1960s songs, drugs

#294 Tuesday Afternoon- The Moody Blues

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I’m looking at myself reflections of my mind/
It’s just the kind of day to leave myself behind.

The Moody Blues’ “Tuesday Afternoon” is a drug song. The author is sitting in a field stoned and hears the trees calling to him, inviting him. It doesn’t disturb him (“he explains it away with a sigh”). The trees tell him if you come explore “the fairyland of love/ you’ll see the beauty of/ Tuesday afternoon.” He does find himself interested and wants to find out more.

Tuesday Afternoon Meaning
The Moody Blues

The song structure reminds me a lot of A Day in the Life by The Beatles. It sounds like it is two very different songs thrown together to make a unique whole. I can’t think of many more songs like that. Maybe “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen– but that is like four songs. The Moody blues are famous for psychedelic rock and the versus and lyrics of this song are quintessential examples of the movement.

More Great Songs from Moody Blues.

Tuesday Afternoon Lyrics

Tuesday afternoon.
I’m just beginning to see,
Now I’m on my way.
It doesn’t matter to me,
Chasing the clouds away.

Something, calls to me.
The trees are drawing me near,
I’ve got to find out why.
Those gentle voices I hear,
Explain it all with a sigh.

I’m looking at myself reflections of my mind,
It’s just the kind of day to leave myself behind.
So gently swaying through the fairyland of love,
If you’ll just come with me you’ll see the beauty of
Tuesday afternoon.
Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday afternoon.
I’m just beginning to see,
Now I’m on my way.
It doesn’t matter to me,
Chasing the clouds away.

Something calls to me.
The trees are drawing me near,
I’ve got to find out why.
Those gentle voices I hear
Explain it all with a sigh.

Songwriters: Justin Hayward

2000s songs, depression

#293 Blue- Lucinda Williams

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Blue is the color of night/
When the red sound disappears from the sky.

Lucinda Williams’ “Blue” is about depression and how she uses is to cope. After long bouts of depression, you almost can’t imagine your life without it. Her sadness seems to be a part of her.

Williams describes that she and her companion  get along well enough, but there is not much intimacy between them. They are both somewhat down and out.

Blue Greatest Song Alltime Meaning
Lucinda Williams

They look for escape—whether it be in the form of a song or religion. The only mindset that Williams can get into is a sense of depression, which she calls “blue”. It “feeds me when I’m hungry, quenches my thirst, loves me when I’m lonely and loves me first.”

Williams sad delivery really makes this song. When accompanied with the light instrumentation on the track, Williams voice really shines. The song is in the country-blues tradition but is good enough to appeal to anyone who enjoys good music. Lucinda William’s Blue is an underrated classic.

Blue Lyrics

Go find a jukebox
And see what a quarter will do
I don’t want to talk
I just want to go back to blue

Feeds me when I’m hungry
And quenches my thirst
Loves me when I’m lonely
And thinks of me first

Blue is the color of night
When the red sound disappears from the sky

Raven feathers shiny and black
A touch of blue glistening down her back

We don’t talk about heaven
And we don’t talk about hell
We’ve come to depend on
One another so damn well

So go to confession
Whatever gets you through
You can count your blessings
I’ll just count on blue

Songwriters: Nicholas Keith Whitecross / D. Jhingore / J. Williams / Stephen Rudden / Yinka Charles

2010s songs, relationship problems

#292 Stay- Rihanna

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Something in the way you move/
Makes me feel like I can’t live without you.

Rhianna’s “Stay” is a song about two people in a relationship that are drawn to each other despite of– or perhaps because of– the dysfunction in their lives. They both seem to be hurting and when they are together, it fills a void that is lacking in their life. It seems to be a relationship of convenience….at least for now. But the feeling of attraction still feels just as strong as feelings of love due to the fact it is filling a need in each other’s life.

Stay Meaning
Rihanna

“Stay” works due to the great melody and the interplay between Rihanna and Ekko in this duet. They both play the part of a person tired of love, yet needing it, and you can hear it in their voices. The piano is the right instrument for this song. I feel Rihanna’s best work is usually when she does these ballads. It allows us to hear that she can sing well and she does not over-sing—like some of her diva counterparts.

Stay Lyrics

All along it was a fever
A cold sweat, hot headed believer
I threw my hands in the air, said, “Show me something”
He said, “If you dare, come a little closer”

Round and around and around and around we go
Oh, now tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know

Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can’t live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay

It’s not much of a life you’re living
It’s not just something you take, it’s given

Round and around and around and around we go
Oh, now tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know

Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can’t live without you
It takes me all the way
And I want you to stay

Ooh, the reason I hold on
Ooh, ’cause I need this hole gone
Well, funny you’re the broken one
But I’m the only one who needed saving
‘Cause when you never see the light
It’s hard to know which one of us is caving

Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can’t live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay
Stay
I want you to stay
Ooh
Songwriters: John Stephen Sudduth / Justin Parker / Mikky Ekko