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This song is so charming in so many ways. It’s easy to get lost in the “If it’s not love, then it’s the bomb that will bring us together”, but really there’s so much more than that. As someone who is shy personally, I really identify with this song (and many other songs by the Smiths about loneliness). Being fearfully afraid to pull the trigger, scared to have any emotional outlets with someone physically available to you, I understand it all.

However, more than anything, this song is a celebration of the power of love, and in that it’s wonderful. Also, terribly catchy.

Here’s a link to the video (love the video by the way. It’s a perfect counterpoint to the seemingly dark lyrics)

And of course, the lyrics:

Shyness is nice, but shyness can stop you
From doing all the things in life that you’d like to
So, if there’s something you’d like to try
If there’s something you’d like to try
Ask me, I won’t say no (how could I?)

Because if it’s not love, then it’s the bomb
That will bring us together…

This song just plain rocks. Period. End of discussion.

Okay, maybe not. There’s more going on here if you want to look for it. However, it rocks so intensely that you really don’t have to.

If you are interested, the song appears to be about the commercialization of all of society, including the dead.

Did I mention this song rocks?

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

Won’t you forget about me when I’m gone
The reproduction of death drags us all along
Close your eyes and pretend that nothing’s wrong
Won’t you forget about me when I’m gone
Stomp your feet, nod your head and we all move on
Close your eyes and pretend
Hey won’t you sell me like cheap bubble-gum
I’m going out of my head
Won’t you forget about me when I’m gone
The reproduction of death forces us all in line
An installment plan on a slow suicide
Won’t you forget about me
Hey won’t you sell me like cheap bubble-gum
I’m going out of my head
Won’t you forget about me when I’m gone
Lost all hope and dreams in this killing zone
Won’t you forget about me when I’m gone
Lets pretend that we all get along

This is one of those songs that sounds like it should be an FM radio staple, up there with much of Bruce Springsteen’s work. For some reason–perhaps due to underexposure, hard to say–it’s really not so famous.

It’s a simple song about a man who can’t get what he really wants from his girl, so he’s just gonna have as much fun with her as he can until someone better comes along. Perhaps that’s crass, but it’s a great anthemic song.

Here’s a link to a live performance

And of course, the lyrics:

You call that love in French
But its just Frenchette
I’ve been to France so let’s just dance

My doctor said to take it easy baby
My doctor said to take it easy baby
I’m bound to take a little roll with you honey so let’s just dance
I’m bound to take a little stroll with you honey so let’s just dance
So let’s just dance
So let’s just dance

This song isn’t exactly fun, but it does have a great melody, and I love Sarah Bettens’s semi-deadpan vocals.

tackymutant had this to say about the song on SongMeanings:

I bought K’s Choice ‘10′ which has songs from 93 till 03. It’s a great album. In the sleeve Sarah say’s about this song “I tried to paint a picture of a mental patient who feels grateful for being put in a situation where he’s no longer responsible for anything, a life in which other people decide for you and all you have to do is smile and be nice”

It’s exactly the way she paints it.

I think that sums it up for me.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

I don’t know who you are
But you seem very nice
So will you talk to me
Shall I tell you a story
Shall I tell you a dream
They think I’m crazy
But they don’t know that I like it here
It’s nice in here, I get everything for free

I don’t know who you are
But you seem very nice
So will you talk to me
Have you been here before
Well, you sure picked a day
They think I’m crazy

This is one of those songs that suddenly sneaks up on you. You haven’t thought about it in eons, and the next thing you know you want to hear it again and again and again for a while.

I think the saxaphone, the snappy beat and the upbeat sounding vocals really make this song work. I say upbeat sounding because they really aren’t. The song is seemingly about someone who is unable to get over a past love, even while dating others. Sad, and potentially easy to identify with for many people.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

I’m gnawing on the knowledge
That I have been burnt
And I’m learning things that I
Should’ve already learnt
Everyone I ever knew
Was so kind and coy
I was with a girl
But it felt like I was with a boy

But I can’t even remember
If we were lovers
Or if I just wanted to
But I held her in my arms
I held her in my arms
I held her in my arms
But it wasn’t you

Gentlemen is one of those songs that make you a little uncomfortable if you’re a guy. The protagonist–a sex addict–shows little to no compassion for his current paramour. In fact, it’s more disdain for her and for himself as well.

I love the guitars on this song, I think it has a great beat too, and the lyrics are pretty good as well. Most importantly, however, is Greg Dulli’s vocal delivery, sort of sung and spoken at the same time. The video is great too: I love the use of three different people to portray the singer.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

Now

I waited for the joke
It never did arrive
And words I thought I’d choke
I hardly recognize

I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like Atari Teenage Riot. Pure sonic attack, eardrum bleeding drum machines, a sound that I simply haven’t heard before or since.

Too Dead For Me is one of those songs that typifies the band. Angry, rebellious, and totally disenchanted, there will always be–there should always be–room for bands who politicize things, that ask questions, that reject pat answers.

Oh yeah, it’s a cool sounding song, at least to me. May not be to eveyrone’s tastes, but I dig it.

Here’s a link to the video

And of course, the lyrics:

Come On! Go!
Too dead for me… Too dead for - Too dead for me!
What do you say? (x2)
Too dead for me!
What do you say?
Too dead for - Too dead for -
Too dead - What do you sell your soul for?
Too dead for - Too dead for - 1, 2, 3, 4!
Too dead for me! Too dead for -
It’s just too dead for me!
Too dead for - Too dead for -
What do you sell your damn soul for?
It’s just too dead for me…
We won’t keep quiet! We won’t keep quiet!
We won’t keep quiet! We won’t keep quiet!
Never!
Fast like a blizzard - Cold like stone
Luxury depression crushed your bones
This kinda think is too sad for me… Go! Go ! Go! Go!
You cry later - Dope calculator
Nothing else but an empty prayer!
The safe side didn’t work out? That’s too bad for you…
What do you say?
We won’t calm down! We won’t calm down! We won
Too dead for - Too dead for - (x3)
Too dead for me!
There’s nothing going on for you?
Just look around you!
No! No! No! That’s too dead for me!
Like a toy without belief -
Like a sead for a fascist society
You! You are too dead for me!

Too dead for - Too dead for - (x3)
What do you say?
Too dead for me…
What do you say?

This is just a cool sounding song. The lyrics riff on ocean based themes, but you still get the theme that it’s about someone who’s lost love and is giving up. Kind of a dark theme, but it’s very catchy, it’s got a good beat, and you can dance to it. Just fun stuff. It’s also a tremendous arrangement. I love the multi-layered feel of the instruments, the simple shift in the middle to a faster vocal tempo, it’s a really well crafted pop song.

Also a great, awesome video, seen below:

Sorry, changing to a link:

And of course, the lyrics:

Walk with me into the ocean,
Plenty more fish in the sea,
Fill your tired lungs with the water,
Floating in the aquamarine.
Watch me as I enter the whirlpool,
Sailing on the deep sea swell,
Pass the time of day with the pondlife,
They have their opinions as well.
Swimming through my days in the water,
Water pick these old bones clean,
Bury me deep in the sea floor,
Another making waves machine.
Losing track, sinking back
So long - I’m gone
Swimming with the tide in the gulf stream,
Cruise the north Atlantic drift
Floating on your back in the starlight,
Breathing in the ocean’s mist.
Falling as the water protects you,
Sleeping on your own sea bed,
Everything you wanted has left you,
And everything you live for is dead.
Losing track, sinking back
I could wait and catch a wave if I wanted to be saved,
Ride the southwest wind to shore, or dig my heels in ocean floor,
Though I may have lost some strength I could show my face again,
But I’ve made this place my home, and I’m much safer on my own,
And no-one’s gonna find me here…
I could wait and catch a wave if I had wanted to be saved ride the south west
Wind to shore - I could walk the golden mile with a sorry sort of smile or dig
My heels in the ocean floor - Though I may have lost some strength I could
Have shown my face again but I’ve made this place my home - And you’ve broken
Me in two and I just don’t know what I’d do and I’m much safer here on my
Own…
So long - I’m gone

My first ever concert was Lloyd Cole and the Commotions at the Park West in Chicago in 1986. It was a fun show, and I enjoyed it immensely. Not that this has anything to do with this song, but I just thought I’d let you know.

Anyway, Speedboat in many ways is a classic Lloyd Cole song–a cool bit of a groove, pretentious but charming lyrics (some say they OD’d on Leonard Cohen), and a bit of a story as well, albeit one without any real sort of ending.

You can listen to the song below:

And of course, the lyrics:

Julie said we drink far too much coffee,
Wine and cigarettes and we never get no sleep,
I first met them at a riverboat party,
Both of them were speeding, I would say.

It wasn’t my style to find surf in my eye
It was much more my style to find sand in my eye,
It was just not my style to find surf in my eye
It was much more my style to get sand kicked in my eye,
Sand in my eye.

Planet Earth is a highly underrated track by a highly underrated band. This particular song is about the frustration of how the human race gets side-tracked by things that seem unimportant in the grand scheme of things. It’s also a really catchy tune and just fun to listen to.

Here’s a link to a fan video

And of course, the lyrics:

I heard a girl in a dress
Say her face was a mess
I heard there’s no reason why
I heard that now’s the time to buy

I lived all my life on planet Earth
I lived all my life on planet Earth
On planet Earth
(repeat)