The Hopefuls are a local Minneapolis pop indie band which can be heard on 89.3 The Current. Most songs played by them involve romantic relations and the problems associated with romance. The lyrics speak of wild and random trip into the wood on a summer day with your lover. It’s a clever, comical and peppy song that is perfect for those passionately intense moments under the stars…
2 Upward Over the Mountain By Iron and Wine
Iron and Wine is a one man band performed by Samuel Beams; his music features acoustic guitars, banjos and slide guitars to give a sort of folk-like tune to his pieces. This song is for a mother-son relationship, and all the worrying about danger, money and girlfriends mothers are prone to. In the song, the son asks for forgiveness for a less then perfect relationship and reminds her to think of all the good memories together instead of the mistakes he’s made. The relationship between mother and son is painful and yet beautiful and full of love. No matter how hard you try to get away, your mother will always love you no matter how you change.
3 Turn Cold by Cut Off Your Hands
This New Zealand post punk and indie pop have an upbeat energy necessary for great songs; unfortunately their subject choices and lyrics aren’t popular with a large majority. The singers sing about the fulitity of life and its struggles. The singer recognizes the need to get out of the rut his life is in, but has that never ceasing doubt that all pessimists have about their futures. It’s a song for a time in life where you are spinning wheels and unsure where to turn because there are no directions. It’s an experience to have a point in life so low that nothing matters much and you can’t help but have no emotion; it is impossible to cope with the reality of things and better to just shut down.
4 Ten Dead Dogs by Wild Sweet Orange
The first few stanzas can hit hard with the lyrics “I saw ten dead dogs on the side of the road..”. To add to that, there is a subtle dark theme to its melody. The interpretation that I draw is that the artist is struggling with his direction in life, not sure if he’s doing the right thing or on the right path. He ponders that question, struggling with his set of beliefs and all his previously held conceptions of his goals and aspirations. He wonders wether he would know the path in life he should take if he sees it, and if not, whether God would point him in the right direction. For a brief moment at the end, the singer may be coming to a realization of a need for change in his life. I relate particularity because I have experienced the ups and downs, doubts and all the questions revolving around the meaning and purpose of life. I feel like my life has been a struggle between right and wrong, riding the fine line that exists between the two. Life is a journey to find answers to those questions, even if we don’t know there are answers.
The song “Bukowski” by Modest Mouse makes reference to Charles Bukowski, a American poet, novelist and short story writer that is well known for his nihilistic writing style. Bukowski was often drunk and depressed and really didn’t care much for life or anything. He writes about harsh realities of poverty and alcoholism. The songs meaning has particular controversy about its true meaning, as it makes reference to God being an asshole for all the control over life yet allowing pain and suffering. One of my favorite lyrics is the line, “Well all that icing and all that cake, I can't make it to your wedding, but I'm sure I'll be at your wake.” I think Isaac is realizing his life is becoming more and more like Bukowski’s, which is something he detests in his life but cannot control.
Gone for Good by The Shins is a song about being in a relationship and wanting to get out, for various reasons. The singer realizes after a long period, the relationship is getting too serious for comfort, and it scares him. He is wrestling with the decision of commitment or has been for some time and thus cannot be in a serious relationship if he does not feel 100% for it. He is struggling to be honest to himself and the relationship, hopefully for the better. It is sometimes really hard to share your true feelings, which is why I can relate so well to this song. I find it a struggle not to hold back to prevent hurt, while it may be better for both parties in the long run. There are several references that make the writer apathetic to the relationship. He could possibly see that the relationship has unsolvable problems and won’t try very hard to fix them. When someone you loves betrays your trust it can be hard to not be apathetic toward the relationship, shutting down and closing out emotions to deal with the problems.
This is Stabilos’ first single and made it to number one on the Canadian charts in 2006 and has one several awards. The song mentions many flaws in people, such as temptation, lying, deviousness and treason. He (the singer) has begun to manipulative the truth to get the things he wants in life, which is a source of frustration for him. It is about the extortion of trust and lying to the people he is close to. The thing the artist knows his potential for doing good, yet he continues to live in the moment at others expense for his own selfish purposes. It is a source of frustration when you despise who have become and hate the imperfections that now exist in your life and behavior. There is a desire to change his flawed nature but it may not be possible because it is now a part of his design and who he is.
The music video for this song is quite interesting, as it is a non-linear style when the clip ends at the beginning of the plot. The video opens with a man awakening in a hotel room, not remembering the previous day and watching a video that he had made the day before. He discoverers that he had stalked a prostitute that he was obsessed with. The man is so upset with himself that he rages and destroys the hotel room. The song deals with feelings of anger because of the grip that selfish ambition holds over you and the struggle to remove yourself from that trap. If you have so much faith in something or want something so bad, you will do anything for it. In the end, it will drive you insane if you don’t get it or if you do, you realize the damage that obsession has done with its control over your life.
Most of my songs have lyrics or a style that has underlying meanings regarding trials and tribulations of life. This song does have a bit of that, but musically it is a little bit more upbeat and less depressing. Although it could be argued contrary, since the artist is writing about a girl he misses and how he only has one friend, a little bird. I have been in a situation before where I have had a relationship end, with feeling of loss and heart break. This song definitely hit home for me at that time, but it also gave me a little bit of hope. The bird was a source of encouragement for the artist because birds don’s worry or get sad. The little bird hopping around was a friendly reminder that not all is lost and the world is not going to end.
10 Portions For Foxes by Rilo Kiley
Rilo Kiley can write some pretty amazing lyrics and this is no exception. The title refers to relationships, where women are basically objects (portions) for men(foxes). The lyrics "I know Im alone if I’m with or without you" is evident for this sort of relationship where the two don’t really fit, but some sort of temporary relief is provided if they are together. There is no depth other than using each other for sex; but the fear of being completely alone is too much. She stays with him out of fear, realizes that the relationship is bad for her yet she keeps going back for more. For me personally, I can honestly say that fear, at one time, was a reason for staying in a relationship.
11 Your Ex-Lover is Dead By Stars
Stars is another Canadian band that I am found of. The song is about a former relationship that ended painfully. They are two people who have shared something only they will know, something indescribable, but however strong that flame burned, it has since burned out. They meet again as if they were strangers, although they both remember their past together. There obviously is an irreparable gulf that separates the two and despite being in the same taxi, they can't bring themselves to say a word to each other much less remember each others names. "This scar is a flec on my porcelain skin" shows that the relationship was painful, but he doesn’t regret it. I believe all relationships aren’t without pain, even if they end up being life-long.
12 Alive with the Glory of Love by Say Anything
Interestingly, this song is about the Holocaust. Why or where Say Anything was inspired to write about such an event is unknowns to me, but they were successful at driving home a main point. It clearly an example of how love can help you get through the hardest times. The ghetto referred to in the song is an extermination ghetto, the bleakest and least hopeful of all places. Despite all this, it is love that is able to bring life to such a gloomy situation. I feel like the Holocaust is being used as an example, and the song is about wanting to keep your love alive even in the hardest places and times.
I’m Shaking is a song evidently about the realization of an alcohol or drug addition. The artist has begun to realize that his life is no where near normal, because he has lost taste for food, wakes up in spit and sweat, and struggles with sleeping. There is obviously some sort of conflict, whether it be with mind or body, that the artist is dealing with. The song references watching Atreyu, a character from The Never Ending Story. I would imagine he just sits at home and bums all day, watching movies, not showering and being overall pathetic.
14 Cannibal Queen By Miniature Tigers
The first few stanzas cover a little about the subjects history, having been in relationships with many girls that have cheated when he was only trying to win their hearts. He had given up on finding love until he meet this new amazing girl. She doesn’t push him away and she lets him have sex without having to beg like all his past relationships. He then sees the faults in the relationships and how it can never be right, but he doesn’t care. He chooses to be with her because it is hard not to love her, even if she eats him alive. She is likely a controlling or possessive girlfriend, but he doesn’t care because she is so much more fiery than any other girl he has met. I don’t know if it’s something I should be admitting, but I can relate a bit to the being eaten alive yet wanting to stay because the relationship is so great.
“Heros” refers to the people we think are important in our lives. This songs is about how they will leave us when we least expect it and we don’t know why. It also seems that your hero’s will disappoint you, being involved in drug addition or alcohol; they will begin to lose who they are and soon enough no good will be left inside. We sometimes sit back and watch as additions overtake our friends and those important to us. It can be unbearable, leaving us undone and in pain.
16 Baby I’m Yours by Arctic Monkeys
The Arctic Monkeys from England 
perform this cover for a decades-old simple sweet and innocent love song by Van McCoy in 1965. Arctic Monkeys is a punky, edgy modern young rock band that really turns this song around. The lyrics speak for itself about love and being there for that person you care about.
This is a song written after the narrator had a fight with his girl resulting in a breakup. She is insecure and needs reassurance, but only hears what she wants to hear and can’t stand the truth when its disagreeable. The truth can be very painful sometimes, and its hard to listen and not just shut it out. The reality of life can sometimes be too harsh to deal with; ignorance is bliss. The narrator also still cares a great deal about her, and is afraid of letting other people get too close and hurting the one person he cares about.
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