Behind the lyrics

A blog by Iain Campbell

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Updated 22 January 2021

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This blog post will be expanded to cover more tracks in the future. Please check back regularly for updates.

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For those who prefer to make their own interpretations of abstract lyrics/art in general, it may be preferable to not read on. For those who enjoy the opportunity to appreciate what the metaphor was intended to be, the following text responds to any such question marks.

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Dragonflies

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The dragonflies are the embodiment of questions we might allow ourselves to inwardly ask; in conjunction with - or - in spite of the social dynamic we're encouraged to subscribe to. For many, that dynamic will be the norms of the society as a whole; there are, however, different cultures that exist within that bubble.

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The upshot being that the idea in the track can serve as a reminder – a note to self as much as for anyone else, for when things feel a bit too much, we can pause and see if there might be a different way to see the situation and consider the potentially obvious answers, even if they feel a bit too simple.

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Dragonflies, of course, do not have feathers. It's a quick link though to flight and the fact that we can also achieve that; not literally but in being able to flout the gravity regarding the paths that feet normally tread in a particular environment. This is easy to say even for those who aren't doused in expectation. Nevertheless, it's a reminder that towing the line is not the only option; there really are plenty of others who will willingly do that, and many who do so with a heavy heart.

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The reference to the bar can mean life (although with many a reputable licensed establishment boasting a diverse arsenal of poison, it could also be a bar). The question 'what would you like from the bar?' is one that's asked many times a day pretty much everywhere. For those who don't have their go-to beverage, some thought will be given to the sedative that'll quell the disquiet from not giving thought about its metaphorical twin.

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'The pane' can signify perspective or hardship. How much we perceive a situation as difficult/traumatic, etc, can be very much subjective – even if some difficulties can be considered as genuinely objective, the degree to which it upsets a person can differ depending on how an individual sees it. The rain on it could be seen as a sympathetic background to hardship but to some it can be comforting; like hearing a storm rage outside whilst cosy under the covers in bed, knowing you're sheltered. So again, it's another nod to how we all have our own perspective of things. It's not uncommon either that humans...maybe I should say occidentals, have a habit of over-complicating things. There's no surprise here though, as, in the event that occidental life isn't serving our core needs despite being encouraged to put materialism on a pedestal, Stockholm syndrome probably sets in; you might as well gorge on the gruel you're given as you won't be encouraged or rewarded for looking for a better meal. This will suit a number of people; towing the line will keep you in the social sphere you were born into and a pat on the back. Furthermore, this gruel is packed with sugar and salt and there are many who reckon the difference between McDonald's and quality food is preference.

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Anyway, despite our constant turning away from what's staring us in the face, 'it's the obvious things that often turn on the light'.

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Cheese Farm

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There are numerous silent 'W's in place names, particularly in the suffixes 'wick' and 'wich': Greenwich, Norwich, Warwick, Chiswick. The letters attributed different meanings to the name depending on its origin. In the case of the western London location of Chiswick, the earliest reliable documentation has it recorded as Ceswican, old English (Anglo Saxon) for Cheese Farm. The theme of the track follows the idea of drinking at a local pub with the same dedication as previous dwellers of the area who would have put in long hours in the industry the settlement was known for.

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I'm Sure It's Worth It

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The birth of the main melody and tone (that gave way to the subsequent lyrics) was sitting in the flat on the docks side of Blackwall (East London). I remember it clearly: sitting on the couch, just me in the flat, window to my left, hungry: no food in the house, no money for electricity, so I was sitting in the dark with only a cold shower, no TV/internet/radio/music and no booze to numb it all. But I had the guitar and preceded to strum out a repetitious line that found the lyrics ‘you call me out of the room’, that is, I found distraction away from here. Lyrically this brought me to the similarities (under different circumstances) that OCD can add to one’s general attempt at focusing on the moment. Some solace was found in this (artistic fruit), and if I remember rightly, I ended up going to bed with a similar feeling to what can be felt after having run a rather difficult and tiring cross-country trek in the cold and then finishing, knowing that there will have been benefit to this somewhere. Hence: I’m sure it’s worth it.

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There's also indication to my experience of OCD, without explicit detail, and the commentary of the self-medicating approach to dealing with it.

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You’re Not Even Human

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The track is a conversation with music directly. Referred to as ‘girl’ due to its linguistic gender in the Latin languages I’m familiar with. The comparison is made to human kinship and how our emotions can be fortified and/or modified by organised sound. This, therefore, alludes to the comfort that music can offer, and also the discomfort; take the score in horror films for example.

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It’s also suggestive of the deeper companionship that music can offer due to the fact that it can be with us, if we choose, literally in any situation; there are few people that we can spend that much time with. From earphones in bed, to music in the shower, the journey to work, the club, pub, background music while cooking, marking celebrations such as birthdays, rituals such as football matches and national anthems, the happy hum of the contented preoccupied mind to the busker in the street to anything that makes you tap your feet. Music has many faces and can always be part of any occasion. ‘You’re the only girl who does this to me’, that is, the only relationship that transcends any and all situations.

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Bang My Head on the Wall

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Casting the net to reach more people.

 

There's an element of comedy to juxtapose the sober content of the lyrics. Folk can switch off from the “same old” social commentary (alluded to by Lauren Hill in the Fugees’, ‘Zealots’, 2:00). Political and social issues are not the most naturally entertaining or light-hearted and can ask a listener to draw their attention to something many probably feel is alien to them: RP accents, suits and Westminster (where elements of comedy don't reside). For many this is unfamiliar and boring territory so right off the bat the masses are saying ‘this ain’t for me’ - and it needs to be, for them. It concerns how they, and their children, learn, and what they eat, even if they're indifferent to culture and are actually more partial to video games and fashion than being closer to nature.

 

They’re also subjects that are weaponised by the media and anyone with a social or political agenda to confuse people and publish irrelevant information to deflect from real issues, with conflicting messages. In turn, people are thrown by the circus and think bollocks to that. Furthermore, if something isn’t entertaining, it’s less likely that anyone other than those who are already into it will listen.

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If you’ve got something to say, particularly about politics or society, it can be easy to alienate large numbers of people due to the language or tone you use. Make it overly eloquent and many will feel lectured or talked down to and be baffled by the wording so the writer ends up simply preaching to the choir, as it were.

 

As much as it's necessary to speak to a monolinguist in their mother tongue to successfully converse, you also need to use an appropriate level of language and tone to the listener in any language to convince them this is worth listening to; otherwise why would they? I have a tendency towards verbosity and have a (at times overly) poetic tone. It’s my default and preferred style but I realise that it will do the said alienating to the vast number of ears that sooner tune into layman terms and tabloid sensationalism; ears that need to know about these things just as much as the rest of us. There are plenty of things I do not know; at the same time some of these things (briefly referred to in the track) are issues that others don’t know. Kept in a more niche style of communication they will ignore it simply due to its unfamiliarity so with such issues my aim is to use a more layman-term approach, a touch of comedy to keep a listener engaged and catchy lines to up the chances of people singing along, something they can only do by really listening to what is being said. After that, if they disagree that’s ok, but at least the topics made it to their attention.

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If you can get something down that people will want to sing along to, ‘you’ve got your fucking head up your arse’, they may well end up singing more of the lyrics, potentially drawing their focus onto the message: what they eat for example and why they say the things they say, and if it can reduce people regurgitating what they hear without thinking about it by even 1% it’s already something positive. If then people know what’s in their food but continue to eat it, at least they know and they can’t complain but the law of averages says that there will not be one uniform response. Once informed, a percentage of people won’t like it and a number of them will make a change. Irrespective of what that percentage is, it brought more people to a similar playing field where knowledge is concerned.

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‘I bang my head on the wall’, ‘you’ve got your fucking head up your arse’ are two things that we all feel at times so, bingo, we can all relate to it, sung in a catchy tune.

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When Margaret Thatcher died a song came out that was taken from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ with the words ‘Ding Dong the witch is dead’, used to...celebrate her passing. These are quite strong words to use about someone just after they’ve died – particularly so publicly. There are those who were definitely adversely effected by her decisions, I know. The issue being raised here is not about the legitimacy of their position, not at all. Had it been confined to those who were directly affected by it: fair enough. Or not fair enough but at least allow the position to be heard. The issue here is that I heard many people in their early 20s singing along; people too young and politically unaware to understand the stance. Why did they? It was 1: catchy, 2: irreverent and 3: an

opportunity to vent against establishment that they don’t really understand but feel doesn't even try to represent them. I talked to some of the guys I knew who were singing along. They didn’t actually know what was behind the vitriol it was basically for said reasons 1, 2 and 3. So I say, let’s find out why – even the tip of the iceberg. Then if you agree or disagree, that’s fine but at least you were informed. Getting people to dance to the tune about something they know nothing of is the start of potentially dangerous social control.

 

My stance is not to influence or convert. It’s about having people just get a better idea about what’s happening; their potential enthusiasm may uncover things that I can also learn from. We do not have to agree. But let’s know what we’re doing for fuck’s sake because it has an impact on all of us.

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