Lyric Interpretations

Better Than Ezra, best band EVER. Know who's in second place? Ezra

My friend, Travis, was their drummer from 1996 - 2009. He still joins them for certain things.

Ok, so being the old straight white guy....I could not make heads nor tails from reading the lyrics. So I watched the video, figuring the band would give a clue. The little kid, some hand signing, clearly anguish on the part of the singer.

Yeah, still no clue. Thought maybe it was about musicians giving up everything for their art and ending up staying in the parents basement. Believe me, I have a good reason for thinking about that one, lol. But it didn't really fit either.

So I cheated. I'd never have gotten it if I hadn't. Just never occurred to me.

"Griffin explained: "That song is about a good friend who had AIDS. He got HIV and AIDS and he passed away in '94, '95. And it was literally about what's in your blood, and what we give to one another emotionally and through experience. But also just spot-on hitting the nail on the head physically. I never really explained that song, because it was from real life. But that's what it's about."

The person with AIDS was the uncle of the girl Griffin was dating."

to me, when I listened I'm not hearing anything interesting in the lyrics. Just fragmented lines that don't even make sense. I'm sure it makes sense to the singer, but I find nothing relatable about anything in the lyrics.

In my opinion, a boring song and weak chorus/lyrics.

How can you be so warm?

How can you know what I feel?

Well, it's the way you move your hands

And it's the way you understand

And that's the reason that I'm asking

Hey-ee-yay-I

And that's the reason that I want to know

Hey-ee-yay-I

And that's the reason that I'm asking

Hey-ee-yay-I

And that's the reason that I'm

How can you throw away everything you live for?

Well it's the way we shake and sway

Oh

And it's the passion that you play

And that's the reason that I'm asking

Hey-ee-yay-I

And that's the reason that I want to know

Hey-ee-yay-I

And that's the reason that I'm asking

Hey-ee-yay-I

And that's the reason that I'm

Too many lost

Links in a chain passed down through the years

But ending here if we just face the pain

And the fear

Who did you love before?

Who did they love before you?

But it's the way you move your hands

Oh

And it's the way you understand

And that's the reason that I'm asking

Hey-ee-yay-I

And that's the reason that I want to know

Hey-ee-yay-I

And that's the reason that I'm asking

Hey-ee-yay-I

And that's the reason that I'm

La la la la la la la

La la la la la la la

La la la la la la la

La la la la la la la

Here's one.

I think this is one of the greatest songs as far as lyrics go. The lyrics are interesting, they tell a story but are not too specific. I always thought that the story was about someone who died and doesn't realize that he's in hell and can't get out.

I guess Don Henley has said it was literally about California.

This is a great, great song, in my opinion. Don Henley has a great voice.

Quote from El Sluggo Loco

Yes! To me, Hotel California is The Shining set to music.

That's a great description!

Well, way too ambiguous for this old man!

I'm with Gina's evaluation. I would have needed something a little less subtle for me to pick up <ahem> The Things We Do For Love.

To me these lyrics are not to cryptic. I think it's clear what they're driving at by the end.

Quote from El Sluggo Loco

Yeah... I'm not really interested in the author's interpretation.. although, mine and his are pretty similar. I definitely got the AIDS theme but I was looking at it more metaphorically.. As in the risks and sacrifices we make in the heat of passion, perhaps later to regret. It's the time-old dichotomy of willing to die for love; a symbol of devotion... sacrifice. But that at the same time that very passion can cloud judgement.

It's a metaphorical tale of caution. And I don't care what Griffin thinks it's about. This is a beautiful example of the ambiguity in successful lyrics that Gina was talking about.

Quote from Toad

To me these lyrics are not to cryptic. I think it's clear what they're driving at by the end.

External Content www.youtube.com

Content embedded from external sources will not be displayed without your consent.

Display all external content

Through the activation of external content, you agree that personal data may be transferred to third party platforms. We have provided more information on this in our privacy policy.

great, great lyrics! A masterpiece.

I would say that it's obvious that Mic Jagger has well above average intelligence just by this one example alone.

"

Just as every cop is a criminal

And all the sinners saints

As heads is tails

Just call me Lucifer

'Cause I'm in need of some restraint"

If that doesn't describe the vengeful God of the Old Testament, I don't know what does.

I mean, every line is great in that song.

One of my favorites

Use all your well-learned politeness
Or I'll lay your soul to waste

There's that vengeful OT God thing again.

I first heard this when I was 10 or 11, over 50 years later it makes me stop whatever I'm doing to hear it

Yeah, there's a few S&G that I really like. Simon wrote most of their stuff I think. The underlying Canticle track is a great hook and so is the original basis of the song. Apparently that goes back into the 1600s.

Quote from Toad

There's that vengeful OT God thing again.

The lyrics are so great and they can definitely be interpreted as meaning they are about God. I think maybe Mick Jagger was speaking from the perspective of the devil though. Maybe at the end he threw that twist in there about every cop is a criminal, every sinner a saint and just as heads as tails.....

It's just a really great song.