 at the expense of way better songs, sullivan often says that nma gig song selection is like a lottery but it ain't in this case, setlist fm has it as there most played song by some margin.
These are flat out awful songs:
"Sex (The Black Angel)" -- I forgive them this one, very early in their career
"Ballad" -- acoustic guitar + vocals + harmonica = boring
"I Love The World" -- how many times can you say "I love the world" in one song? Answer: too f***ing many.
"Believe It" -- not terrible, just a lazy effort
"Understand U" --not terrible, just a lazy effort
"Aimless Desire" -- boy, is this song bad
"Lullaby" - endless garbage. I put this song on Tuesday and it is still playing
"Someone Like Jesus" -- bad, hilariously bad Nick Cave immitation
"Get me out", i never quite clicked with it although i love the thrash metal drumbeat an over all sentiment, its probally due to the fact that they have played it at every gig i've been to since 1991 at the expense of way better songs, sullivan often says that nma gig song selection is like a lottery but it ain't in this case, setlist fm has it as there most played song by some margin.
It's still NMA's most played song ever!:
https://www.setlist.fm/stats/new-model-army-3d609e7.html
And it's a good, catchy song IMO.
In fact there are very, very few NMA songs that i don't like too much...i like 95% or 98% of their songs :)
Whites of their eyes
Big blue
Paekakariki beach
Stranger
Refugee
Water
Prayer flags
God save me
Still here
If you can't save me
Nothing dies easy
La push
bad harvest
stormclouds
part the waters
eyes get used to the darkness
are songs that i use to skip when i listen to NMA's albums, though..These are flat out awful songs:
"Sex (The Black Angel)" -- I forgive them this one, very early in their career
"Ballad" -- acoustic guitar + vocals + harmonica = boring
"I Love The World" -- how many times can you say "I love the world" in one song? Answer: too f***ing many.
"Believe It" -- not terrible, just a lazy effort
"Understand U" --not terrible, just a lazy effort
"Aimless Desire" -- boy, is this song bad
"Lullaby" - endless garbage. I put this song on Tuesday and it is still playing
"Someone Like Jesus" -- bad, hilariously bad Nick Cave immitation
I like all these songs!
Especially "I love the world", "SOmeone like Jesus" and "Ballad"...pure gems!
Wow you don't like 'Eyes Get Used to the Darkness'? Think that and Drifts are the two best tracks on that album. Burn the Castle is a bit of a clunker tho.
Wow you don't like 'Eyes Get Used to the Darkness'? Think that and Drifts are the two best tracks on that album. Burn the Castle is a bit of a clunker tho.
I quite like "Drifts" and to a lesser extent "Burn the castle" but i'm a bit indifferent towards "EGUTTD" indeed and overall, despite some good moments, i think that "Winter" is probably the NMA album i like the least..
Qasar el Nil Bridge
I'm sure Justin would understand the idea of people getting to grips with something that someone finds offensive. ???
Come on, pal, name the lyric so we can help to justify, deny or understand the concept.
I'm sure Justin would understand the idea of people getting to grips with something that someone finds offensive. ???
Actually, the man has never written anything - thus far - that has offended me, in any way, shape or form. Ever. :)Come on, pal, name the lyric so we can help to justify, deny or understand the concept.
It's off the "Vengeance" album release, but is not the title track. Ok, it should be really easy now. Humour me Master Ray (or anyone else here who has time on their hands / cares to engage)… how about you try finding the song / line? Here's the track listing for that album...
1. Christian Militia (Sullivan, Morrow)
2. Notice Me (Sullivan, Morrow)
3. Smalltown England (Sullivan, Morrow)
4. A Liberal Education (Sullivan, Morrow)
5. Vengeance (Sullivan)
6. Sex (The Black Angel) (Sullivan, Morrow, Heaton)
7. Running In The Rain (Sullivan)
8. Spirit of the Falklands (Sullivan, Morrow)
I'll take first go! Is it the line; "I love you, but I still wish you were dead" from Running In The Rain?
Possibly..."I'll kill myself while you are watching" from Notice Me
Definitely the clues you gave. When Vengeance came out, "Notice Me" was my favourite track due to Stuarts amazing bass playing.
Lyrically, although Justin sings in the "first person", to me it was obvious he's not singing about himself. I always used to compare the song lyrically to "Kill" by Albertos Y Los Trios Paranoias (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7PQxA7ffAo), even though I knew the NMA song was serious and Albertos were a comedy/pisstake act.
Later Justin often sings in the first person. eg "One of the Chosen". He has that incredible ability to put himself into the mind of the subject person which makes the song seem more alive than if the song was written in the "third person".
As for a song by NMA that I don't really like?? Possibly "Big Blue", (but the solo version in Preston a couple of years ago was brilliant) :)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpSVQJuBkq4)
I'll take first go! Is it the line; "I love you, but I still wish you were dead" from Running In The Rain?
Oooo, you nailed the subject matter being that of Death, there ldopas… but neither the correct song / specific line. Close, :-\ but no cigar I'm afraid.
Thanks ever so much for participating. Love your wit and humour! And it's genuinely a treat / nice to finally get to exchange a word or two with you, ldopas. Thank you, Sir! :)
And now, to the gentleman who had his eyes peeled (as in had them wide open - just in case any folks of foreign tongues don't comprehend the term peeled) and is very likely the owner of an open, big genuine heart himself...
... There has always be just one line, in one single song, that always made me feel unsettled, makes me feel uneasy, worried even -8, I don't want to be rude but you clearly have no understanding of that line.
."I'll kill myself while you are watching" from Notice Me
... There has always be just one line, in one single song, that always made me feel unsettled, makes me feel uneasy, worried even -8, I don't want to be rude but you clearly have no understanding of that line.
."I'll kill myself while you are watching" from Notice Me
In actuality they probably completely understand it.
"I'll kill myself while you are watching" from Notice Me
8, I don't want to be rude but you clearly have no understanding of that line.
Why are you trying to stoke up controversy? That was rude. How do you know they don't understand what it means. that was not the question; to explain its meaning. They were saying they don't like that line, it affects them. In actuality they probably completely understand it and that is what fires something up in them to not like it, perhaps it pertains to their experience.
"I'll kill myself while you are watching" from Notice Me8, I don't want to be rude but you clearly have no understanding of that line.
.
Ok, floor's yours Mark, explain the line to me then... please. It's one of the lines that has crushed me ever since first hearing it, in a tearful, worrisome, sad and helpless, kind of way. So an explanation, from anyone really, would be genuinely appreciated, welcomed.
I would actually explain the line to you and perhaps ease your mind a bit, but you ask Mark to do it. You play silly internet games calling me someone I am not (as if I need some other account to be who I am. Do I really come across as someone who is afraid to be who I am?). No, you asked Mark to explain the line. So let Mark do it.
.
Ok, floor's yours Mark, explain the line to me then... please. It's one of the lines that has crushed me ever since first hearing it, in a tearful, worrisome, sad and helpless, kind of way. So an explanation, from anyone really, would be genuinely appreciated, welcomed.
I would actually explain the line to you and perhaps ease your mind a bit, but you ask Mark to do it. You play silly internet games calling me someone I am not (as if I need some other account to be who I am. Do I really come across as someone who is afraid to be who I am?). No, you asked Mark to explain the line. So let Mark do it.
….The floor's yours Whirlwind, please explain the line to me.
Again as I said before. Why are you so reactionary to everything that people say.
"Or I'll kill myself while you are watching" is the line in question. Has to be looked at in context of the whole song. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but you may be seeing it as a line about suicide. It really isn't.
I'll take any drug in the whole damn world if you'll only notice me
Mainline poisons by the score - please will you notice me
I'll break any law, hurt anybody - for God's sake notice me
Cut my wrists and slash my face for Christ's sake notice me
I'll drink anybody into the ground if you'll only notice me
I'll kick the teeth out of anyone here - come on and notice me
I'll wear the clothes and cut my hair - please will you notice me
I'll be a pop star and I'll stand on stage - for God's sake notice me
Ch:
Who told him that it mattered?
Who told him that anyone cared?
He's got an overgrown sense of his own importance
No one's really bothered around here
He was such a quiet boy, never any trouble before . . .
I'll get a big car and drive like a maniac - please notice me
I'll make a lot of money and tread on you if you'll only notice me
I'll tell you any lies you want to hear - for God's sake notice me
Or I'll kill myself while you are watching
The song is simply about an immature lad who has no idea how to fit in.
He wants to be noticed, which he believes will make him significant, part of the group, whatever. "He's got an overgrown sense of his own importance" is how the others feel about him. This lad threatens to do everything in a big way: get a big car and drive like a maniac, drink anybody into the ground, beat up people, make a lot of money...anything big to be noticed. And he ultimately goes to the most stupid way to be noticed -- suicide.
He sees suicide as "look at me." He's not depressed, he's not sad, he's just an idiotic immature lad who has no idea what it takes to be accepted. To him suicide is no different than having a lot of money, driving a big car. Just a way of being noticed.
You may be looking too deeply into the kill myself line. It really is no different than the wearing clothes, cut my hair, break any law, be a pop star lines. Kid just wants to be noticed. Ignored so he thinks these are the ways to be noted.
Song and that line is not about suicide. Just about a mixed up kid who doesn't understand that a friendly smile, a kind gesture, a good wit (some here lack that), hitting a home run in a game, acing a geometry test, helping at a soup kitchen...those are the ways to be noticed. The dope in the song is clueless to that.
I had a friend in high school, Don, who was exactly like the kid in "Notice Me." We'd walk into 7/11 and Don would just punch a guy who was walking out the door right in the face. He would drive like a maniac, he would eat slugs (ate a toilet cake once...you know those things in the urinals to freshen up the urinal), challenge anybody to a drinking contest, bent over and ran head first into a gas pump to break the glass...We knew why Don would do that stuff...he just wanted to be noticed. He was messed up in that he couldn't believe people would be friends with him unless he did crazy things. (Arm chair psychiatry here: Don did have an older brother who was an athletic God around town. We all knew that's why Don did his crazy stunts. Insecurity.)
If you are distressed over "suicide" in "Notice Me," don't be. The song has zero to do with a youth killing himself. About insecurity.
I'll take two of your points:
"desperate, for the boy / young man in the song to contemplate suicide..."
He is not contemplating suicide. Nothing in the song indicates that. When he says "I'll kill myself while you are watching" it is just another in a long line of attention grabbing behavior. Drive like a maniac, wear clothes, cut my hair, make lots of money, break any law, become a pop star....those are all just a long laundry list of attention getting ploys. Those are the things that he believes would get others to notice him. The suicide is just as stupid a suggestion as "be a pop star and stand on the stage." I ask you, do you honestly think he is contemplating being a pop star? Exactly how does one become a pop star? Is there really a college degree that one earns and then you become a pop star? See my point? It's all just a stupid fantasy, for lack of a better word, for this guy. Become a pop star, suicide...these are just things in his mind that he thinks will make people notice him. It's not real. Tell me how real are the prospects of becoming a pop star? And the other things - drink anybody into the ground, get a big car, make lots of money... - are all fantasy, too.
"The boy / young man seems to be in serious turmoil,.... "
No, he's not. He's merely a kid who wants to fit in. Welcome to the club. Every human on Earth goes through that. Dude, there are songs out there that do express feelings of suicide or destructive behavior (Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," for instance). If you listen to them and then listen to "Notice Me" you'd see the New Model Army song is not a song about suicide.
"but the suicide line just isn't bullshit or fake to me."
"but the suicide line just isn't bullshit or fake to me."
But the lines "be a pop star and stand on the stage," "make a lot of money," are bullshit or fake to you.
Do you see what you are doing? You are cherry picking one line rather than put it into the context of all the lines.
ALL THE LINES ARE BULLSHIT! Do you really think he is going to beat up everybody? Do you really think he is going to be a pop star? But you pick one line and say that's the true one.
Once again, all the lines are just in his mind what he thinks would get people to notice him. How can he actually do half of them? How can he kick the teeth out of everybody? How can he be a pop star? He can't and won't. Same goes for the suicide line. All the lines are bullshit.
I will say this. If in the song the main character actually did all the crazy behavior, then that final line about suicide would be a scary line. "I take any drug," "I break any law"... All his destructive behavior is reaching the final stage....suicide.
But the song uses "I'll" -- I will -- a future tense. None of it is happening. "I'll beat up everybody," "I'll be a pop star"... Wishful thinking. It's all bullshit.
Yeah, but the suicide line just isn't bullshit or fake to me. melancholy lost lol, I'm getting SO much more confused, now. :-[ What do the rest of you floating here think and feel about the line :( song "Notice Me"? Anyone know whether Mr. Sullivan has ever spoken about this particular song, in an interview, either in print :-\ or on film? Care to comment, help me understand?I don't think I can help you to understand...but the thing is - I feel I don't have a right to even try.
...
I have always interpreted it as some young, probably very insecure person....this person is being all dramatic, imagining what they would do to get the object of their desire to finally notice them.
Dunno, I think we have all been there to a degree, haven't we? ;)
Until I had read your posts it has never ocurred to me to consider that the song might be about someone who has already gone a step further - into morbid obsession, or indeed even depression -
8, as I said at the start, you are misunderstanding that lyric.And that is just not true - none of us can know for sure what the exact meaning is, unless we get to ask Mr. Sullivan to explain what he had in mind when writing that song.
I don't think I can help you to understand...but the thing is – I feel I don't have a right to even try.
I have even had it happen that one and the same song meant something else for me when I was young than it does now. And that is ok.
As far as this specific song is concerned, I have always interpreted it as some young, probably very insecure person being obsessively in love with someone (as you often are when you are still young) - and getting all worked up by their feelings not being requited (is that the correct term to use in this context?). So this person is being all dramatic, imagining what they would do to get the object of their desire to finally notice them. Dunno, I think we have all been there to a degree, haven't we?
BUT, depending on how insecure someone is, and depending on whether or not there are more mature, grounded people in that person's life, it is easy to see how such feelings/ways of thinking can get out of hand and indeed become more serious.
Until I had read your posts it has never occurred to me to consider that the song might be about someone who has already gone a step further – into morbid obsession, or indeed even depression – but I see how, depending on maybe personal experiences, this is a very possible way of looking at it. And yes, I can also see how this can make you feel very sad and uncomfortable. I don't feel that way about this song – but if you do this is perfectly legitimate, why ever wouldn't it be? And if our dear Whirlwind interprets the song in yet another way – excellent.
I don't recall reading about Justin Sullivan saying anything about this song, sorry.
The way I see it, what makes lyrics really good is that they speak to different people in different ways. We are all different, have had different experiences in our respective lives. Regardless of what the writer of any given song might have had in mind when writing it (well, sometimes it's plain obvious, but not always), for one reason or another they might mean something completely different to me. And then something else entirely for someone else. And none of that is wrong or bad. It's what makes lyrics great, the fact that they touch people, reach them, ring true for them... ...I think it's perfectly fine to interpret songs in your own way...and it can be really interesting to talk about the different ways in which people understand lyrics.
...there can never really be a right or wrong with these things, that's the beauty of really good art..
..
"He's got an overblown sense of his own importance"
To add to all the other comments on the subject of Notice Me, I would add that the song actually ends with a repeat of the chorus. In the chorus, someone, or people in general are referring to the boy/young man, and saying;Oh, right...I had never given the tenses much thought, to be honest...but that IS an important point.
"He was such a quiet boy, he was never any trouble before"
with the emphasis there on "was". This suggests that he has actually done something stupid, maybe carried out one of his threats/fantasies to try and get the object of his obsession to notice him. However, the chorus also contains the line;
"He's got an overblown sense of his own importance"
which is in the present tense, rather than "He had an overblown sense...". So this suggests that whatever he had done, it wasn't the last item on his list thankfully.
8, as I said at the start, you are misunderstanding that lyric.
But, hey, you can interpret any song the way you want. If you want to think "Smalltown England" is about London, have at it.
.8, as I said at the start, you are misunderstanding that lyric.
But, hey, you can interpret any song the way you want. If you want to think "Smalltown England" is about London, have at it.
You tell them they are misunderstanding the song, then go on to say "you can interpret any song the way you want". Contradiction.
Nope my dear...telling people what to think and how to interpret things...like songs...that is dumb - and rude. But hey, we all know who this is coming from so it does not come as a suprise.
Read my above post where I point out people interpreting songs in their own way is both idiotic and disrespectful to the artist who wrote the song. I guess I have to make it clear to you: interpreting a song in your own way is dumb. It is not the way the artist intended the song. If you want to think "Smalltown England" is about Manchester that would be dumb.
And I've been posting on this board and earlier iterations of it for 15 years plus.
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I have always interpreted it as some young, probably very insecure person....this person is being all dramatic, imagining what they would do to get the object of their desire to finally notice them.
Dunno, I think we have all been there to a degree, haven't we? ;)
Until I had read your posts it has never ocurred to me to consider that the song might be about someone who has already gone a step further - into morbid obsession, or indeed even depression -
Bingo.
8, as I said at the start, you are misunderstanding that lyric.
But, hey, you can interpret any song the way you want. If you want to think "Smalltown England" is about London, have at it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSvGPRZm3qo