originally posted in:The City of Stories
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Not every song has a purpose or unique meaning. Even fewer tell a story. Whether they represent a concept or theme or simply just tell a story, some of my favorite songs are songs that tell a story. To me it shows the skill of songwriter to write about more than just money, sex, partying, and drugs (although these topics can tell a good story).
Here are some examples:
The Cop - House of Heroes
[spoiler]Some men do it 'cause it pays the bills,
Others want to save the world.
Me myself, I never was a hero though.
Joined the force like my daddy did.
Figured I'd marry young,
But the things I've seen made me take a different road.
'Til you've been in the dark you might never feel it.
'Til you've been in the dark you might think you're guaranteed
But your life can leave, With a spark.
The rain falls on the blessed ones and the damned.
Met my girl about a year ago,
Knew that I'd found a home,
Laughed so much I felt like a kid again
Since that day it's hard to do the job,
It's hard to know what I've known,
So much pain, and so few innocent.
'Til you've been in the dark you might never question,
'Til you've been in the dark you might think you're quarantined,
Yeah, but nothing's free
And your love can leave,
In the dark.
The rain falls on the blessed ones,
The rain falls on the damned,
And you've changed my mind,
I love you more,
Than I love myself,
And I'm scared to death,
That you love me less[/spoiler]
Ghost - House of Heroes
[spoiler]Fell in love in high school
With a brown haired, green eyed girl
I walked her home most everyday
Held her hand, I held the world
We made our plan to run away
I couldn't wait to share her life
We started countin down the days
She couldn't wait to be my wife
I got a job and bought a car
I turned 18 that spring
By summer had my own place
And I bought my baby's ring
Fell in with the wrong crowd
Breakin laws, I broke her heart
By autumn was in handcuffs
Baby's cryin out in her front yard
And that's what hurt the most
I saw it in her green eyes
She had seen a ghost
My mama saw me every week
Tried her hardest not to cry
She told me that she loved me
Disappointment in her eyes
I said, "Mama, I love you too
And I'm gonna make you proud one day"
A month before I got out
They told me mama passed away
And that's what hurt the most
I saw it in her eyes, her son was a ghost
I hate this life I chose
Long before she died her son was a ghost
Now I got my freedom
But it feels like emptiness
In front of the apartment
Where your sister says you live
And there's another man, who fills my empty shoes
And darlin you don't see me
But you know that I see you, I drift off...
I'm gonna fade away
Beyond the city lights
I'm gonna fade away
Through the empty night
I'm gonna fade away
Drifting out your life
I wanna fade away
Through the empty night[/spoiler]
The Gambler - fun.
[spoiler]Slow down, we've got time left to be lazy
All the kids have bloomed from babies into flowers in our eyes
We've got fifty good years left to spend out in the garden
I don't care to beg your pardon, we should live until we die
We were barely eighteen when we crossed collective hearts
It was cold, but it got warm when you barely crossed my eye
And then you turned, put out your hand, and you asked me to dance
I knew nothing of romance, but it was love at second sight
I swear when I grow up I won't just buy you a rose
I will buy the flower shop, and you will never be lonely
For even if the sun stops waking up over the fields
I will not leave, I will not leave 'til it's our time
So just take my hand, you know that I will never leave your side
It was the winter of '86, all the fields had frozen over
So we moved to Arizona to save our only son
And now he's turned into a man, though he thinks just like his mother
He believes we're all just lovers, he sees hope in everyone
And even though she moved away, we always get calls from our daughter
She has eyes just like her father's, they are blue when skies are gray
And just like him she never stops, never takes the day for granted
Works for everything that's handed to her, never once complains
You think that I nearly lost you when the doctors tried to take you away
Like the night you took my hand beside the fire thirty years ago to this day,
You swore you'd be here 'til we decide that it's our time
But it's not time, you never quit in all your life
So just take my hand, you know that I will never leave your side
You're the love of my life, you know that I will never leave your side
You come home from work, and you kiss me on the eye
You curse the dog, you say that I should never feed them what is ours
So we move out to the garden, look at everything we've grown
And the kids are coming home so I'll set the table; you can make the fire[/spoiler]
Angels In Top Hats - House of Heroes
[spoiler]I waited for you, watching you sleep
machines were breathing for you.
Dolled up in white, wrapped in tubes
You wore them so gracefully
Angels and demons were fighting for you
Your maidens do your bidding
If you wake, mine will be
The first eyes you see
Oh, hey
Hopeless cathedrals, blankets and needles
Oh, hey
Angels in top hats, and cups full of blood
Everything happened so fast
I can't recall the road, the rain
The bag, the blood, the splash
Tell me everything's fine, tell me that she's alright
But she's not, she's not
I see you now only in pieces, in pieces
Janie, can you hear my prayers hit the ceiling?
And can you tell me if my words have meaning?
Can you tell me what my hope is to look like?
Hey, you'll never find another
Hey, hey, you'll never find another end
Hey, hey, you'll never find another
Hey, hey, hey, you'll never find another
Hopeless cathedrals, blankets and needles
Angels in top hats, cups full of blood
Dreams are for dreaming, buckets for bleeding
Eyes are for seeing, but you'll still be sleeping[/spoiler]
By Your Side - House of Heroes
[spoiler]Born on the plains, a farmer's sons
and brothers the same,raised on promises...
we'd stay that way.
As boys we believed, summers at the sea
we were free to become men of good will...
side by side.
And we were children then,foot prints in the sand
And where the ocean bends, we made our promises...
He knows.
Duty soon called, 1943 we enrolled,
together we would be our family's pride...
And we were soldiers then,our bodies in the sand
And like that sand through our hands,
go our grandest plans.
And just to see your face for one moment,
I'd cross the ocean again, the end... is not the end.
And I'll be by your side, on the other side
And I'll be by your side, on the other side
And through the cloud of death,
we find our way back home.
And though I hold your hand,
all must go alone.
And when you see the face of our Maker,
you don't have to be ashamed,
He knows the promises we made.
And I'll be by your side, on the other side.[/spoiler]
Let's see what OffTopic can come up with.
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Stan - Eminem ft. Dido [spoiler]My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I Got out of bed at all The morning rain clouds up my window And I can't see at all And even if I could it'll all be gray Put your picture on my wall It reminds me, that it's not so bad It's not so bad My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I Got out of bed at all The morning rain clouds up my window And I can't see at all And even if I could it'll all be gray Put your picture on my wall It reminds me, that it's not so bad It's not so bad Dear Slim, I wrote you but still ain't callin' I left my cell, my pager, and my home phone at the bottom I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not-a got 'em There probably was a problem at the post office or somethin' Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy when I jot 'em But anyways, -blam!- it, what's been up? Man how's your daughter? My girlfriend's pregnant too, I'm bout to be a father If I have a daughter, guess what I'm a call her? I'm a name her Bonnie I read about your Uncle Ronnie too I'm sorry I had a friend kill himself over some bitch who didn't want him I know you probably hear this everyday, but I'm your biggest fan I even got the underground shit that you did with Skam I got a room full of your posters and your pictures man I like the shit you did with Rawkus too, that shit was fat Anyways, I hope you get this man, hit me back, Just to chat, truly yours, your biggest fan This is Stan My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I Got out of bed at all The morning rain clouds up my window And I can't see at all And even if I could it'll all be gray Put your picture on my wall It reminds me, that it's not so bad It's not so bad Dear Slim, you still ain't called or wrote, I hope you have a chance I ain't mad, I just think it's -blam!-ed up you don't answer fans If you didn't wanna talk to me outside your concert You didn't have to, but you coulda signed an autograph for Matthew That's my little brother man, he's only six years old We waited in the blistering cold for you, For four hours and you just said, "No." That's pretty shitty man, you're like his -blam!-in' idol He wants to be just like you man, he likes you more than I do I ain't that mad though, I just don't like bein' lied to Remember when we met in Denver, you said if I'd write you you would write back See I'm just like you in a way I never knew my father neither He used to always cheat on my mom and beat her I can relate to what you're saying in your songs So when I have a shitty day, I drift away and put 'em on 'Cause I don't really got shit else so that shit helps when I'm depressed I even got a tattoo of your name across the chest Sometimes I even cut myself to see how much it bleeds It's like adrenaline, the pain is such a sudden rush for me See everything you say is real, and I respect you cause you tell it My girlfriend's jealous 'cause I talk about you 24/7 But she don't know you like I know you Slim, no one does She don't know what it was like for people like us growin' up, you gotta call me man I'll be the biggest fan you'll ever lose Sincerely yours, Stan, P.S. we should be together too My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I Got out of bed at all The morning rain clouds up my window And I can't see at all And even if I could it'll all be gray Put your picture on my wall It reminds me, that it's not so bad It's not so bad Dear Mister "I'm Too Good To Call Or Write My Fans" This will be the last package I ever send your ass It's been six months and still no word, I don't deserve it? I know you got my last two letters, I wrote the addresses on 'em perfect So this is my cassette I'm sending you, I hope you hear it I'm in the car right now, I'm doing 90 on the freeway Hey Slim, I drank a fifth of vodka You dare me to drive? You know the song by Phil Collins, "In the Air of the Night" About that guy who could a saved that other guy from drowning But didn't, then Phil saw it all, then at a a show he found him? That's kinda how this is, you could a rescued me from drowning Now it's too late, I'm on a thousand downers now, I'm drowsy And all I wanted was a lousy letter or a call I hope you know I ripped all of your pictures off the wall I love you Slim, we coulda been together, think about it You ruined it now, I hope you can't sleep and you dream about it And when you dream I hope you can't sleep and you scream about it I hope your conscience eats at you and you can't breathe without me See Slim, shut up bitch! I'm tryin' to talk! Hey Slim, that's my girlfriend screamin' in the trunk But I didn't slit her throat, I just tied her up, see I ain't like you 'Cause if she suffocates she'll suffer more, and then she'll die too Well, gotta go, I'm almost at the bridge now Oh shit, I forgot, how am I supposed to send this shit out? My tea's gone cold I'm wondering why I Got out of bed at all The morning rain clouds up my window And I can't see at all And even if I could it'll all be gray Put your picture on my wall It reminds me, that it's not so bad It's not so bad Dear Stan, I meant to write you sooner but I just been busy You said your girlfriend's pregnant now, how far along is she? Look, I'm really flattered you would call your daughter that And here's an autograph for your brother I wrote it on the Starter cap I'm sorry I didn't see you at the show, I must of missed you Don't think I did that shit intentionally just to diss you But what's this shit you said about you like to cut your wrists too? I say that shit just clownin' dog, come on, how -blam!-ed up is you? You got some issues Stan, I think you need some counseling To help your ass from bouncing off the walls when you get down some And what's this shit about us meant to be together? That type of shit will make me not want us to meet each other I really think you and your girlfriend need each other Or maybe you just need to treat her better I hope you get to read this letter, I just hope it reaches you in time Before you hurt yourself, I think that you'll be doin' just fine If you relax a little, I'm glad I inspire you but Stan Why are you so mad? Try to understand, that I do want you as a fan I just don't want you to do some crazy shit I seen this one shit on the news a couple weeks ago that made me sick Some dude was drunk and drove his car over a bridge And had his girlfriend in the trunk, and she was pregnant with his kid And in the car they found a tape, but they didn't say who it was to Come to think about, his name was, it was you Damn![/spoiler]