great song, seems to be very under rated. what does this line mean anyway?
soap, as in, speaking from atop a soap-box. aka, preaching.
I always thought it was referring to outrageous infomercial claims. The line before that says that TV is selling us things we don't need.
2003: San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Seattle; 2005: Monterrey; 2006: Chicago 1 & 2, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Detroit; 2008: West Palm Beach, Tampa; 2009: Austin, LA 3 & 4, San Diego; 2010: Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbus, Indianapolis; 2011: PJ20 1 & 2; 2012: Missoula; 2013: Dallas, Oklahoma City, Seattle; 2014: Tulsa; 2016: Columbia, New York City 1 & 2; 2018: London, Seattle 1 & 2; 2021: Ohana; 2022: Oklahoma City
I always thought it was referring to outrageous infomercial claims. The line before that says that TV is selling us things we don't need.
Yep. The whole verse gives the meaning to the line itself, I think.
The TV, she talks to me
Breaking news and building walls
Selling us, what I dont need
I never knew soap made you taller
To me it's basically just a comment on commercialism and marketing of "the good life". More literally, if you see a commercial for soap, those using the right product are going to be depicted as more successful/smarter/funnier/better looking/etc. than those who use the wrong product. Taller would fit into that first list going by social standards of attractiveness. Commercials are made in such a way to make those traits associated with the product being advertised desirable even if they have nothing whatsoever to do with the product itself.
I suggest you step out on your porch...run away my son...see it all...oh see the world // I wait on the porch...hoping someday I'll be let in
Springfield, MA 4/6/94 -- Boston, MA 4/11/94 -- Hartford, CT 10/2/96 -- Hartford, CT 9/13/98 -- Mansfield, MA 7/2/03 -- Reading, PA 10/1/04 -- Albany, NY 5/12/06 -- Milwaukee, WI 6/29/06 -- Mansfield, MA 6/30/08 -- Toronto, ON 9/21/09 -- Philadelphia, PA 10/31/09 -- Worcester, MA 10/16/13 -- Hartford, CT 10/25/13 -- New York, NY 9/26/15 -- New York, NY 5/2/16 -- Boston, MA 8/5/16 -- Boston, MA 8/7/16 -- Boston, MA 9/2/18 -- Boston, MA 9/4/18 -- London, UK 7/8/22 -- Hamilton, ON 9/6/22 -- Toronto, ON 9/8/22 -- New York, NY 9/11/22 -- Chicago, IL 9/5/23 -- Chicago, IL 9/7/23 -- New York, NY 9/3/24 -- Philadelphia, PA 9/7/24 -- Philadelphia, PA 9/9/24
I always thought it was referring to outrageous infomercial claims. The line before that says that TV is selling us things we don't need.
Yep. The whole verse gives the meaning to the line itself, I think.
The TV, she talks to me
Breaking news and building walls
Selling us, what I dont need
I never knew soap made you taller
To me it's basically just a comment on commercialism and marketing of "the good life". More literally, if you see a commercial for soap, those using the right product are going to be depicted as more successful/smarter/funnier/better looking/etc. than those who use the wrong product. Taller would fit into that first list going by social standards of attractiveness. Commercials are made in such a way to make those traits associated with the product being advertised desirable even if they have nothing whatsoever to do with the product itself.
Wow, I feel like I've just been smacked in the head. You guys are probably right with your interpretations. Very cool, and now that I read into it, it does seem fairly straightforward.
For some reason, since much of the album is political, I just always associated the line with someone preaching down to me from a soapbox (in this case a television commercial). I thought it was cool that Ed would actually use a soapbox metaphor.
Wow, I feel like I've just been smacked in the head. You guys are probably right with your interpretations. Very cool, and now that I read into it, it does seem fairly straightforward.
For some reason, since much of the album is political, I just always associated the line with someone preaching down to me from a soapbox (in this case a television commercial). I thought it was cool that Ed would actually use a soapbox metaphor.
No one knows what Ed really meant by that lyric but Ed. We may all be wrong or you could be right
2003: San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Seattle; 2005: Monterrey; 2006: Chicago 1 & 2, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Detroit; 2008: West Palm Beach, Tampa; 2009: Austin, LA 3 & 4, San Diego; 2010: Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbus, Indianapolis; 2011: PJ20 1 & 2; 2012: Missoula; 2013: Dallas, Oklahoma City, Seattle; 2014: Tulsa; 2016: Columbia, New York City 1 & 2; 2018: London, Seattle 1 & 2; 2021: Ohana; 2022: Oklahoma City
The TV, she talks to me
Breaking news and building walls
Selling us, what I dont need
I never knew soap made you taller
I always thought the parallel between Ed's lines and Can't Get No Satisfaction was interesting:
When I'm watchin' my TV
and a man comes on to tell me
how white my shirts can be.
Well he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
the same cigarrettes as me.
Every time I hear that line, I think of a post on this forum right after the album was released criticizing that line as an example of lyrical weakness on the album.
That's it.
100% of the time I hear the song, I anticipate that line and that post on this forum from 7 years ago.
I also always think of Ziggy Star liking the grunt in "Got Some" every time I hear it.
Yep. The whole verse gives the meaning to the line itself, I think.
The TV, she talks to me
Breaking news and building walls
Selling us, what I dont need
I never knew soap made you taller
To me it's basically just a comment on commercialism and marketing of "the good life". More literally, if you see a commercial for soap, those using the right product are going to be depicted as more successful/smarter/funnier/better looking/etc. than those who use the wrong product. Taller would fit into that first list going by social standards of attractiveness. Commercials are made in such a way to make those traits associated with the product being advertised desirable even if they have nothing whatsoever to do with the product itself.
Comments
soap, as in, speaking from atop a soap-box. aka, preaching.
I always thought it was referring to outrageous infomercial claims. The line before that says that TV is selling us things we don't need.
I never knew that. Interesting!
This way will make you taller too.......http://www.instructables.com/id/Soap-Shoesmake-your-own/
Yep. The whole verse gives the meaning to the line itself, I think.
The TV, she talks to me
Breaking news and building walls
Selling us, what I dont need
I never knew soap made you taller
To me it's basically just a comment on commercialism and marketing of "the good life". More literally, if you see a commercial for soap, those using the right product are going to be depicted as more successful/smarter/funnier/better looking/etc. than those who use the wrong product. Taller would fit into that first list going by social standards of attractiveness. Commercials are made in such a way to make those traits associated with the product being advertised desirable even if they have nothing whatsoever to do with the product itself.
Springfield, MA 4/6/94 -- Boston, MA 4/11/94 -- Hartford, CT 10/2/96 -- Hartford, CT 9/13/98 -- Mansfield, MA 7/2/03 -- Reading, PA 10/1/04 -- Albany, NY 5/12/06 -- Milwaukee, WI 6/29/06 -- Mansfield, MA 6/30/08 -- Toronto, ON 9/21/09 -- Philadelphia, PA 10/31/09 -- Worcester, MA 10/16/13 -- Hartford, CT 10/25/13 -- New York, NY 9/26/15 -- New York, NY 5/2/16 -- Boston, MA 8/5/16 -- Boston, MA 8/7/16 -- Boston, MA 9/2/18 -- Boston, MA 9/4/18 -- London, UK 7/8/22 -- Hamilton, ON 9/6/22 -- Toronto, ON 9/8/22 -- New York, NY 9/11/22 -- Chicago, IL 9/5/23 -- Chicago, IL 9/7/23 -- New York, NY 9/3/24 -- Philadelphia, PA 9/7/24 -- Philadelphia, PA 9/9/24
Wow, I feel like I've just been smacked in the head. You guys are probably right with your interpretations. Very cool, and now that I read into it, it does seem fairly straightforward.
For some reason, since much of the album is political, I just always associated the line with someone preaching down to me from a soapbox (in this case a television commercial). I thought it was cool that Ed would actually use a soapbox metaphor.
No one knows what Ed really meant by that lyric but Ed. We may all be wrong or you could be right
When I'm watchin' my TV
and a man comes on to tell me
how white my shirts can be.
Well he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
the same cigarrettes as me.
Every time I hear that line, I think of a post on this forum right after the album was released criticizing that line as an example of lyrical weakness on the album.
That's it.
100% of the time I hear the song, I anticipate that line and that post on this forum from 7 years ago.
I also always think of Ziggy Star liking the grunt in "Got Some" every time I hear it.
I spend too much time lurking on here, perhaps.
BINGO! give this man a prize!
ME TOOOO!!!
Pearl Jam - Adelaide: 1995, 1998, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2014
Eddie Vedder Solo - Adelaide: 27th & 28th March 2011, Melbourne 16th 2014