03-18-2007, 11:22 AM
Speaking of symbolism in music (sure this could have been a new thread, but I segued it by using "speaking of...") and speaking of Gus, this idea sort of hit me after the London show, I guess in part to the proper mix of chemicals swimming through my brain at the time.
Is "Gus:TPBFCP" about America's downfall? Sure, go ahead and call me Ameri-centric (even though it's not a word) or call me a guilt-ridden, paranoid American, but check these lyrics out:
"Nothing goes quiet." Many events that have led to global black eyes for America, most of which would have been much easier to keep quiet back in the day.
"Overhearing conversations", "sound demented". We sure do overhear many conversations - we call it "enemy chatter" - almost always resulting in something negative. Will it lead to Terror Alert Yellow, Orange or even RED?! Feeding the "if you see something say something mentality. Perpetual nervousness will make anyone demented after awhile, especially we pampered Americans.
"Everything he sees is something to kill and eat." Put your own interpretation on that one. If you buy into the American imperialism theories, that one is easy. Or maybe a statement on aggressive foreign mentalities/polices? Or the boisterous arrogant American sense of entitlement so many of our citizens and policymakers have?
"What's troubling Gus? Is it nothing goes quiet?
Is that what's troubling ya Gus the mere mention of the name
used to be enough to make every bird stop singing?
Is that what's troubling ya Gus? No is afraid enough?"
For me this one hits home the hardest. The big superpower has become fat and lazy, laden with debt, running out of resources, and nationalistic pride (the same pride that help make the country so great in the first place!). Our enemies don't fear us, we are unable to achieve success in our military conflicts, world opinion on us sinks lower and lower, the list of our supporters shrink.
The big bad polar bear, sitting all by himself on his melting iceberg, starving away...
Is "Gus:TPBFCP" about America's downfall? Sure, go ahead and call me Ameri-centric (even though it's not a word) or call me a guilt-ridden, paranoid American, but check these lyrics out:
"Nothing goes quiet." Many events that have led to global black eyes for America, most of which would have been much easier to keep quiet back in the day.
"Overhearing conversations", "sound demented". We sure do overhear many conversations - we call it "enemy chatter" - almost always resulting in something negative. Will it lead to Terror Alert Yellow, Orange or even RED?! Feeding the "if you see something say something mentality. Perpetual nervousness will make anyone demented after awhile, especially we pampered Americans.
"Everything he sees is something to kill and eat." Put your own interpretation on that one. If you buy into the American imperialism theories, that one is easy. Or maybe a statement on aggressive foreign mentalities/polices? Or the boisterous arrogant American sense of entitlement so many of our citizens and policymakers have?
"What's troubling Gus? Is it nothing goes quiet?
Is that what's troubling ya Gus the mere mention of the name
used to be enough to make every bird stop singing?
Is that what's troubling ya Gus? No is afraid enough?"
For me this one hits home the hardest. The big superpower has become fat and lazy, laden with debt, running out of resources, and nationalistic pride (the same pride that help make the country so great in the first place!). Our enemies don't fear us, we are unable to achieve success in our military conflicts, world opinion on us sinks lower and lower, the list of our supporters shrink.
The big bad polar bear, sitting all by himself on his melting iceberg, starving away...