“Orbiter” is about the people who keep Noah Kahan grounded when fame makes his life feel unfamiliar. The central image is wonderfully simple. Kahan is the astronaut. Someone he loves is the Moon. He circles…
Tag: about
It isn’t really about religion. “Losing my religion” is an expression from the American South meaning something closer to: losing patience reaching the end of your rope or becoming so frustrated that you might lose…
Because Marvin Gaye already had “What’s Going On”. That is the simple explanation commonly given for one of pop’s most confusing titles. The famous 4 Non Blondes song repeatedly asks what is going on. It…
“Kids” is broadly about childhood, growing up and the loss of innocence. But like plenty of MGMT songs, it doesn’t provide one neat explanation. The music sounds euphoric. The lyrics are stranger. And the video…
“Smalltown Boy” is about a young gay man forced to leave home after experiencing homophobia, violence and rejection. The song was released by Bronski Beat in 1984. Forty years later, it remains one of the…
“Asha” is Asha Bhosle. The legendary Indian playback singer. And the “45” is a 45 RPM record. So “Brimful of Asha on the 45” is essentially an image of a record overflowing with the music,…
Freya Skye’s “Bad Taste” is about admitting something pop songs do not always like admitting: maybe you are part of the problem. Instead of writing another song where the ex is terrible and the singer…
“No Surprises” is about wanting to escape the exhausting machinery of modern life. Work. Bills. Routine. Political disappointment. Emotional exhaustion. The song imagines somebody who has reached the point where they no longer want excitement.…
Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero” is about something surprisingly specific: the new girlfriend of an ex contacting you because she has started experiencing the same troubling behaviour you experienced. Instead of treating the new woman as…
“Brandy” is about loving somebody who will never choose you over the life they want. Brandy works in a harbour town. Sailors admire her. But she loves one particular sailor. Unfortunately, he loves the sea…
