1960s songs, escape

#201 Mr Tambourine Man- The Byrds/ Bob Dylan

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Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me/
Let me forget about today until tomorrow.

Bob Dylan’s “Mr Tambourine Man”-the original, and The Byrds’ “Mr Tambourine Man”-the folk rock version, are both equally deserving of mention. Dylan provides a couple extra verses and the lyrics are great- and tell a more complete picture of who this Mr Tambourine Man is.

If You See Her Say Hello Meaning
Dylan

Though he is not specifically clear, Dylan seems to describe Mr. Tambourine Man as a kind of muse. When he gets tired and is unable to sleep, Mr. Tambourine Man comes along and sings Dylan a song, and Dylan dances and sings along with him in Mr Tambourine Man’s shadow…seemingly creating music.

Mr Tambourine Man Meaning
The Byrds

The Byrds version is great in that it tightens the song up to become a bigger radio hit. It is much more accessible. It also adds a few unique elements that are key to The Byrds sound: the twelve-string electric guitars and the harmonies in the chorus. There are many live Dylan versions that are good. I recommend his 1966 version at Live Free Trade Hall. He was on fire that night. Many of his best version of your favorites come from that night.

Mr. Tambourine Man Lyrics

Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you

Though I know that evening’s empire has returned into sand
Vanished from my hand
Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping
My weariness amazes me, I’m branded on my feet
I have no one to meet
And the ancient empty street’s too dead for dreaming

Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you

Take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship
My senses have been stripped
My hands can’t feel to grip
My toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wandering
I’m ready to go anywhere, I’m ready for to fade
Into my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way, I promise to go under it

Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you

Though you might hear laughing, spinning, swinging madly across the sun
It’s not aimed at anyone
It’s just escaping on the run
And but for the sky there are no fences facing
And if you hear vague traces of skipping reels of rhyme
To your tambourine in time
It’s just a ragged clown behind
I wouldn’t pay it any mind
It’s just a shadow you’re seeing that he’s chasing

Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you
And take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind
Down the foggy ruins of time
Far past the frozen leaves
The haunted frightened trees
Out to the windy beach
Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow
Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky
With one hand waving free
Silhouetted by the sea
Circled by the circus sands
With all memory and fate
Driven deep beneath the waves
Let me forget about today until tomorrow

Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
I’m not sleepy and there is no place I’m going to
Hey! Mr. Tambourine man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning I’ll come following you

written by Bob Dylan

2000s songs, jealousy

#199 Mr. Brightside- The Killers

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Jealousy…Open up my eager eyes/
‘Cause I’m Mr. Brightside.

The Killers “Mr. Brightside” is a song about the discovery of an affair. The narrator describes himself as “Mr Brightside” as he must have ignored signs that his girlfriend was cheating. He is asking the god Jealousy to open up his eyes so that he doesn’t act like this again. In other words, perhaps he needs to act more jealous and possessive in a relationship and then his (next?) girlfriend wouldn’t be able to sneak around on him.

(I am sure the narrator realizes these are destructive thoughts. That is what this song is about). The description of discovering the cheating is haunting. It is devastating how the thoughts linger and repeat in your mind.

Mr Brightside Greatest Alltime Song
The Killers

The vocals and pace of the song sound frantic. They seem to match the pace of a man whose world is unraveling. The drums are a basic beat in the song, but they provide something special. I think it is the way the tom is attacked sounds differently than in other songs. Great concept for a song; one of the best songs from the 2000s.

Mr. Brightside Lyrics

Coming out of my cage
And I’ve been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all
It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this?
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss
Now I’m falling asleep
And she’s calling a cab
While he’s having a smoke
And she’s taking a drag
Now they’re going to bed
And my stomach is sick
And it’s all in my head
But she’s touching his chest now
He takes off her dress now
Let me go
And I just can’t look, it’s killing me
And taking control

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it’s just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
‘Cause I’m Mr. Brightside

I’m coming out of my cage
And I’ve been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all
It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this?
(It was only a kiss), it was only a kiss
Now I’m falling asleep
And she’s calling a cab
While he’s having a smoke
And she’s taking a drag
Now they’re going to bed
And my stomach is sick
And it’s all in my head
But she’s touching his chest now
He takes off her dress now
Let me go
‘Cause I just can’t look, it’s killing me
And taking control

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibi
But it’s just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
‘Cause I’m Mr. Brightside

I never
I never
I never
I never

written by: Brandon Flowers / Dave Brent Keuning / Mark August Stoermer / Ronnie Jr. Vannucci

2010s songs, relationship problems

#198 Skinny Love- Birdy/Bon Iver

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I tell my love to wreck it all/
Cut out all the ropes and let me fall.

What is this “Skinny Love” that Birdy and Bon Iver are speaking of? A “skinny love” seems to be with an unhealthy love…perhaps there is not much love left. The relationship is passionate and volatile. Perhaps they get physical with each other. They argue. They make threats to leave each other. The couple is constantly fighting.

But he also seems to realize he needs her. He makes pleas: he tells her that it will be better in the morning.  Eventually she leaves him and his tune changes. While in the beginning of the song he was telling her to leave, by the end he is asking her “who will love you as good as I”?

Skinny Love Greatest All Time Song Meaning
Birdy

Bon Iver wrote this song and made it famous. When I hear Birdy’s “Skinny Love”, I hear an all-time great song. The song sounds better with a piano. Birdy brings the proper emotion to the song: she makes it hers.

There are a couple other songs on this list where a cover version eclipses the original. That doesn’t take away from the original version; sometimes (though not often) someone can interpret and perform your work better than you. She made this recording when she was 14–which sounds impossible and unbelievable.

Skinny Love Meaning
Bon Iver

Skinny Love Lyrics

Come on, skinny love, just last the year
Pour a little salt, we were never here
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my
Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer
I tell my love to wreck it all
Cut out all the ropes and let me fall
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my
Right in this moment, this order’s tall

And I told you to be patient
And I told you to be fine
And I told you to be balanced
And I told you to be kind
And in the morning I’ll be with you
But it will be a different kind
And I’ll be holding all the tickets
And you’ll be owning all the fines

Come on, skinny love, what happened here?
Suckle on the hope in light brassieres
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my
Sullen load is full, so slow on the split

And I told you to be patient
And I told you to be fine
And I told you to be balanced
And I told you to be kind
And now all your love is wasted
And then who the hell was I?
And I’m breaking at the britches
And at the end of all your lines

Who will love you?
Who will fight?
Who will fall far behind?

written by Bon Iver