Songs of Note: Aqualung
Alright, so we all know that I love the song “7 Keys,” but what other songs do I think you should walk away knowing that are sung by the wonderful Matt Hales? Here are a few of my personal favorites…
- “Extra Ordinary Thing”: When I first heard this song on his CD Strange and Beautiful, I thought it sounded a little bit like Danny Elfman. Kind of an Edward Scissorhands or Nightmare Before Christmas kind of feel. About a year or so after I first heard it is when Corpse Bride came out, and the piano solo in that movie instantly made the connection. This song starts in a classical manner with a bit of a theatrical twist. It’s really sparse, but at the same time, it’s full, because it’s that silence that consumes you. Since there isn’t much in the song to distract you, it completely draws you in. Just because it is the end of the beginning/Doesn’t mean it’s the beginning of the end. Those are some of my favorite lyrics of all time, seriously. It reminds me of when a relationship starts to get into that “We know everything about each other and nothing is exciting anymore” stage. It’s not the end of the world, but you have to find other things to do in order to keep things interesting and running smoothly. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s what the song is referring to as a whole, but nonetheless, as standalone lyrics, they could be interpreted in this way, so I decided to do as such. Find your own meaning to the song, and comment here!
- “Cinderella”: Well, this song just goes “BOOM!” the first time you hear it. If all you’re familiar with is pre-Memory Man music, this song will shock the pants off you. It starts off just as all the other typical Aqualung music does, with a bit of piano, high and quiet in a large hall. It builds a little, nothing fancy, but then not even 15 seconds in and BAM! In comes the electric guitars, and it’s clear that Hales has tried something completely different. This is also obviously regarding the end to something, referring to the stroke of midnight and how that signified the end for Cinderella, so not really a “7 Keys” topic, but powerful in a whole new way.
- “Left Behind”: On Aqualung’s Strange and Beautiful album, this is definitely the tune that hit me the hardest. It was one of those songs that I banged around to in my car on full volume. (It seems like there’s always one of those on my lists, doesn’t it? Notice the pattern…) Why you leaving me now?/There must be some doubt in your mind/Can’t you open your heart?/Don’t wanna be left behind/You open your mouth/You open your mouth and I know/You open your mouth and I know what you’re gonna say. So, maybe this song was talking about someone leaving a relationship, but it’s very different from the character of “Cinderella.” If you didn’t listen to the lyrics, it could even be seen as something uplifting, like “Brighter Than Sunshine,” but instead it’s him begging to not be left. It’s not even an angry song, let alone sad, but then again he says he knows what she’s going to tell him, so he’s probably expected it for a while. I think that’s the stage of grief called bargaining, that’s what’s going on in the song. Yeah. Pretty bargaining, I guess.
- “Something to Believe In”: This song really follows suit in the traditional “Brighter than Sunshine” vibe that Aqualung has become known for. It’s got a great beat that I dare you to not bop around to, and seriously, it’s impossible to not move when you hear this song. It reminds me a little bit of Keane, and it’s probably because of the piano that I’m thinking that. Anyway, I see this song as a way to address faith, and the lack thereof. It sounds like he’s saying that if you don’t have faith in something, you’re just stumbling around blind without any support, and it’s just no way to live. Press my face to the ground/I’ve got to find a reason/Still scratching around/For something to believe in. Life without a purpose, without something to put your faith into, is meaningless. You’re aimless, but sometimes it’s hard to find that thing you want to put your life behind. One of those really hard questions of life. Great song.
Photo Source: http://flickr.com/photos/tammylo/193047673/
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