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lyrics are personal

VivaPalestinaVivaPalestina Posts: 225
edited April 2005 in Words and Music...Communication
I started a thread about Satan's Bed and mentioned something personal about e.v. which is connected to the song. I guess this went against guidelines and the thread is gone. When there is a criticism of lyrics, words, art, most of the time the artist's life is taken into consideration. Can you seperate the artist from his art? I don't think so. I absolutely love pearl jam, but this one thing pissed me off and now it leads to this where you can't even discuss it with other fans.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Posts: 12,223
    One can never presume that an "I" narrator in any work of literature - including song lyrics - voices the author's perspective. Even the "John" in John Lennon's autobiographical songs is just a writing effect and not a person.
  • VivaPalestinaVivaPalestina Posts: 225
    But there is a message/theme being communicated and that theme is often reflective of the author.
  • excellentbadgerexcellentbadger Posts: 18
    oh, i wanna know what it is u posted now. what the connection is. where can i find out?
  • Captain AwesomeCaptain Awesome Posts: 8
    excellentbadger wrote:
    oh, i wanna know what it is u posted now. what the connection is. where can i find out?

    me too



    bump
    I'm a cunning linguist.
  • DarkStarDarkStar Posts: 734
    purrmo wrote:
    I started a thread about Satan's Bed and mentioned something personal about e.v. which is connected to the song. I guess this went against guidelines and the thread is gone. When there is a criticism of lyrics, words, art, most of the time the artist's life is taken into consideration. Can you seperate the artist from his art? I don't think so. I absolutely love pearl jam, but this one thing pissed me off and now it leads to this where you can't even discuss it with other fans.

    you can discuss your thoughts and perceptions of the meaning of pearl jam songs as related to the bands personal lives...just not here on the band's official bbs...where it has been requested that the band's personal lives not be talked about because their personal lives are just that: personal...not public. i guess i see it like this: if I invited people to come to a party at my house it doesn't mean they could do whatever they want when they get to my party. we're guests here...and we need to respect the house rules...and house rule #5 is: The band's personal lives are private.

    ds
    And no one sings me lullabyes
    And no one makes me close my eyes
    So I throw the windows wide
    And call to you across the sky....
  • VivaPalestinaVivaPalestina Posts: 225
    I just wanted to say, that although pearl jam is an awesome band that makes great music, that e.v. is not a man of his word. I don't expect a saint, a flawless human being, all I expected was a person who stands behind what he says, In others words:

    "If you hate something,don't you do it too"
  • excellentbadgerexcellentbadger Posts: 18
    purrmo wrote:
    I just wanted to say, that although pearl jam is an awesome band that makes great music, that e.v. is not a man of his word. I don't expect a saint, a flawless human being, all I expected was a person who stands behind what he says, In others words:

    "If you hate something,don't you do it too"
    how do you mean? why is eddie not a man of his word?
  • sleeplikeadogsleeplikeadog Posts: 156
    I get what purrmo is saying. I find that song to be quit hypocritical myself. I didn't read your original thread, but I'm pretty sure I know what you're talking about.

    And to quote the Clash: "I believe in this and its been tested by research that he who fucks nuns will later join the church"


    Everybody's a hypocrit I guess.
    Walking is still honest
  • VivaPalestinaVivaPalestina Posts: 225
    thank you sleeplikeadog! That Clash quote is great, a bit vulgar, but nails it.
  • enharmonicenharmonic Posts: 1,917
    I understand where you're coming from, but unless your Ed, you can't really assume anything that is meant or not meant by the lyric, or even discuss it as it applies to his life without crossing a line or two.

    As an artist, I am very much in favor of discussing lyrical content...in the proper context and with the respect and sensitivity due the creator. Drilling down into Ed's personal life to understand the lyric is a line that I don't think it's wise to cross under any circumstance.
    new music: http://www.myspace.com/blackbirdsymphonique

    old music: http://www.myspace.com/slowloader
  • capybaraletcapybaralet Posts: 145
    FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:
    One can never presume that an "I" narrator in any work of literature - including song lyrics - voices the author's perspective. Even the "John" in John Lennon's autobiographical songs is just a writing effect and not a person.


    This is the biggest misunderstanding people have about lyrics and poetry, I think. very good to point it out.

    Personally, I almost always write songs using "I" because I am more comfortable with it, and I think it gives me a better perspective on the song. Frequently, artists try to point out the flaws with a certain point of view, or something of the kind by using first person naration. A good example would be "Glorified G"
    everything=3


    2-1-0
    4-3-2-1-0
    2---2--3---3--2----1
    ---0
    0
    0
    2-2-2-3-3-3-2-2-0

    M
  • ListlessListless Posts: 37
    OK, that's all fine and your all right but now I'M so interested in the original thread I'm going to burst...can someone PLEASE be so nice and PM me the jucy part? please, please, please, anyone?someone must've read it
    "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."
    "I may be drunk but at least I'm not insane."
    "I don't have a drinking problem 'Cept when I can't get a drink."
    "There ain't no devil, there's just god when he's drunk"
    -Tom Waits
  • tsopotelbatsopotelba Posts: 80
    purrmo wrote:
    I just wanted to say, that although pearl jam is an awesome band that makes great music, that e.v. is not a man of his word. I don't expect a saint, a flawless human being, all I expected was a person who stands behind what he says, In others words:

    "If you hate something,don't you do it too"


    But purrmo, people change. They develop and grow and change, and that's not only inevitable, it's good... if you don't change over the course of 10 years it's called being stuck in a rut. Lyrics that may have reflected his life or feelings or opinions back then probably aren't as relevant in his life now. This goes for anyone, anywhere, not just Eddie Vedder.

    Walt Whitman said: Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself. (I am large, I contain multitudes.)
  • KwyjiboKwyjibo Posts: 662
    and Emerson said

    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. A great mind may as well concern himself with a shadow on the wall."
    The most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway, is that its you, and that you're standing in the doorway.

    I write down good reasons to freeze to death in my spiral ring notebook. But in the long tresses of your hair--I am a babbling brook.
  • Coming back to lifeComing back to life Posts: 401
    purrmo wrote:
    I started a thread about Satan's Bed and mentioned something personal about e.v. which is connected to the song. I guess this went against guidelines and the thread is gone. When there is a criticism of lyrics, words, art, most of the time the artist's life is taken into consideration. Can you seperate the artist from his art? I don't think so. I absolutely love pearl jam, but this one thing pissed me off and now it leads to this where you can't even discuss it with other fans.

    You're absolutely right. If you want to keep your personal life private, DON'T RELEASE A FUCKING SONG ABOUT IT!!!
    A restaurant with a smoking section is like a swimming pool with a pissing section
  • ClaudiaClaudia Posts: 398
    Not everyone who is good looking is superficial, and its morons that think that they all are, that are just as bad as the superficial b's in the first place.

    Should we feel like Eddie has dissapointed us because it would seem he doesn't date the prototypical type of person we feel he should from not knowing him in the least bit but from listening to his lyrics?

    Satan's bed was written over 10 years ago for fuck sake.
    (This thread is so 2000 :)
  • Coming back to lifeComing back to life Posts: 401
    The Indifferent One wrote:
    "i change by not changing at all" - Ed

    tsopotelba.... ;)

    elbayrev;)
    A restaurant with a smoking section is like a swimming pool with a pissing section
  • Superunknown_jamSuperunknown_jam Posts: 83
    now... where's the freedom of speech?? ;)
    Speaking as a child of the 90's
  • MerkyjammMerkyjamm Posts: 272
    Coming back to life wrote:
    You're absolutely right. If you want to keep your personal life private, DON'T RELEASE A FUCKING SONG ABOUT IT!!!
    It's just the foum rules, Pj and ev should do whatever they want. No need for everyone to get so bitter. If you break the forum rules, your posts will go.
    Too many cowboys, not enough indians, so just go ape shit!

    I may be boring but at least I'm not Jack fucking Johnson.

    TV is such shit; let's go outside and ride bicycles, right now!

    Madrid 07/09/06 - Little mofo'ing Wing!!!
    Wembley 06/18/07 - Speechless

    www.last.fm/user/StNick_
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