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Let’s Go To Bed is a really fun dance song, although it’s actual meaning seems in question.

From Wikipedia:

The origins of “Let’s Go to Bed” lie in “Temptation”, one of the demos for Pornography. The song is a relatively upbeat, guitar-driven instrumental. In August of 1982, soon after Simon Gallup’s departure from the band, Smith demoed a vocal version of the track, entitled “Temptation Two”, a psychedelic piece not far removed from the last album but somewhat lighter in tone. At the end of the song, Smith sings a string of wordless syllables, nearly identical to the “doo doo doo”s of the later song. The final version was debuted on Kid Jensen’s radio show on 27 November, 1982.

It’s suggested that the song is a sarcastic look at relationships, but over at SongMeanings, the prevailing thought is that it’s about insomnia. I’m thinking the former, but feel free to make up your own mind.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

Let me take your hand
I’m shaking like milk
Turning
Turning blue
All over the windows and the floors
Fires outside in the sky
Look as perfect as cats
The two of us together again
But it’s just the same
A stupid game

Doo doo doo doo
Let’s go to bed!
Doo doo doo doo
Let’s go to bed!

Smithers-Jones is a smart song, a tale of a gentleman who suddenly finds himself downsized after years of dedication to the company. I’m pretty sure there’s a version out there with a standard Jam-like arrangement, but I think the strings really set the song off, and I really think it works well in this manner.

From Wikipedia:

Even more striking is Bruce Foxton’s “Smithers-Jones”. Widely considered the bassist’s finest songwriting three minutes, the song was originally released as the B-side to the non-LP single “When You’re Young” months before the album’s release, and is here redone in an all-strings arrangement, save a bit of electric guitar in the coda. According to the liner notes of the Direction Reaction Creation box set, the revamping of “Smithers-Jones” was suggested by drummer Rick Buckler.

And of course, the lyrics:

Here we go again, it’s Monday at last
He’s heading for the Waterloo line
To catch the 8am fast, its usually dead on time
Hope it isn’t late, got to be there by nine
Pin stripe suit, clean shirt and tie
Stops off at the corner shop, to buy The Times
‘Good Morning Smithers-Jones’
‘How’s the wife and home?’
‘Did you get the car you’ve been looking for?’ (repeat)
Let me get inside, let me take control of you
We could have some good times
All this worry will get you down
I’ll give you a new meaning to life - I don’t think so
Sitting on the train, you’re nearly there
You’re a part of the production line
You’re the same as him, you’re like tin-sardines
Get out of the pack, before they peel you back
Arrive at the office, spot on time
The clock on the wall hasn’t yet struck nine
‘Good Morning Smithers-Jones’,
‘The boss wants to see you alone’
‘I hope its the promotion you’ve been looking for’ (repeat)
‘Come in Smithers old boy’
‘Take a seat, take the weight off your feet’
‘I’ve some news to tell you’
‘There’s no longer a position for you’ -
‘Sorry Smithers-Jones’
Put on the kettle to make some tea
It’s all a part of feeling groovy
Put on your slippers turn on the TV
It’s all a part of feeling groovy
It’s time to relax now you’ve worked your arse off
But the only one smiling is the sun tanned boss
Work and work and work and work ‘til you die
Cause there’s plenty more fish in the sea to fry

A sad, frightening and chilling tune, The Ledge concerns the thoughts of a young man planning suicide, and Paul Westerberg did a great job of visualizing what the scene might be like as it played out. There’s also an undercurrent of selfishness and a desire for attention as well that feels correct.

However, if the only thing the song had going for it was the lyrics, I wouldn’t be mentioning it here. There’s also a killer guitar and bass line that really and truly push this song over the top.

The Ledge is an unsettling, yet undeniably compelling rock and roll song.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

All eyes look up to me
High above the filthy streets
Heed no bullhorn when it calls
Watch me fly and die, watch me fall

All the love that they pledge
For the last time will not reach the ledge

Follow the Leader is the title track from Eric B. and Rakim’s 1988 album. What makes it special–what makes every Eric B. and Rakim song special–is Rakim’s relaxed rhyme delivery, his laid back style and his ability to string words together in ways that few in hip-hop had been able to at that point. The cool beats laid down by Eric B. are a large part of it too.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

Follow me into a solo
Get in the flow - and you can picture like a photo
Music mixed mellow maintains to make
Melodies for MC’s motivates the breaks
I’m everlastin, I can go on for days and days
With rhyme displays that engrave deep as X-rays
I can take a phrase that’s rarely heard, FLIP IT
Now it’s a daily word
I can get iller than ‘Nam, a killin bomb
But no alarm - Rakim will remain calm
Self-esteem make me super superb and supreme
But for a microphone still I fiend
This was a tape I wasn’t supposed to break
I was supposed to wait, but let’s motivate
I want to see who can keep followin and swallowin
Takin the making, bitin it and borrowin
Brothers tried and others died to get the formula
But I’ma let ya sweat - you still ain’t warm
You a step away from frozen, stiff as if ya posin
Dig into my brain as the rhyme gets chosen
So follow me and were ya thinkin’ you were first?
Let’s travel at magnificent speeds around the Universe
What could ya say as the Earth gets further and further away
Planets are small as balls of clay
Astray into the Milky Way - world’s outasight
Far as the eye can see - not even a satellite
Now stop and turn around and look
As ya stare in the darkness, ya knowledge is took!
So keep starin soon ya suddenly see a star
You better follow it cause it’s the R
This is a lesson if ya guessin and if ya borrowin
Hurry hurry step right up and keep followin
The Leader

A furified freestyle, lyrics of fury
My third eye makes me shine like jewelry
You’re just a rent-a-rapper, your rhymes are minute-maid
I’ll be here when it fade to watch you flip like a renegade
I can’t wait to break and eliminate
On every traitor or snake - so stay awake
and follow and follow, because the tempo’s a trail
The stage is a cage, the mic is a third rail
I’m Rakim the Fiend of a Microphone
I’m not HIM, so leave my mic alone
Soon as the beat is felt, I’m ready to go
So fasten your seatbelt, cause I’m about to flow
No need to speed slow down to let the leader lead
Word to daddy, indeed!
The R’s a rollin stone, so I’m rollin
Directions is told, then the rhymes are stolen
Stop buggin’, a brother said, dig em, I never dug ‘em
He couldn’t follow the leader long enough so I drug ‘em
into danger zone, he should arrange his own
Face it, it’s basic, erase it, change ya tone
There’s one R in the alphabet
It’s a one-letter word and it’s about to get
More complex from one rhyme to the next
Eric B be easy on the flex
I’ve been from state to state, followers tailgate
Keep comin but you came too late, but I’ll wait
So back up, regroup, get a grip, come equipped
You’re the next contestant - clap ya hands, you won a trip!
The price is right - don’t make a deal too soon
How many notes could you name this tune?
Follow the Leader is the title, theme, task
Now ya know, you don’t have to ask
Rap is Rhythm And Poetry, cuts create sound effects
You might catch up if you follow the records E. wrecks
Until then keep eatin and swallowin
You better take a deep breath and keep followin
The leader.

Smalltown Boy was a ground-breaking record in many ways, at least back in 1984 when it first came out. The combination of Jimmy Somerville’s gorgeous vocals paired with the sad story of a young gay lad unable to survive in the world and unwelcome at home struck home for many adolescents, both gay and straight. It’s a beautiful, sad song with a great melody and a great video.

Lots of information out there about this song:

• Here’s a story about the recording of the song
• Wikipedia
• SongFacts
• SongMeanings

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

You leave in the morning
With everything you own in a little black case
Alone on the platform
The wind and the rain
On a sad and lonely face
Mother will never understand
Why you had to leave
For the love that you need
Will never be found at home

Pushed around and kicked around
Always a lonely boy
You were the one
That they’d talk about around town
As they put you down
And as hard as they would try
They’d hurt to make you cry
But you’d never cry to them
Just to your soul
No you’d never cry to them
Just to your soul

Bad Timing is a simple, sad story of poor choices, verbal abuse, and ultimately loss. I’ve always liked the drums, and Stiv Bators gave a great vocal performance, and I think the lyrics are really good too.

And of course, the lyrics:

I never ever said I loved ya
Leave off-I never cared
Just kept you ’round to do my cleanin’
You were just one of my chairs

Don’t you know that it was just bad timing?
I just made you fee so insecure
oh why did you leave me?
Did you feel that lonely?
Why did you leave me? The finish came between us
Can never be able to say that
I always….Loved ya’

I’ve loved Killing An Arab since the first time I heard it. I love the Eastern influenced guitar, and it’s got a great beat. Inspired by Albert Camus’ story The Stranger, the song ended up being quite controversial as Arab groups thought it promoted violence against Arabs. According to Wikipedia:

Composer Robert Smith has said that the song “was a short poetic attempt at condensing my impression of the key moments in L’Étranger (The Stranger) by Albert Camus” (Cure News number 11, October 1991). The lyrics describe a shooting on a beach, in which the Arab of the title is killed by the song’s narrator; in Camus’ story the main character, Meursault, shoots an Arab standing on a beach after staring out at the sea and being overwhelmingly blinded by the sun, reflected on the sea, the sand and the knife the Arab was holding.

There’s additional information and speculation at SongFacts and SongMeanings.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

Standing on a beach
With a gun in my hand
Staring at the sea
Staring at the sand
Staring down the barrel
At the arab on the ground
See his open mouth
But hear no sound

I’m alive
I’m dead
I’m the stranger
Killing an arab

This is just a great fun song, which apparently surprised the band when they played it in concert. From the information I’ve been able to gather from Wikipedia, SongFacts and SongMeanings, the song was supposed to hearken back to Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues, many of the lyrics came to Michael Stipe in a dream, and it started out as a song calles PSA which later evolved into another song called Bad Day

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

That’s great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, an aeroplane and Lenny Bruce is not afraid.
Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn - world serves its own needs, dummy serve your own needs.
Feed it off an aux speak, grunt, no, strength, no, Ladder start to clatter with fear fight down height.
Wire in a fire, representing seven games, a government for hire and a combat site.
Left of west and coming in a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck.
Team by team reporters baffled, trumped, tethered cropped.
Look at that low playing! Fine, then. Uh oh, overflow, population, common food, but it’ll do.
Save yourself, serve yourself. World serves its own needs, listen to your heart beat dummy with the rapture and the revered and the right, right.
You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright light, feeling pretty psyched.

It’s the end of the world as we know it. (It’s time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (It’s time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it (It’s time I had some time alone) and I feel fine.
It’s the end of the world as we know it (It’s time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (It’s time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (It’s time I had some time alone) and I feel fine.
It’s the end of the world as we know it (It’s time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (It’s time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (It’s time I had some time alone) and I feel fine.

I’ve always liked this song, although I’m not precisely sure what it’s about. I think it’s about a couple who fight a lot, but I really cannot say for sure. I do like it–I love the way the time signature keeps changing without taking the energy from the song.

And of course, the lyrics:

Muscle baby won’t let go
Weekend baby won’t say no
Is she an active beauty?
I should say so

Tiny steps almost real
Tiny fingers you almost feel
Make her walk or make her kneel
Oh, she’s almost human beneath that Cuban
Almost human beneath that Cuban
Almost human beneath that Cuban
Almost human beneath that Cuban
Almost human beneath that Cuban

For me, part of the major appeal of X is the dissonant harmonies created when Exene Cervenka and John Doe sing together. That and the fact that they are one hell of a great band as well, especially back when Billy Zoom was the regular guitarist. This song is cool–great lyrics, great hooks, just really cool.

From SongMeanings:

In the classic documentary *Decline of Western Civilization* X-ene (sp?) said she got the title from a bible tract. The song is about one of those battles married people experience - about sleeping on the couch, about her disappointment with her husband, her jealousy for an unnamed woman, his callous attitude - and then by one AM she’s back in bed with him; the fight is over but not her bitterness. Anybody who has been married knows the feeelings expressed in this song.

Here’s a link to a live performance in 1981

And of course, the lyrics:

I’ll go somewhere else
I’ll move to the couch
It’s darker in the dark
It’s darker in the day
I forgot you were a liar
Now it’s five to twelve
Shut up and smoke
And I’ll go somewhere else
No more orange nightgowns

A life of intermission