#i left the verse on your end open for interpretation so you could go with whatever sparks your fancy! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

chatonarya · 3 months

Text

Lyric Breakdown of "Heal The World" (part 1)

Original post on reddit.

Warning: extremely long text, excessive detail and citations, and some shippiness. Please take with a heaping spoon of salt, this is personal interpretation to the max and not gospel.

Previous essay on Gnosis’s character with some baseline assumptions and interpretations I am making.

I told myself I wasn't going to do this but here we are. On the other hand, though, I deserve it for sleeping on this song for nearly a year after its release. Let's dive in, shall we? Why does Gnosis have such a sappy and emotional image song, and what does it mean?

It's just a tear that saves me from the darkness.

Such a powerful opening line. What does the tear symbolize, what is the emotion behind it? Sorrow, grief, and pain—but pain most of all, as pain is echoed and emphasized throughout the whole song.

Witnessed through a mirror, pain is truth,

Pain and truth go hand in hand, which is a theme which is echoed throughout. It's the pain itself that keeps everything real—the pain (the tear) which saves him from total destruction; the personal anguish which experience keeps him from going off into the deep end.

Now “witnessed through a mirror”: the pain is detached and not a part of him, reflected back at him by something or someone else, and only like that does he see it. Or even, it’s the reflection that confirms it exists at all. Who is the person who is Gnosis’ mirror?

I’ll make no bones about it: the person Gnosis is addressing throughout the song is Enciodes. There’s literally, as I will demonstrate, nobody else he could be speaking to and speaking of.

So: it’s a bit of a stretch, but this could possibly be a veiled reference to their conversation as children where Enciodes says that he doesn’t believe Gnosis is at fault for the accident, but Gnosis does. This little bit of unshakable faith is one of the reasons Gnosis is so loyal to Enciodes, and during that flashback, Enciodes says, “It definitely has nothing to do with you. Nobody looks up to my father as much as you do,” almost as though he’s reflecting Gnosis’ true self back at him, showing him the reality and the truth that he committed no crime.

This is the painful truth that keeps everything real; that Gnosis carries inside of him, that saves him from the darkness: his innocence.

And through your eyes we’ll find an endless future,

During BI-3, Gnosis says to Ratatos: “[Enciodes] promised me a future.” This line is a clear reference to that. Through Enciodes’ eyes and his vision for Kjerag, an endless future, bright and dazzling, awaits.

I'll continue forward, calling to you.

This line also refers to Enciodes.

In fact, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to argue that this entire verse refers not merely to the present moment, that is, Gnosis’s present position, but also, to the moment of his departure from Kjerag. When they parted ways, Gnosis said he would study and learn what he could to return and help Enciodes achieve their dream. In his operator file, Gnosis also comments about making “an appointment” to see Enciodes again, and returning Kjerag even if he did not appear. Though their paths are separate, they share the same goal, reflected in Gnosis’s second talent, “Two Paths, One Goal.” He continues working for the sake of their dream, while still connected to Enciodes.

This is the edge, but I continue flying.

As Gnosis goes forward, he reaches the edge. It’s a figurative cliff, with nowhere to go and only death at the bottom, but he willingly flies past this precipice on his own wings.

Leaving life around me, break away the pain.

“Leaving life” refers to Gnosis’ decision to cut himself off from the trappings of ordinary life and keep other people at arm’s length. “I am not interested in deeper emotional exchanges.” He was already ostracized before, and he embraces it, regardless of the fact that he's reached the edge—perhaps the limits of endurance or rationality or sense. He also "left life" in a more literal sense when the Edelweisses left everything they knew in Kjerag.

Then we come to the second part. “Break away.” There are three definitions of this phrase:

To separate or detach oneself, as from a group.

To move rapidly away from or ahead of a group.

To discontinue customary practice.

In my opinion, pretty much all three of these definitions apply.

To quote from Gnosis’ op file: “This isn't to say he's the kind who doesn't understand others' feelings. Precisely the opposite; he’s exceptionally clear-headed on what he wants to do, and as such he can detach himself from any other concerns. Researchers often [...] have sufficient mental energy to treat scientific principles objectively, but not necessarily enough leftover to deal with personal emotions. Thus, a good few choose to cut themselves off as thoroughly as possible. Gnosis is clearly one of these types.”

Gnosis chooses to cut off his personal emotions as much as he can in order to focus on what needs to be done. In a more literal sense, he is detached from the rest of the group. He works alone. Even his RIIC base skills reflect his solitary nature: “Precise Calculations” and “Hidden Mastermind”. Gnosis pulls the strings behind the scenes, and does things in an unconventional way.

But it’s not merely “break away” but break away the pain. This implies that his detachment and isolation is not without consequence for him. He does feel some pain doing it, but again he chooses to set it aside. It is a necessary price.

Next, this is the second time “pain” appears. The first time, it’s stated that “pain is truth”, and now the pain is broken away as if detached and set aside, perhaps concealed. The pain is what saves him from the darkness, but he hides it inside as he continues on.

I want to feel my divisions crumble down.

What’s interesting is that this line about divisions comes immediately after a line about divisions and separation. It’s almost as though, while he’s taking up this burden willingly, he’s also anticipating the day that it is no longer necessary. “Divisions” could also refer to the invisible walls which keep Gnosis ostracized and permanently branded (divided) in his homeland: that is, the false assumptions of being responsible for the deaths of Olafur and Elizabeth Silverash.

Look into my eyes and heal the world of darkness.

This line to me feels like it’s implying a silent request for reassurance. Thus far, the lyrics have been almost a series of promises, and they culminate in something that’s almost a question, asking for confirmation that they’ve been heard, especially against the backdrop of “divisions.”

The voices grow, the silence fills with screams,

Whose voices are these, and who is screaming? The people of Kjerag. This is a two-fold line: as it leads into the next line, it’s clear that it’s referring to the present day, and the impending suffering which approaches Kjerag if they continue on their current path. Other countries crushing Kjerag underfoot; the spread of oripathy; the "avalanche set to bury all of Kjerag."

But it could also refer to the events of the past. We know via the flashback and Gnosis' file that he was ostracized after the accident. Although it's never stated nor implied what his family went through before they left beyond "There's no place for us in Kjerag", it's possible that these "voices" are those of the people who shunned him. We know that people openly badmouth Gnosis and he mentions having rocks thrown at his windows. It's possible—likely, even, as I postulated before—that the Edelweisses were bullied and treated cruelly before they were forced to leave. The "voices" are the cruel words, and the "screams" are their own silent and helpless laments.

I see the twilight set on the world.

"Twilight" refers to the same vision that Enciodes and Gnosis have of the impending disaster approaching Kjerag. “They can’t see what you and I can see,” Gnosis comments during BI-6.

In addition, however, I think it could be a veiled reference to Ragnarok, that is, the "Twilight of the Gods." I say this because of the context of Ragnarok and the events which surround it. Ragnarok is the apocalypse of Norse mythology, where the Aesir (gods) have their final battle and Midgard (the earth) is destroyed. An army of the dead sails from the underworld (Helheim), led by Hela and her father Loki, finally free of his chains beneath the earth, and her brothers Fenrir and Jormungandr (the World’s Serpent) will break free of their fetters and rise from the sea respectively, and Surtr, the ruler of Muspellheim, will break the rainbow bridge Bifrost which leads to Asgard, the peaceful realm of the Aesir high above Midgard, and set fire to the world.

For millennia, the Aesir enjoy their isolated quietude and peace in Asgard, with most of their disruptions coming from their opposing force the Jotnar, symbolizing the eternal conflict of culture vs nature. But among the Aesir, their leader, part Jotunn himself, Odin, through his many sacrifices to obtain knowledge (giving up his eye for a drink of Mimir’s well of wisdom; hanging upside for nine nights on Yggdrasil, the World Tree, to gain knowledge of the runes), had the gift of clairvoyance. He looked into the future and saw Ragnarok, and decided to take action, breaking up the family of Loki and treating his monstrous children abominably in attempts to prevent it. He cast Jormungandr into the ocean, tied up Fenrir when he grew too big, and banished half-dead Hela to the edges of Niflheim to rule over the dead. In the end, none of his efforts could keep Ragnarok from happening, as the gods’ fate could not be changed.

It was not uncommon for the Aesir to walk the earth for their amusement, but Odin in particular was known for wandering incognito, listening and observing. In doing so, he obtained a perspective that the others could not. In addition, when he was young, Odin met and befriended the Jotunn Loki, whom he liked so much that they became sworn blood brothers, not genetically related but vowing to treat each other as such. Despite this, Loki was always a contentious figure in Asgard, both on account of his mischievous nature and his race. Throughout various myths, he would sometimes help (often he was the figure the Aesir would turn to whenever they had some kind of unsolvable problem) and sometimes hinder (he’d create those problems himself). By and large, though, he wasn’t considered “evil” until Christianity came to the isles (a topic not for this essay), and not until the impending catastrophe of Ragnarok drew near with the death of Baldr, Lokasenna happened, and he was imprisoned until the final battle.

Now, I’m not saying that Enciodes is meant to hearken to Odin the All-father, not exactly, nor am I saying that Gnosis is meant to parallel Loki. After all, as I said, “twilight” is a pretty broad and simple word in this context that should probably simply be taken at face value. But… I can’t help but feel there are a few similarities to Norse myth as well, despite Kjerag taking inspiration from Switzerland and Tibet, and what with Ratatos’ name being a clear reference to Ratatoskr.

Cold by nature; an isolated yet peaceful realm above everything; very few people departing its embrace yet always returning changed; children separated on false and ultimately futile premises and families broken; someone mostly helpful yet always regarded as a traitor and outsider being the catalyst for change, who was always at the right-hand of the most powerful and important figure of the nation, sworn to them in some way, and said figure being preoccupied with averting a distant disaster.

It’s also worth noting the title of the stage TC-1 (from the To Be Continued vignette), which uses the Kjerag map/enemies: “Fimbulvinteren.” This is merely a different spelling of what in English is “Fimbulwinter,” that is, the event that precedes Ragnarok, the three-year winter. As of this writing, I don’t know if it’s just flavor text or meant to foreshadow something, but if it’s been chosen as a subtle foreshadowing, it does imply more turmoil in the future for Kjerag.

I’ve been on this tangent long enough, moving on now.

It’s starting to burn…

“Starting to burn” means the first flames of total destruction have already begun; it’s getting closer. Fire, also, is the direct counter to the ice and snow which defines Kjerag geographically.

Save me... Oh, save me...!

It’s this final line that makes me feel the verse as a whole refers also to Gnosis’ past.

If it was only about Kjerag, he ought to say "save us" or "save them," but he says "save me". He wants to be saved from his own twilight. What saves him is “a tear:” someone believing in him. As the situation grows more dire, this is more important than ever.

This is the edge, we keep on falling further.

Gnosis and Enciodes' ventures keep sending them deeper and deeper into the abyss, further from light and safety and into danger, accumulating sins and doing dark deeds…

Fate intwined between us, break away the truth.

…Yet no matter how far they fall, they're in this venture together, because it's their shared dream. Their fates are linked, no success or failure without the other.

As for the second half of the line, this is the second time “break away” appears, but this time rather than cutting the pain away, Gnosis is taking the truth with him—what is this truth that is intwined between himself and Enciodes? The same thing: the truth that Gnosis is not a traitor at all, the truth that he works for good. It’s a truth that, for most of BI, only they know.

I want to see the system falling down.

The "system" being that of Kjerag, the system which keeps the country stagnant: the Tri-clan Council and the Court of Elders, and the things which keep Kjerag shackled in the past (corruption, greed, closemindedness, ignorance) and possibly even lead to situations like Gnosis' own, where his family was framed and subsequently ostracized and exiled without any concrete evidence.

Look into my eyes and heal the world of darkness.

This line is a plea against the backdrop of the previous line. “Help me make things better.” “Look into my eyes” in this line can mean anything from “make me a promise” or “give me hope” or “join forces with me”, given that the previous lines refer to falling together and fate intwined—so I feel the strongest sentiment here is “hope/promise”.

This is the fear, it brings us to the end.

This is the first instance of “the end” that appears, and with the “us” in that line, I think it’s another reference to Gnosis’ line of “They can’t see what you and I see.” The vision that they have, and the fear that they have of the impending twilight is bringing them to the brink; that is, the accelerated plans of Karlan Trade to speed up modernization.

Breaking all around you, / Feel the lies surround the broken world

Their plans—and their coup, by extension—have created a delicate web of lies and deception. Enciodes is at the center of this web, much as in BI, and because he’s the focus, the lies “break” around him. Alternatively, one can say the world breaks around him, as he’s the one instigating the change in Kjerag, breaking the status quo. Through Enciodes’s attempts to reform the world, he also opens a path for Gnosis.

that I'll continue forward.

Despite being surrounded by lies (perhaps even lies of his own making), frightened, and with the approaching end, he stays the path and keeps going. But also, this is as far as I understand (despite the slightly awkward grammar), one sentence. So it’s actually “the lies that I’ll continue forward.” Again, what is Gnosis’ big lie (of his own making)? That he’s not a traitor, he’s actually working for good. As the world around him crumbles, the lies spread that Gnosis is a traitor and now works (continues forward) to destroy Karlan Trade in revenge, when he really doesn’t.

I’ll fight for the future. Heal the world of darkness.

Self-explanatory. Gnosis works with Enciodes to achieve a better future for Kjerag and keep the twilight from burning it to ashes. He also fights to heal the darkness—that is, the "system" referred to previously. But against the last line, it adds an extra dimension to “the lies”: nobody believes Gnosis actually works for the greater good, though is partly his own fault, too: “Because he only saw the ends, means be damned, the people who worked under him, while acknowledging his talents, had many complaints. [...] Even after coming to Rhodes Island, his personality is still disliked by many operators. [...] He's also rather apathetic regarding life and morality.”

And here I am, just standing on the edge / waiting for the final days

“Final days” serves to reinforce the idea that the “twilight” mentioned above isn’t just hard times, but complete destruction. Gnosis is waiting on the edge for the end, surrounded by lies—he’s watching it coming; expectant; ready; prepared.

Ooh, can you please save me from the end? The end, the end's calling fire raging deep within

“The end” (second time) in this case has a dual meaning. The fire in this context means either conviction or anger. As the end draws near (the “twilight”), his determination to avert it grows stronger.

It's a reference to Gnosis' impatience throughout BI and how he takes matters into his own hands. I've mentioned this before, but much of the "farce" conducted during the middle of BI (when Arctoscz and Ratatos are framed) was actually a form of expertly crafted revenge: from Enciodes saying Ratatos and Arctoscz would be given a fair trial (referencing how the Edelweisses were not), to Gnosis saying to Ratatos, “Do you see how the people are looking at you?”, referencing how he and his family were treated by the public. On a certain level, the whole thing was really quite personal (which is why as I said before, Degenbrecher comments she’s never seen Gnosis so emotional).

the reason I fall

"Falling" meant in a symbolic sense, as in falling from grace and becoming sullied; an angel falling, losing its wings, and becoming a devil; in a literal sense, Gnosis is a Liberi (bird), so flying and falling metaphors come naturally. And he can safely plummet from a cliff and recover—provided his wings aren’t broken.

Notice the shift from the beginning—initially, he says he “continues flying”, but now he falls instead. He falls from grace for the sake of their dream, to prevent the approaching final days. He’s been ready to do this all along (“Let me be a traitor again.”) as “[Kjerag] didn’t accept Gnosis” and they never did, as “in an isolated environment like Kjerag, one tiny mistake can be engraved in the collective memory for generations.” He’s always been ready to fall—or perhaps he’s always been falling all along.

Take my heart and save me from the end…!

This line is two-fold. First: Gnosis may fall, but his fall—his betrayal—is false. His heart is still pure, his motives clean. Only by someone acknowledging this fact, by taking and holding onto his noble heart, is he saved from being completely condemned and consigned to doom—the second meaning of “the end” from which he desires to be saved. Willingly taking the fall; and yet still, reaching out a desperate hand at the bottom before hitting the ground.

Second, more straightforward, "Take and accept all of my feelings and save me from my fate of destruction." Again I feel this is directed towards Enciodes. Who alone has the power to do this, to decide if Gnosis lives or dies? If his fall ends in darkness or if he'll be caught at the bottom? Enciodes.

Gnosis is aware of this: “Or would you like to finish me, the traitor, and make this farce real?” At any moment, Enciodes can end him. Without Enciodes behind him, and even then, Gnosis’ position and very presence in Kjerag is shaky. If Enciodes turns his back on Gnosis, it’s all over for him. Inasmuch as Enciodes emphasizes that Gnosis will not betray him, that trust goes two ways. Gnosis is also trusting that Enciodes will not betray him, either, much as Enciodes stood by him after the accident.

Because when we fall through dreams, I'll feel the ocean

Why ocean? What does ice turn to when it melts? Water. All the stagnant ice of Kjerag melting and turning into water when their dreams are achieved. What’s more, the ice turning into water extinguishes the approaching flames of destruction. Through their dreams, the impending disaster is averted.

When the waves rise up, we’ll move beyond together.

This is, again, a reference to Gnosis and Enciodes ushering Kjerag into a new future, and through that, moving through the fire and the darkness into a new world. The waves rising up to cleanse away the stagnation and to catch them as they fall and buoy them through the turmoil of change. They fell together, and they'll rise together.

It's just a tear, that saves me from the darkness. Witnessed through a mirror, feel the pain.

This time, the pain from the tear is palpable and tangible. It cannot be suppressed.

Once again assuming that Enciodes is the "mirror" and that he is reflecting the truth back at Gnosis, this time it’s more than an acknowledgement that the “pain is truth.” This time, it’s an acceptance of that truth, painful though it is; an acceptance to feel it, rather than break it away.

And through your cries we find an endless darkness.

"Endless darkness" is the flipside of the "endless future" and combination of that line with the "darkness" from which Gnosis is saved. But contrasting sharply with “through your eyes we’ll find an endless future,” this is “through your cries we find an endless darkness.” “Your cries”: once again, Enciodes.

One of my favorite lines from BI is this one from Enciodes at the end of what we later learn is his speech to Gnosis when they met again: "I have to make a difference. Everything I've seen has to have meaning."

Aside from the fact that I empathize heartily with the sentiment of trying to turn the chaos of the world and the things one sees into sense, this line to me is so heartfelt and reveals some of what we later learn is Enciodes’ own desperation and his feeling that he has no choice as time is running short. But how many people know this? Perhaps only Gnosis. Gnosis knows just how dearly Enciodes wants to make all of this happen. Enciodes' cries—be they of desperation, worry, fear, or pain—are silent to everyone else. Nobody really knows what goes on in his head, but Gnosis sees some of it (“Our judgments have many overlapping points.”).

So this is an acknowledgment of the darkness reflected back at him by Enciodes. The pain is shared: Enciodes has his own burdens and darkness as well. They are different, but Gnosis does not suffer alone. Though he continues forward alone, he actually isn’t. He’s found the connection he’s been looking for. It’s also another reference to the darkness of their ventures, ushered by Enciodes: his cries pave the path forward.

I'll continue forward, calling to you…

Once again, even with this knowledge of the endless darkness yawing beneath and around him, he keeps going, even with the pain reflected back at him.

What's interesting is that this shift towards a darker tone happens after the hopeful interlude of the previous verse. There’s a moment of respite, a moment of hope; then reality returns, sharp and harsh. As he falls, he sees the vision of the endless future and the melting ice and salvation—but it’s still far away. Between Gnosis’ fall and salvation—between the beginning of his endeavors and the final culmination of his efforts—is a long road of pain and struggle.

It's just a tear that saves me from the darkness, please…

This echoes the opening line. Here, it’s softer and clearer, especially against the backdrop of the previously mentioned “endless darkness.”

This time, I think the tear isn’t his own, not with the “please” at the end; this is someone else’s tear. In contrast to the quiet declaration at the beginning, this is a soft and heartfelt plea. It’s weary and fading and seeking, full of loneliness, searching for that acknowledgment and confirmation of suffering through the eyes of someone else to make it all valid.

And this last verse in particular, and the song in general, brims with this wistful feeling, melancholy yet determined, battered yet resolute. It’s at once lonely and seeking connection, while also embracing isolation and tribulation. It’s full of gloom, of searching the black sky for a star, for a glimmer of light; it’s waiting, dogged and shivering, for the long night to pass into the promised dawn; it’s flying through choking clouds for a glimpse of that clear horizon.

Mini summary included with the song:

Surveying the peaks, the crowd floods over the snowfields. Walking the foothills, the pain feels vivid as if real. I stay unmoved, and silently shout, Heal the World, that comes into my view.

This is where I would like to talk about the L2D which accompanies the song. It depicts pretty much exactly the summary: the video opens up with ice frosting over a frozen bubble before it zooms in on Gnosis walking alone on the slopes of Kjerag, looking down (Kjerag is a frozen bubble itself). From the angle, he’s heading upwards, almost as though he’s approaching that cliff edge in the lyrics. We can’t really see his face, his bangs mostly shielding his expression from view, but it’s cool, neutral: unmoved. Yet still, something seems a little subdued about it, at once pensive and contemplative, as if all the thoughts reflected in the song are running through his head.

It’s not clear if he’s leaving Kjerag or arriving, though I would guess leaving, as you can see a long and winding path behind him—the last line implies Kjerag is coming into sight rather than disappearing, though the meaning stays the same: he's overlooking Kjerag from a lofty and isolated position.

The sky also gets darker as the song progresses, reflecting the slow shift in the lyrics and the heavier final verse: the sun is setting, as the light turns first orange, and behind him it turns to night. You can see two hands of what appear to be a clock spinning on his Arts unit, reflecting the passage of time, and the snowfall gets heavier as the song goes on—and Gnosis disappears with the blizzard, leaving only his Arts unit behind.

The symbolism of that, I think, is both “leaving life” and “standing on the edge.” I can’t help but picture him coming to stand on the brink for but a moment, brief yet infinite, before he goes back and picks the staff up and resumes walking. The staff alone against the snow is another symbol of isolation and perseverance.

Finally, "the pain feels vivid as if real" echoes the repeated “pain is truth” from the lyrics, and implies that the pain he feels is not a physical one but a mental or emotional one, and the silent shout is Gnosis' private wish to reform Kjerag.

Continued in Part 2.

#arknights #arknights essay #my essays #gnosis

6 notes · View notes

boosqoowoo · 10 months

Text

beenzino - 990 (english lyrics translation)

this is just my interpretation of what 990 is, but the first thing that came to mind is New Balance 990 which is a model of a shoe that Beenzino participated in promoting. this could be an entry of events in his life that happened while he was wearing the shoe

on the other hand, 990 could also represent the maximum score one could get on their TOEIC exam, (Test of English for International Communication) an international standardized test of English language proficiency for non-native speakers. It is a test that students in Korea study really hard for, and getting a high grade is important for their future prospects. this interpretation is more used in Ximya's verse, where he talks about the casteing based on material aspects such as academic background. at the end of the day, his last line iterates that even if you get full marks, a whole 990, you won't be able to reach Nirvana because there are more things to life than the number on the exam paper.

굽이 굽이 굽이 굽이 굽이 ay ay 굽이 굽이 굽이

골목길에 내 990

a curvy alley, my 990

굽이 굽이 그 새낀 센 척해도 후 불면 쓰러질 것만 같아

after acting strong that fucker looks unstable and faint

유혹에 너무 약하지 늘 뱉은 말에 반대

unlike the words he always spit, he is weak against temptation

이 비트 들어보면 막 뱀이 나올 것만 같은데

after listening to this beat it feels like a snake is going to come out

but 난 뼈로 컨트롤하지

but im controlling it with my bones

내 삶은 모든 게 내 맴대로 되게 했지 through this rap game

through this rap game, everything in my life has gone the way I wanted

그대로 떠나버렸지 난 스웨덴으로 수학여행

and just like that I left to go on a school trip in Sweden

사람은 숨 쉬어야지 this ain't rocket science

people need to breathe this ain't rocket science

틀에 처박혀 살았다면 뭘 해도 남다른 게 나오겠냐고 이게 내 과학

if i lived in a frame, I can’t do anything special, that’s my science

isn't it so fucking obvious motherfucker?

이제 내 날개인 너네 중 누구가 와도 절대 못 꺾어

now none of you can break my wings

언제나 내 시연 전방에

my eyes are always looking forward

내 차 기름은 전기로 충전되지 네 기름통엔 과거밖에 없지

the gas in my car is electrical while your gas tank only has the past

몇 방울 남았나 확인해 내 wine bottle

check how many drops are left in my wine bottle

독일에서 산책해 라마랑 새 파트너가 된 뉴발 신고 난 풀밭을 밟아

taking a stroll in Germany** with Lamar* and my new partner**, wearing New Balance and treading on grass

*famous rapper Kendrick Lamar

**Beenzino’s wife Stefanie Michova is German

나도 열어야겠어 세미나 왜 이렇게 내 삶이 재밌냐면

i have to open up a seminar to explain why my life is so fun

조금 돌아가도 언제나 straight up 예술로

even if I go back in time a little, it is always straight up art

they don't know

굽이 굽이 굽이 굽이 굽이 ay ay 굽이 굽이 굽이

골목길에 내 990 굽이 굽이

a curvy alley, my 990

should've went to law school

여긴 전부 도둑놈 새끼들

over here are all the thieves and fuckers

Cut Backs 앞에 바로 Fuck Rap

in front of Cut Backs is Fuck Rap

*when a company is facing financial difficulties, they have to make cut backs to cut losses. in this case, Ximya is saying that when times get rough, rap is the first to go. Ximya has stated on multiple occasions that rapping no longer appeals to him as a profession. In the next line, however, we can see that he is conflicted about retirement with all the pseudos in the scene.

절이 싫은 중 떠나질 못하네 나의 중도

even if i hate it halfway, i couldn’t leave my middle school

맞지도, 맞지도 않지도 Fuck em pseudos

even when their right, even when they’re wrong, fuck em pseudos

I stutter money but money speaks fluent

*a twist on “money speaks for itself”. Ximya implies that even if his speech is muddled or unclear, his money will get his meaning across.

i am the honey, but money is the glucose

*honey is composed mainly of glucose and fructose. Ximya is saying that in the end, the parts that make up his being is, again, money.

나는 원했고 여긴 원하는 것 죽여버려

kill what you and everyone here wished for

그냥 네가 원하는 건 좆도 묻어버려

just bury your dick all you want

여긴 외모 재산 학력으로 caste-ing

they perform caste-ing* here based on your appearance, properties, academic background

*caste system is an old social hierarchy system where they separate people into ranks and are treated differently

1000 중에 990

990 out of 1000

너도 나도 Sudra

me and you are Sudra*

*Sudra is the lowest rank of the caste system

대세와는 정반대

the exact opposite of the current trend

여긴 겉만 부드러워

it is only soft here

흩뿌려버릴 새끼들

sprinkling fuckers

부름 앞에 수그려

bow down in front of the summon

i stutter money but money speaks fluent

그게 너의 신 나는 나무아미타불

that’s your God, I’m Namu Amitabha

fuck being beings

모든 게 조건 뒤에

behind all the conditions

990가지 열반 못 가는 지혜

there are 990 kinds of wisdom that will not reach Nirvana

#beenzino #nowitzki #khh #english trans #eng trans #english lyrics #eng lyrics #stefanie michova

7 notes · View notes

rainydawgradioblog · 1 year

Text

boyGENIUS!!!!

boygenius, a superstar trio of indie artists including phoebe bridgers, julien baker, and lucy dacus, recently released their debut album, and it is truly nothing short of genius. in a moment that was about as culturally significant to me as the signing of the declaration of independence, these three women utterly changed the course of my life and the lives of thousands of other melodramatic girlies. this lil post, despite being a healthy 3-ish weeks after the actual release of the record, will compile some of my standout thoughts on each track of the album. hope you enjoy! ;)

1: without you without them

one thing about me, i LOVE some boygenius harmonies. in a similar manner as my beloved favorite track from their 2018 EP, ketchum ID, without you without them provokes a deep sense of peace and emotion combined. “speak to me, until your history’s no mystery to me” is the cutest cleverest little lyric. the perfect opening track.

2: $20

0:01 seconds in, any seasoned boygenius fan immediately goes “julien!!!” her signature heavier guitar and drums sets her apart from the jump and creates the catchiest hook. plus the screaming at the end?? oh my god??? (that video of phoebe recording I KNOW!!!!! YOU HAVE!!!!! 20 DOLLARS!!!!!! has actually not left my head since i saw it)

3: emily i’m sorry

i will forever be unapologetically weak in the knees for phoebe bridgers. she captures so many emotions so beautifully in this, between loving someone so much it destroys you and feeling completely out of control of your life. i love the progression between “i can feel myself becoming someone only you could want” and “i can feel myself becoming somebody i’m not, i’m not” between the two choruses.

4: true blue

more songs about platonic love!!!! PLEASE!!!! this track is devastatingly adorable. “i can’t hide from you like i hide from myself,” is the perfect lyric to make you think of that friend who will tell you that you don’t have to say “its ok” when you’re miserable over something. the bridge also makes me feel like i’m floating. i love lucy!!!!

5: cool about it

WOW. unquestionably in the top three, immediately. i’m a sucker for a boygenius song where they all have equal verses (souvenier-esque) and this one HITS. i’ve seen so many different interpretations of this one, including but not limited to: 1: the feeling of knowing an old friendship is slowly drifting apart, 2: a heartbreak that you swallow and smile through for the other person, and 3: clinging to someone that you know is bad for you because you can’t imagine yourself without them. all of them are so fitting, and i find so much beauty in the open-endedness.

6: not strong enough

LUCY AT THE END. LITERALLY JUST. LUCY’S PART AT THE END.

makes me go actually crazy every time. they ate this one up. a depressing song in an upbeat major key melody is an incredible combination. sneaks up on ya.

7: revolution 0

this is such a genuinely beautiful song. another one where they just nailed the harmonies. “i used to think if i’d just close my eyes, i will disappear” reminds me so much of “i used to think you could hear the ocean in a seashell, what a childish thing” in phoebe’s single “sidelines.” definitely a lie on the floor and ponder existence while tracing the cracks in your ceiling type jam.

8: leonard cohen

i love a short little song. and this is a fantastic one. “i am not an old man having an existential crisis at a buddhist monastery, writing horny poetry, but i agree” is incredibly boygenius-coded. their tendency towards the occasional silly little lyric is something i can always get behind. my favorite fact about this one is that the story at the beginning is 100% true-and that phoebe was the one driving the car.

9: satanist

as the text that my best friend sent to me at the release of the album reads, “satanist BANGS” and it’s true. satanist does in fact, bang. another distinct julien standout, it provides a sick little head-bangy intermission to all the introspective, staring-at-the-ceiling pondering. “will you be a nihilist with me? if nothing matters, man that’s a relief” has got to be the realest thing i’ve heard in a minute.

10: we’re in love

dunno if this song has too much of a tinge of sadness to be my first dance song at my wedding…..but i certainly want it to be. i’d have to claim this one as my favorite from the album. everything about it is just stunning, from the lyrics and the story they convey to the vocals and simple instrumental backing. the verse about finding each other in the next life actually made me tear up in the public record store where i first heard the album. “i can’t imagine you without the same smile in your eyes, there is something about you that i will always recognize” ARE YOU KIDDING?!! so heart-stoppingly beautiful.

11: anti-curse

i’d love to drive down an empty highway with this song playing. there’s something so magical about a song that has a dramatic build-up, and there’s nobody that does a dramatic build-up better than these three right here (shout out not strong enough again). the instrumental swells at “i guess i did alright considering” and “i’m swimmin back” feel like such a true release of emotion, you can’t help but feel it alongside the band.

12: letter to an old poet

INSANE. easily a standout track, between the parallel to the past “me and my dog,” from the band’s debut EP, to the gut-wrenching lyricism delivered in phoebe’s smooth vocals, it’s seriously unforgettable-especially for old fans of the band. “and i love you, i don’t know why, i just do” is a poignantly simple capture of a feeling we’ve all faced at one point or another. the combination of love, hurt, and rage is such an intriguing combination and draws the listener in from the first moment. also a BIG fan of “you don’t get to tell me to calm down.” remember to never let anyone invalidate how you feel, my friends. and also remember to…

STAY COOL!!!!!

K-MURPH

listen here:

#Spotify

10 notes · View notes

mutogamingco · 1 year

Note

I don't think i remember or saw your Anti / corrupted Verse for Yugi, could you tell me about it a little? Would you ever bring it back?

//Okay! So buckle up, I have three or four that I have done at random times. I don't know for sure if I would bring it back as a permanent thing, but I'm open to it if people are interested outside of a closed thread. Any verse I have threads in is welcome to receive random asks and interactions (within reason, of course!) It's under a Read More because it got long.

The first one was a corruption verse where Yuugi's decision to play the Orichalcos in the duel against Atem planted a seed of corruption. I know a lot of people like to interpret him as a pure soul, but it's shown very early on that he has his own darkness just like everyone. He just heavily gravitates towards kindness and is generally only wishing harm on others if provoked. This seed of Orichalcos magic lay mostly dormant in his soul until post canon, where Yuugi has more of a tendency to bottle up his emotions. The magic actively caused pain the more he tried to resist it and @atlantis-prince offered his hand to join him. If Yuugi did the pain would stop. So he ended up corrupted and working for Dartz and of course he was sent after Atem and pretty much anyone. Some part of him deep down was aware of what was happening but he was numb to it until it was too late. The other Orichalcos verse was actually a role-reversal AU for the doma arc where a partner who wrote Atem discussed with me in DMs how we would have rewritten the season to better match the narrative of the entire series. We realized that if it had been Yuugi that played the card in that duel instead of Atem and was corrupted, and if it was Atem's soul who was taken instead, it would have actually given Yuugi a very interesting character arc where he gets to address his unresolved darkness, anxieties about Atem leaving, etc. It probably would have even influenced his decisions in the end and maybe tried to find a way for Atem to stay instead of participating in the Ceremonial Duel. In this one, the corruption is temporary, since it dissipates after the duel is over and he's left with the horror of what he's done. One twist too, is that without Atem in the puzzle to keep it under control, the dark magic and vengeful spirits trapped in the Puzzle constantly scream in his head and threaten to corrupt him again. He's haunted by constant nightmares and guilt beyond his friends' understanding. It's not just Atem's absence that's hurting him. In fact, when he was in the duel, he was under the influence of both and extremely unhinged as a result, as the Seal pushed Atem out just like it did to Yuugi in the anime. Overall, we had some very big plans and it was going so well! Yuugi would have had the support of the duel spirits (like Mahad) trying to help him through it, and we were planning to include Bakura since we felt it was a shame he was left out and it would have added some interest (he was even going to be the main person helping Yuugi in this situation if you can believe it). I did a short thread once where a piece of Zorc temporarily possessed Yuugi and that was fun to play around with. It was an exploration of what he would do in that situation, and the demon was forced out. Then there was a thread where he was sent a mysterious artifact (seemingly from his father) that latched onto him and possessed him. It was a parasitic magical item that needed to be removed, and it was successfully removed. His father did not send that box and had a hand in getting the bracelet off of Yuugi. Both of these threads were in my Wishshipping verse with @luckyredeyes

One I have mainly been thinking of is maybe an anti-verse or event where Yuugi is corrupted by the shadows. He can either work with an existing villain or it could be a Bad End, or even just an alternate verse where he is not the hero. As said in a previous answer, it would be more like how season0 and the early manga went, but probably my own take. His personality would depend on if this is him being corrupted post-DSOD or if he was corrupted after solving the Puzzle in canon, making him canon-divergent. This one has not been tried yet.

#ooc

10 notes · View notes

ruedeirdre18 · 1 year

Text

Song Interpretation pt. 1 ("Labour" by Paris Paloma)

"Labour" by Paris Paloma is a powerful and emotive song that explores the struggles of a person, women particularly, in a relationship where they feel overworked and underappreciated. The lyrics delve into themes of emotional manipulation, gender roles, and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. The song is a poignant reflection on the toll that toxic relationships can take on a person's mental and emotional wellbeing.

Verse 1:

Why are you hanging on

So tight

To the rope that I'm hanging from

Off this island?

This was an escape plan (this was an escape plan)

Carefully timed it so that we'd go

And dive into the waves below

This opening verse suggests that the narrator is in a difficult and potentially dangerous situation. The use of the metaphor of hanging from a rope off an island suggests that they are isolated and in need of rescue. The escape plan was carefully timed, indicating that the narrator had been planning to leave for some time. The reference to diving into the waves below suggests a willingness to take risks in order to escape the current situation.

Verse 2:

Who tends the orchards?

Who fixes up the gables?

Emotional torture

From the head of your high table

Who fetches the water

From the rocky mountain spring?

And walk back down again

To feel your words and their sharp sting?

And I'm getting fucking tired

This verse highlights the imbalanced power dynamic in the relationship, with the narrator performing all of the household tasks and feeling emotionally drained as a result. The reference to the "head of your high table" suggests that the partner holds a position of authority and control. The use of expletives adds emphasis to the narrator's frustration and exhaustion.

Chorus:

The capillaries in my eyes are bursting

If our love died would that be the worst thing?

For somebody that I thought was my savior

You sure make me do a whole lot of labor

The callous skin on my hands is cracking

If our love ends would that be a bad thing?

And the silence haunts our bed chamber

You make me do too much labor

The chorus reflects the narrator's feelings of being overworked and underappreciated in the relationship. The use of vivid imagery, such as bursting capillaries and callous skin, suggests physical and emotional exhaustion. The questions about the value of the relationship and the partner's role as a supposed "savior" indicate doubts and concerns about the future of the relationship.

Verse 3:

Apologies from my tongue

And never yours

Busy lapping from flowing cup

And stabbing with your fork

I know you're a smart man

(I know you're a smart man)

And weaponize the false incompetence

It's dominance under a guise

This verse highlights the power imbalance in the relationship, with the partner taking advantage of the narrator's apologies and using their intelligence to manipulate the situation. The reference to "lapping from flowing cup" suggests a life of luxury and privilege for the partner, while the narrator is left to suffer the consequences of their actions. The use of the phrase "false incompetence" suggests that the partner may deliberately feign ignorance or incompetence in order to maintain control.

Verse 4:

If we had a daughter

I'd watch and could not save her

The emotional torture

From the head of your high table

She'd do what you taught her

She'd meet the same cruel fate

So now I've gotta run

So I can undo this mistake

At least I've gotta try

This verse expresses the narrator's deep concern for the potential consequences of the relationship on future generations. The mention of a daughter suggests the cycle of emotional torture and oppressive dynamics continuing if they were to have a child. The narrator acknowledges their powerlessness to save her from the same fate they have endured. The decision to run away is driven by a desire to break free from this harmful cycle and attempt to rectify the mistakes made in the relationship.

Chorus:

The capillaries in my eyes are bursting

If our love died would that be the worst thing?

For somebody that I thought was my savior

You sure make me do a whole lot of labor

The callous skin on my hands is cracking

If our love ends would that be a bad thing?

And the silence haunts our bed chamber

You make me do too much labor

The chorus repeats, reinforcing the narrator's feelings of physical and emotional strain caused by the relationship. The bursting capillaries in their eyes and the callous skin on their hands serve as powerful symbols of the toll that the labor and emotional burden have taken on them. The questions raised about the value and consequences of the relationship indicate a growing realization that the current situation is unsustainable and detrimental to their well-being.

Outro:

All day, every day

Therapist, mother, maid

Nymph then a virgin, nurse than a servant

Just an appendage, live to attend him

So that he never lifts a finger

Twenty-four seven, baby machine

So he can live out his picket fence dreams

It's not an act of love if you make her

You make me do too much labor

The outro confronts the societal expectations placed on the narrator, portraying them as being forced into various roles and responsibilities without receiving the love and appreciation they deserve. The lyrics depict a life of constant servitude, where the narrator is expected to fulfill every need and desire of their partner, sacrificing their own identity and dreams in the process. The repetition of the phrase "You make me do too much labor" underscores the overwhelming nature of the narrator's situation.

In short, "Labour" by Paloma Paris is a deeply introspective song that explores the themes of emotional labor, power dynamics, and the struggle to break free from oppressive relationships. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the narrator's exhaustion and frustration, highlighting the toll that an imbalanced and manipulative partnership can have on an individual's mental and emotional well-being. Through evocative imagery and heartfelt expressions, the song invites listeners to reflect on the importance of recognizing and addressing unequal dynamics in relationships.

Credits to this photo to the rightful owner.

You can suggest me a song by leaving a comment at the comment section. I'll be happy to interpret it and mention you ^^!

6 notes · View notes

currentlyprocrastinating · 2 years

Text

I have Mulberry Street by Twenty Øne Piløts stuck in my head and it reminds me so much of both Mint Eye (especially Days 1 - 4), and of GE Saeran.

Cos, like most of their songs, it's left open to a variety of interpretation.

One (which, I believe, fits into the TØP lore?) is the idea of keeping up a happy guise / an authority figure sending out a message or propaganda telling everyone to "keep your bliss, there's nothing wrong with this" and stay happy.

Obviously, there's a lot of that at Mint Eye. Even the Believers that are so affected by the elixir that they geniunely believe themselves to be happy, we all know that they are still suffering deep down, stuck with unresolved wounds of the past, and forced to be in mindless "bliss" under their Saviour.

And, of course, we see this in its rawest form within Ray and his circumstances, especially days 1 - 7.

I think the second verse alludes to some of the Mint Eye philosophies, too.

Keep your sunny days

Leave us in the rain

[...]

You can have the weekends

We will live between them

This message of unconventional happiness, especially in the former two lines. It parallels the philosophy of embracing one's darkness to find "paradise" — even more so with the rejection of sunny days. Rika is so opposed to "the sun" when she's posing as their Saviour, and she passes those ideals down to them.

But then... there's a brighter interpretation to this song, especially in the later verses, and that's the side that reminds me of GE Saeran. Especially because this song geniunely has such an upbeat and chirpy/bouncy tune, which just... absolutely paints a mental picture portrait an image of GE Saeran — so, so happy as he is.

This other interpretation is a recovery, a bounce-back. The chorus references a line used in one of TØP's other songs, Migraine: "And my pain will range from up, down, and sideways." That line is, within its context, a metaphor of mental instability, such as extreme mood swings, or (as I experience it with my ADHD) "high highs and low lows."

But in this song, Mulberry Street, the chorus says, "Get out of our way / We're moving sideways." Which could indicate gaining mental stability and moving forward in life.

The third verse really screams the connections in my head:

Ain't no sunny skies, 'till you finally realize

That everybody relies on synthetic highs

They find someone to prescribe

Synthetic highs -> the bliss state that the elixir forces the believers into. But then there's also that first line, alluding to Saeran coming around at the end of his route. Him realizing the truth about Mint Eye, the nature of the elixir's abilities to affect, etc. is what allowed him to embrace his "sunny skies" — his MC, his freedom, his love, his true strength...

The rest of the song is varying repeats of the chorus, along with a bridge (the part most stuck in my head, lol). And it just... feels like such a confident, joyful, self-assured tone throughout its ending, from the beat to the repeating lyrics. Saying, "things are getting better, and we're not going to let anything stand in our way. We're keeping our heads held high, our hearts strong, our resolution firm. We will be happy, no matter what — and that's a promise."

#this turned into a full blown post whoa #anyways i love tøp and the thousands of interpretations their songs are crafted to have #mystic messenger #mysme #saeran choi #ge saeran #ray route #417 says stuff #ray #mysme ray

5 notes · View notes

styx1an · 3 years

Text

A Chat about Chat

A short fic about how Chat came to be a singular being, written by yours truly. By all means, this isn’t canon, it’s just my interpretation of things.

Word count: 1,863

Fandom: RTGame, Miitopia (NGL I’m a little displeased with how I wrote the ending, but oh well!)

You know, there is this odd sense of irony in knowing how terrified Chat was of Magical John when they aren’t even human nor a singular being in the first place. Wait, so you didn’t know? Of how they became such a being in the first place? (They chuckle.) Then I suppose that means I’ll have to tell you their story. Well then, shall we begin the tale of Chat? (You see the twinkle in their eyes. They must’ve been waiting a while to be able to do this.)

> You nod. You’ve been waiting a while to understand Chat’s origins. Tonight, like many others, belongs to the storyteller.

> You shake your head. No thanks, you think you’re too tired. Dawn shall rise anew soon, and you will not waste your time with tall tales.

(They nod, pleased with your decision.) Then I shall begin to relay their tale.

Our tale begins in the vast lands known as Twitch, a domain that belongs to another, a far crueler being whose tale is for another time. It is a place where one is free to express their opinions and whatnot (as long as it suits the many whims of its Amazonian overlords, of course), and many are versed in the easy to learn, but difficult to master art of gaming. Many such masters have gained a large following, and even if they do not possess such skill, more often than not their humor and charisma paves the way to fame.

One example of the latter would be RTGame, a man of sizable repute. Aside from the frankly ridiculous story of the origin of his moniker, he is also known for doing some… questionable things for the sake of entertainment. There are still tales of his quest in the bathtub along with Gilbert (yes, the very same Gilbert on the quest to defeat The Darker Lord Khadgar!), the night of the Painted Wall’s Communion, the birth of Mr. Compost- But my dear, we are here for one of his lesser-known exploits, one that would change the world as we know it.

> You lean closer to the campfire, watching the storyteller with a renewed interest. Where does the tale lead? Where does it end? You need to know.

> It’s getting even later. You think some rest will be needed before tomorrow’s travels begin. Perhaps the rest of the story can wait another time?

It was a dark and stormy night. The then-Dark Lord Von Karma had just been unleashed upon the land, and I Want Die set along the path of salvation with his fellow party members, Mr. Bean the Warrior, Goofy the Thief, and Mint the Horse. He was pleased with the ease with which they vanquished monsters and saved (literal) faces, but the lack of actual conversation within the party had begun to get to him. Mr. Bean had nothing to offer other than a simple “Bean!” every now and then, and Goofy terrified him with all the “hyuck!” and talks of absolving the world’s many sins. Mint is a horse and therefore cannot participate in a verbal conversation unless you happen to understand what her neighs meant. She also happens to be the most normal member of the party, strangely enough.

Either way, I Want Die longed for a proper conversation.

And God took notice.

It was inevitable. The fourth party member was always going to join, whether he wanted one or not. It shouldn’t be notable in any way whatsoever, yet here I am regaling this tale to you.

It is not how Chat had come to join the party that I wanted to explain, but rather how they came to be.

Do you remember the man I had called RTGame? I hope you had not thought of him as irrelevant to our tale, as he is the patron saint of I Want Die’s adventures. Surely you know of the vast armory that belongs to the party? The various delicacies fed to the team? All his work. Along with his followers’ contributions, of course.

Chat was what he called his followers, the ones who watched his various endeavors as he traveled across the land of Twitch. Oftentimes the crowd would conversate with him (hence their name), offering jokes and sardonic commentary whenever he did anything remotely comedic. Other times, RT would have to tell them off for being such a rowdy bunch- the usual group of thousands could never keep quiet for long.

It happened that Chat witnessed I Want Die’s pilgrimage along with RTGame. They all looked upon him with a jolly sense of humor (after all, their master is well-versed in the art of comedy), some wondering where his travels will bring him. The others who knew how it would all end kept silent at the behest of RTGame. Either way, every single one of them was enjoying the show he had put on for them.

And came the time to summon the fourth member.

As per usual, RTGame withdrew into his workshop, closing the curtains around him so no curious onlooker could see inside. But that did not stop Chat from yelling their predictions and demands.

“EDGEWORTH” one cried.

Another begged for a certain “End Mii!”

“CHAT CALM DOWN!”

“!uptime”

“69420toesucker just subscribed for 5 months!”

“TURG”

RTGame smiled at them. He wasn’t surprised at all at their reactions, rather it was something he had hoped would happen.

“Alright then Chat,” he said, “here they are!”

His pale, thin hands reached out to open the curtains-

And unveiled a faceless, empty husk of a being.

Under any other circumstances, Chat would’ve rioted, demanded justice against the irony of sending a faceless doll to retrieve the faces of others. But they had no time.

Almost in an instant, the skies darkened. Clouds swirled up above with vibrant shades of violet, cobalt, magenta. Bright blue lightning strikes a tree and dissolves it into dust. Somewhere distant, something roars. The air feels thick- something magical, something electric is positively buzzing. Magic truly is in the air.

And thunder strikes once again.

The crowd is gone.

Silence fell. All that is left is the master and the doll, no longer an empty husk.

> You look up to the storyteller, their eyes reflecting the blazing flames. You have a feeling that you know how this ends, but you’d rather have them confirm it first.

> You’re sleepy. As tempting as it is to continue listening to their story, you must admit that the very idea of slumber is even more tantalizing.

RTGame had managed to do exactly what he wanted. Chat’s consciousness, placed inside of a single, physical being. A puppet controlled by a hivemind would not be very easy to control, yes. But the idea intrigued him. And wouldn’t it be better than having a large gaggle of people constantly behind him, watching his every move? It could help I Want Die on his journey too.

So it is settled. It happened that one of the members of his temple had just crafted a rather nice puppet, in case RT needed one. And he did come to use it. It does look a little plain, as both body and head are painted in the same shade of bright white. However, the face was not white like how it was in the beginning, but a disturbingly pitch-black space. No, that’s not the right word.

Rather, it was like a void had formed. That’s also not the right phrase to describe it either, as there were drops of ichor dripping down onto the ground, dissolving the once green grass. But I digress.

Chat broke the silence that had fallen between them, wailing as a cacophony of noises and emotions spilled out. Despite what RT had done to them, they were still determined to voice their opinions. Quite in character, really.

“RT WHAT”

“NO NO NO”

“!uptime”

“I'M ON TV!!!”

“bazingabanana just gifted 5 subs!”

“that’s kinda meta”

As their voices grew louder, ichor kept pouring out of the void. As expected, RT thought to himself. He still needs to act fast. So with a quick snap, he fastened a wooden mask the temple-goer made; the same shade of white, a pair of beady black eyes almost as dark and soulless as the void, bright purple ears.

The yelling and complaining didn’t stop of course. Still, as their voices were muffled by the mask, it was an arguably better experience than the previous ear-splitting wails. And it was less deadly too. Ichor had stopped dripping down onto the grass, which meant that the constant sizzling would finally stop.

Now, one last thing.

RT stared into Chat’s eyes.

This in itself wouldn’t have been quite a remarkable action had it been anyone else, but it’s Chat that we are talking about. The very sensation of doing something as simple as gazing into a hivemind’s many souls wasn’t anything ordinary, either.

It felt like you had just plunged one of your hands into ice-cold water in the middle of winter and not only are you freezing, you’re scared and you don’t know whether you’d come out in one piece.

They all stared back. Thousands and thousands looked upon RT, all different yet whispering the same things, each claiming to be an individual yet virtually nothing distinctive belongs to them. A true hivemind. It’s exactly what he wanted, but he wondered if perhaps other troubles would arise.

He let himself go from their gazes. It asks too much of him.

“Alright then, Chat. Ready?”

A gaggle of voices reply, sounding their agreements.

“OK then!”

I Want Die finally opened the inn door, after convincing himself that he’d like this new friend. That this one would be neither an anime villain, a comedy star or a horse. Someone with actual rational thoughts and words to speak.

In front of the door stood a short figure, clad in a purple mage’s robes. Their pitch-black eyes looked at I Want Die, and a chorus of voices came from their permanent smile:

“Hi, I’m Chat!”

And I Want Die wondered if he had forgotten to cross off ‘hivemind’ off his list of potential party members.

Chat’s introduction ends here, of course. But not their tale. The journey was far from over in fact. The party had yet to meet the Royal Court, witnessed the court’s love affair, or get kidnapped by the Dark Lord Von Karma. Even the party wasn’t complete, as it was only the first party I Want Die would encounter in his tale of redemption.

And it’s not the only story either. You haven’t heard of Magical John’s past life, or how Cupcake isn��t as pure as she seems. Gilbert’s fear of the kitchen. How Jefferson came to be, and Obama’s past life with Mr. Bean.

But I’m afraid I must stop here, for it is late already, is it not? Our journey must continue tomorrow. Let us rest. Goodnight, may the stars shine for you. (They head off into their tent, leaving you alone with the flickering embers of a dying fire.)

> You bid the storyteller goodnight. Perhaps they’ll tell you another one of their stories, underneath the moonlight once more.

#rtgame #magical john #well i wrote! dont like how the latter half was written but ok #miitopia #writing #rtgamecrowd

114 notes · View notes

sprinklesandshatters · 3 years

Text

A Review on NCT 127′s 3rd Album <Sticker>

So NCT 127 just came back with their 3rd Full Album <Sticker> and this is my first 127 comeback since I became a fan last year! Neozone is such a special album for me as it was their first album that I explored entirely. I've known NCT as the group who never fails any expectations so I've kept mine up although I know they'll exceed it anyway. And guess what, they did! I absolutely love their new album hence this review~

This isn't a technical music review—as I am not a musician myself—but rather a listener's honest takes, goofy notes, and interpretation on each of the tracks in the album. I admit I've also struggled to build my own opinions on some of the tracks until I listened to them over and over again.

I have also heard there are mixed opinions on the title track <Sticker> and a lot says it's another acquired taste. But I think it's not just that, as it can be a grower, just like how most of NCT's songs were for me. Maybe after a few listens and a right passage of time, it will grow on those people. The bottom line here is, I like it a lot! 😛

So I listed down the songs according to their respective track numbers and followed each with a bulleted list of my opinions and interpretations.

(Viewer/reader discretion: before you continue, minors, do not interact as there are few 18+ contents under the cut. Thank you.)

1. Sticker

THEY DIDN'T JUST PUNCH A NEW NOTCH ON THE BELT LIKE THAT

THIS SONG SLAPS, LITERALLY SLAPS… AND WHIPS

The recorder at the intro boyyyy I thought something was wrong but then I remember it’s NCT lmao

It already stuck in my head from my first listen from the Instagram audio.

With Taeyong opening the verse with his divine rapping, I knew I'm in for a new ride.

STICK-UH STICK-UGH STICK-UGHGHGH

To those complaining it sounding like noise music, imagine it sounding generic. I don't think it would fit as the title track. Not a b-track or in their repertoire, even. They are called NCT because they define the NEO in the music culture and music technology!

It honestly was an unorthodox, just like all of their title tracks, which I’m inherently here for.

Literally, no one does it like them!

The growls and the vocal flexes and adlibs! (You can tell it has Yoo Youngjin's brand.)

The crisp metronome sound that’s consistently ticking except for the pre-chorus and the dance break adds depth to the soundscape. I love how it’s used instead of the usual snaps.

The production quality blew my mind. Like how can someone think those melodies would sound so exquisite? CAN I CALL THEM GENIUS?

The piano at the back, oh my God—Yes! It adds this mystifying element to the song.

I'm not sure if it's a midi violin at the pre-chorus, but it added thrill to the song. It was a great transition from the bass line in the verses to the combination of the flawless harmony with the same instrumental.

"You treat me like a boy, like a grown-up child chasing a dream" JUNGWOO BABY NO MORE HUH

Taeil, Doyoung, and Haechan—the bridge vocal trinity!

But why the heck are they cowboys? I dig the concept, but why? LMAO

BTW GUNSLINGER MARK I’M ON MY KNEES YEEHAW

This is easily one of my favorite tracks from NCT 127's entire discography 💚

2. Lemonade

(⌐■_■)

Jaehyun starting off this song with his deep voice eee

The song opens to a verse oozing with chill confidence. They're like, yeah you're lurking because we’re cool.

This is such a huge slap to their haters. NCT's not chillin' like a villain, nah they're the main characters!

Well maybe they’re villains, but still ya not cooler than them ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Funny enough how they could have just referred haters as simply lemons whose sour/bitter to the taste, but 127 squad's success is sweeter than all the haters' spiteful remarks so yeah, SIPPY SIPPY LEMONADE 🧃

"WOOF"

I might have just barked too wOW

Yuta’s vocals hooooO his voice just sounds so glamorous mhmm

Also Mark referencing their previous title tracks such as: Firetruck, Cherry Bomb, and Regular (it's Irregular in the lyrics) in his rap part 👌💅

I just love Mark's energy when he raps. HE RESOLUTELY BITES AND STRAIGHT UP EATS EVERY TIME HE DOES.

3. Breakfast

Now breakfast time, oh jeez!

AAAHAHFU—

Summer 127's bestie!

If Summer 127 talks about dancing all night long, Breakfast is the morning after.

You know what it is.

"Even if I gulp and drink you, it's not enough for me." oho Taeyong no you ha—STOP

Sexual innuendos aside, isn't it just sweet if someone tells you they'd want to have breakfast with you every day? Okay maybe I'm melting at the thought 😩🙈💞

And I can see myself dancing to this song as I make breakfast (in the afternoon or at midnight bc I’m crazy)

This was an okay b-track for me at the first skim on the album, but boy it grew on me wildly.

Honestly one of my favorite tracks in this album.

4. Focus

Did I just invade a private call? LMAO

The analog voice filters make it like so.

Dude, this feels intimate in the level of eavesdropping a phone call between seasoned lovers. Then you realize you hear them whispering their kinks over the line and you're ooh, that's sexy! hfgklhfhf

My first listen to this, I almost went feral because,

"I can't wait to eat you…" when it's actually "I can't wait 'til we chill…" aahaha

"Baby call me when you want me." OKAY!

This sounds relaxing and chill. I'd love to play this on a late night drive or just before bed time along with Fly Away With Me, Sun & Moon, My Youth, and Long Flight.

Belongs to ‘make out session’ playlist ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

That was lowkey a playlist recommendation, huh?

I'd be kidding if I don't say I could touch myself while listening to this song AHAHAFGHFJFJ

I didn't know this would grow on me this much lol I love love LOVE THIS!

5. The Rainy Night

Ooh, the holy melancholy!

Piano at the intro—I knew I'd cry to this.

This song isn't just about break-up, but the heartbreak after one.

The yearning; the remnant pieces from the shattering of what was once there.

I think I crumbled from this one.

This hit so hard I felt like I fit in the shoes with the lyrics throughout the entire song.

What’s fascinating is I clearly forgot the title when I mentally said this sounds like a sad rainy day song from the first listen.

Something I’d turn up when it suddenly rains, just because I want to feel the blues.

Taeil and Haechan singing in lower register? I wanna cry :( they’re just one of the best vocalists in K-music industry right now.

Could have been also nice if they added Yuta to the vocals.

"My selfish heart who waits for you to come back," OKAY WHO HURT THEM?

And the fact that they sang it so good that it translated every ounce of the emotions well even before I looked up for English translations is the reason why I love this song too.

6. Far

Hmm… What the hell?! Do I like this? Wait...

Alright!

The jumpy vibe from the first verse to the pre-chorus set the mood for this song. It sounds merry and heavy. It was honestly too much to take until I’ve reached the chorus part.

Honestly, I think this song could fit NCT Dream better, as it gives off a vibe similar to Hello Future's b-tracks. If some credible source say this could have made HF’s track list, I might believe you too fast.

Also Dream’s Deja Vu where they go na nananananana na na na~

Playful yet confident! That’s what I mean!

As usual, the vocals are insane! Vocal flex from left to right!

I swear Jungwoo sounded a bit like Taemin at the second verse that I had to replay it hahaha

I love hearing Johnny as a vocalist! SM, how many signs do you need until you utilize his vocal talent???

Taeil's part where he sings, "go nuts, go nuts, 'til we go bust, go bust" IDEK BUT I SNORTED A LAUGH AT FIRST LISTEN HFCAHKFHK

Not my favorite, but still great though!

But wait it’s actually stuck in my head???

7. Bring The Noize

Yes, they never beat those noise music allegations

HERE'S SOME NOIZE, BITCHES

I love me some noisy percussions. AND THE BASS YO

This screams so much confidence!

The build up from the pre-chorus to the chorus—FIRE!

This song reminds me a lot of SuperM's Super Car, especially with the engine roar samples and the battle cry-like singing at the chorus.

JAEHYUN RAPPING? You mean Jaehyun the visual, the vocalist, the actor, the model, the funny dude, aka my everything?! (markie bb look pls look away for a moment)

THEY DELIVERED IT STRAIGHT FROM NEOCITY THAT'S SOME NCT MUSIC RIGHT THERE NO ONE DOES IT LIKE THEM

When I said I'd play Focus on a late night drive, and if I add this in the playlist, VROOM VROOM SPEED LIMIT WHAT

OUTTA MY WAY

“We got no shame” ouh TAEYONG’S FLOW IS JUST VERY HIM AND HE’S IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN

You know what's so clever about this song? It's how it ended with Mark's final rap without any instrumental, leaving you standing there with a doppler effect-like post experience.

A super car on a super speed just whooshed past you and you look its way as it zips through the road. It's gone in an instant but you're floored dumbfounded at a sidewalk. That's how I describe this song.

8. Magic Carpet Ride

This song… Wow. Oh gosh it's so beautiful.

Their harmony in the chorus—it makes me want to kiss someone so passionately that I'd cry.

This makes me want to feel love that transcends the universe. Literally, just please take me on a magic carpet ride :(

The background harmonies too oh my goodness—HEAVENLY.

Jaehyun's voice is so warm and soulful it fits perfectly with songs of this genre.

Okay alright Doyoung Grande!

And Taeil makes me feel like I'm listening to old school R&B.

The first time I heard this from the track video, I can't stop replaying because it's just that great.

This makes me want to love. I think that sums it up.

9. Road Trip

This is such a soothing song for me, especially how I easily become nostalgic thinking about the road trips I've had.

Whenever I listen to this, my brain immediately conjures up thoughts of my ideal getaways. Gazing at the sky through the car window, stirring up from a nap in the middle of the ride, and eventually reaching your destination.

Oh, to travel around anywhere... (curse you covid-19)

Okay that's it. I'M PACKING UP.

But where do I go—

I could also imagine Mark playing this on the guitar and the other members sing along together, something like that.

Just Wholesome™ vibes.

I love how it evokes such a nice emotion within me effortlessly.

This isn't my favorite, but I still love this.

10. Dreamer

Eyyyy such a refreshing song!

This song is so bright it makes me want to dance. I play this first in the shower!

It reminds me so much of Elevator (from Neozone)

The horns make it more lively I think!

Yuta and Jungwoo's voice suits lively songs like this.

The background vocal in low register in Taeyong's part in the first verse is so good ahhfhf

Taeil, the R&B vocal king you are...

There's this part where Doyoung and Johnny harmonized, that at first listen they seemed to clash, but it sounded actually fine after a few listens. Maybe it's just that I've never heard them do it before.

And I think it's Doyoung's laugh at the end of the bridge? Oh my goodness I really love this too!

11. Promise You

MY FIRST LOVE AND MOST FAVORITE SONG IN THE ALBUM!!!

The first time I heard this from their NCIT Sharehouse Sitcom, I fell in love with the song already.

It sounds like something you'd feel from a warm, welcoming hug.

The lyrics are so beautiful and endearing. It's definitely a be-there-for-you type of song that will touch your heart.

It definitely sounds like a promise.

A song about platonic intimacy.

This really fits to be the closing song of the album. It's like the end of it but holds a promise that says “see you soon.”

Because they cherish their fans like that.

It's also like I've watched a movie with a happy ending, where the camera pans up to the clear sky and this song starts playing.

Speaking of ending, I would love to hear them sing this as an encore stage in their concert. You know, that moment just before the stage lights die down at the end of the concert where they send final blows of flying kisses to NCTzens. Then you come home smiling and crying.

This wasn't supposed to be this long since I originally planned to write this with just simple phrases and emojis but I got too engrossed lol. I also meant to include my own ratings but I figured it’s pointless since I can’t really decide about them hahaha

I really enjoyed the whole album and I love how they're progressively defining what NEO means by breaking through standards. It's not NCT music if it doesn't make you say "WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?" But then you realize it’s stuck in your head and you’re enjoying it already.

✨ OVERALL RATING: 127/10 💚

if you’ve reached until here, thank you for letting me share you a braincell or two 💞

64 notes · View notes

love-and-bubbles · 2 years

Text

As it was… my thoughts.

Disclaimer: I would like to start by saying that I strongly dislike when people write reviews about art portraying it as if their explanation or interpretation is in any way superior or more correct than any other. I love art as a personal experience. This is why I decided to write down my two cents.

Secondly, I would like to add that I haven’t read any interpretations or watched any interviews or anything related to the song since it came out. I wanted to experience it myself and have my own interpretation first.

Now to the juicy bit: I love it! I was worried that I might not like it at first, that it would be an acquired taste like I experienced with some of H’s other songs, but I loved it from the first second on. I loved it so much, that it totally surprised me how much. And now I can’t believe that this world had existed before without it. To me, it feels like this song has always been there (maybe it has). I cried. This song really hit something right on, hence this review. Because I believe it deserves it.

The melody/sound. So upbeat, happy. I do not know much about music, so I will try to describe my experience in my layperson’s words. For me, it feels like the ‘Golden’ of Harry’s House. But instead of being directed outwards, talking about someone else, it is directed inwards. More about that in a sec. So, an upbeat, poppy, catchy song, that repeats the same tunes over and over and ends in this open way which makes it perfect to be looped endlessly. The perfect song to get stuck in your head. But also sweet and nearly too sweet and there is a certain drive and I feel all those different forces that are pulling and waving into each other in the melody.

The lyrics/text/words. It feels like speaking from my soul. I have a hard time letting go and moving on, trying to build this beautiful perfect life without mistakes. I do let go but it stays with me in such a way, as if I always keep the wounds open just a bit, never really letting go all the way.

These lyrics are nostalgic, no question. The first verse talks about a person who can not be replaced, who someone can not move on from, how someone wants to move on from a topic but is held back, and it can just not be left. The most obvious being the chorus which is blatantly talking about change and time. Then the second verse talks about pressure and judgement and loneliness and helplessness. Very dark indeed. But it is also okay because it is changing and it is what it is.

Now the part that could be (and I do) interpreted in different ways: In this world, it’s just us. Could be Covid-couple-times, or any time at that, that a couple or 2 people feel like they are each other's world and they understand each other and it’s basically them against the world, or at least they are together in a bubble of comfort. The other interpretation which atm is closer to my heart because it speaks more to my current situation is someone talking to themself or themselves. I do that (and in no way is that a proof of anything) but I talk about myself and to myself using plural forms. Because I feel like one part of me is talking to another part of me. This is especially prevalent when it comes to gender questions. This whole song gave me gender euphoria and acceptance feelings. I am genderfluid, so not only do I need to accept myself, but also all the parts that make me whole need to accept and love each other as well. Not easy to love your boobs on a ‘flat chest’ day, but I know I will love them (and have to love them) on a ‘boobie day’ again. So, I basically try to tell myself all the time: ‘This is all we have P.’ In my world, it matters that I am happy, no matter what anyone says. When I am alone in my bedroom and I hug myself trying to tell myself that everything will be alright this is what I would tell myself:

In this world, it’s just us

You know it’s not the same as it was

This is about love and acceptance.

The video/visuals. H dancing. Anyone dancing… I love dance. It is my way of expressing myself and this is the vibe I got from the video as well: The need to express oneself. Two beings being the same but not, not being able to be together, to be one, to be there for each other, while all is looked for in them are their differences, while all what they see are their similarities and their love. Confusion, emotion, all part of it. Chasing something, not even knowing what one is chasing. Stripping it all down to be examined, to be measured up. But it all does not matter, because one stays the same and to discover oneself is the truest form of freedom and happiness. Being able to express oneself. All of that. And more. Yes gender, but also growing up, getting older, finding one's place in society. All that. And change. The everlasting change of things. And the world that keeps on spinning and the person that is lost in its wonders, and loves it, suffers it, and goes with the flow, through it all.

This is my take. And I haven’t even yet talked about colours, and staging, the inside-outside settings, how red encountered blue first by accident and then started chasing them, and all, and yes some of it might be a bit abstract and my thoughts hard to follow. I just needed to get this out because this song resonated with my soul and no matter what it actually stands for or means or was written about, this is what it does for me. Helping me to love and accept myself. What else could I want?

#harry styles #as it was #harry's house #hs3 #gender #gender euphoria #genderqueer #genderfluid #larry stylinson #larry is real #my brain on paper #no need to read #my two cents

13 notes · View notes

the-wayside · 2 years

Text

Here is me apprehensive to talk about the sexual activity/positioning conversation but I'mma do it because I do believe it has it's place in a story narrative. Specifically that.

Leo and Fiat from Don't Say No had their sexual intimacy built into their narrative because that was literally the only thing they didn't do as friends. It tells a story. Some people may disagree with me but Tutor and Fighter, their intimacy was built into the construct which is why it was so terrible when P'Fight did what he did when he was confused about their break up and missing Tor. You have to build up the norm to feel the deviation. Their language both physical and verbal was so disconnected and then you also see them reconnect. But the way those stories are set up isn't better or worse, it simply is. Sexual intimacy is a tool and if you use it well, I think it adds value.

The fandom fractures when there is again deviation from the expected content and structure but you really have to "read the room". Pat and Pran are deeply in love, so it's not a wild assumption that they're having sex. Well we know they are now. Go them. But that intimacy isn't the intimacy built into the narrative. It's the verbal support and affirmations they provide to each other.

And, you know, as an older queer person I remember vividly the way queer characters were and are treated post the AIDS crisis. I think there are a lot of us who struggle with the hypersexualization of LGBTQIA+ in media (the immoral gay) and the juxtaposition of the Ken doll queer who is your BFF but is never having sex in their entire life (the safe gay). I remember watching Queer as Folk US for the first time and Justin's "bashing" at the end of s1 and the subsequent homophobia from his attacker will probably never leave me. Brian's utter shock and how he looked like he had his heart ripped out of him was so painful and so well acted. But at the beginning of S2, their intimacy was structured around sex because that's what the story needed to be. Justin struggled to be touched and Brian struggled to feel like Justin was there and safe without it. Some would argue hypersexualization, I personally wouldn't for the aforementioned reasoning but that show was held as ground breaking due to it's portrayal of sex. Even now I would say it's stereotypical, Brian Kinney, the "man whore" gay man, but at the time, I was a confused queer who never realized my sexuality and later proclivities could be just for me until I was ready to tell people.

My point is and always is that sex has a place in the narrative when done well but it doesnt have a place in every narrative. That's why, to me, I need to examine the narrative to see what the director and production team is trying to tell me. We're not being mocked by BB. P'Aof has given us a beautifully complex queer relationship (+1) and he told us what he needed to tell us and how he needed to tell us and we love this for him.

However, the positioning talk is something that kind of needs to die off. Not all sexual intercourse requires penetration and people are verse. If you're going to write a story then it has to be on your best understanding of the characters. I pretty much propped up a whole rare pair with a character considered to be a "top" as a "bottom" and engaging in BDSM activity specifically because I believe a) he 100% would enjoy that and b) sex shouldn't be boxed up and allotted as if it's that simple. It's not.

Nonetheless, I do think the examination of relationship dynamics when it's pertinent to the narrative has it's place. And by that I mean, P'Fighter. It was never explicit but the dynamics of their relationship indicated that he and Tor were verse characters but the narrative is left open for that interpretation and put it into the universe. I mean, the final episode Tor literally asks if he can take back what's his. BB on the other hand does not allow for that so let's not. If P'Aof wanted to tell us he would have and it's not necessary. His story isn't about that.

In short, know your show. Not everything is about sexy sexy time but when it is, go ham. Not before.

#bad buddy #don't say no #why r u the series #text #meta

21 notes · View notes

sleevebuscemii · 2 years

Text

initial thoughts + favorite lyrics of each laurel hell track

valentine, texas

GREAT start and literally a soul opening shift in sound at the minute mark

favorite lyric: “wet teeth, shining eyes, glimmering by a fire”

working for the knife

love that this was the first song she released off the album that was the perfect decision. i think this is my favorite song based on lyrical content i just think it said so much with so little and hits so hard every time

favorite lyric: “i start the day lying and i end with the truth, that i’m dying for the knife”

stay soft

dance dance dance dance dance this song was made for dancing it was made for you in your room doing contemporary interpretive dance alone in the night and that’s exactly what i will be doing. was written for me and about me sorry to disappoint. sound wise my favorite of the album.

favorite lyric: “you stay soft, get beaten, only natural to harden up”

everyone

classic monologue with heavy instrumental mitski song. she really said no child left behind with the 80s synth sound and i love that for ME. also one of my favs lyrically

favorite lyric: “and i left the door open to the dark, i said ‘come in, come in, whatever you are,’ but it didn't want me yet”

heat lightning

i know mitski has shed the cowboy and i respect that but this was prime western shotgun duel music. just loved where the sound took my imagination

favorite lyric: “on the ceiling dancing are the things all come and gone”

the only heartbreaker

i lied when i said stay soft was my favorite soundwise because this one is actually (idk i keep going back and worth. stay soft is more dancey but i feel this one more) just superb to listen to. that instrumental ending. woo! i could run a mile a minute to it

favorite lyric: “if you would just make one mistake, what a relief that would be”

love me more

also very dance dance dance! with a lyrical bullseye. i can see people taking this as a pandemic song but i hope they known it’s more than that. reminded me a lot of my friend.

favorite lyric: “i could be a new girl, i will be a new girl”

there’s nothing left here for you

love a mitski song where she starts low and ends up screaming no one does that better than her. lyrically strong. i kept going back and forth about what i felt it meant but im sure i’ll find it in more listens.

favorite lyric: “you could touch fire, you could fly, it was your right, it was your life”

should’ve been me

loud and very fun. put me in a silly goofy mood :)

favorite lyric: “well, i went through my list of friends and found, ihad no one to tell, of this overwhelming clean feeling, strange serenity”

i guess

this one. this song. immediately into the first verse i decided this was a song from yourself to yourself and spent the rest of the song crying like baby. definitely the most important song on the album to me. in my top mitski of all time.

favorite lyric: “it’s been you and me since before i was me”

that’s our lamp

also very very fun and a great note to end on. i cannot express the level of appreciation i have for her literally just jam packing 80s sound into everything. i am humbly and eternally grateful

favorite lyric: “i’m standing in the dark, looking up into our room, where you'll be waiting for me, thinking that's where you loved me”

#lol this took longer than i thought but yeah #fucking superb #anyway this is mainly just for me cuz i wanted to get it down somewhere but anyone who agrees or wants to share otherwise feel free :)#mitski #laurel hell #m

14 notes · View notes

theji · 3 years

Text

我的世界守则 The Rules of My World: An Analysis

I came across this video while browsing Weibo last night. It was taken during Yibo's rehearsal for his 'The Rules of My World' performance. I've listened to the song countless times and I like it, the rhythm and all, and the dance. But as with many rap music, I don't pay attention to the lyrics. I suddenly realised I don't really know what the song is talking about, save for the few phrases that stood out. That sparked my interest and inspired today's post. I had previously done some analysis of Zhan's songs, so it's Yibo's turn.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional translator or lyricist. And obviously I'm not Yibo nor do I know him personally, so I can't say for sure what the song is really about. The following analysis is purely based on my personal interpretation. It has CPN components. Please skip if you don't believe that BJYXSZD.

'The Rules of My World' is the 2nd song that Yibo penned the lyrics to himself. The fact that he wrote the lyrics is significant and makes the song worth analysing. 2019's 'Wu Gan' was more 'inward-looking'; about Yibo expressing his own thoughts on navigating the entertainment industry. To me, 'The Rules of My World' is him making a statement, a stand, at the same time, he's sending a message to those he cares about - GG and his (real) fans. Yibo released this song on 30 Dec 2020. The timing is interesting cos it like he's summing up his sentiments based on the events that took place during the year. To outsiders, 2020 was a good year for Yibo. He had many endorsements, projects, high exposure, his commercial value rose. But in CPN reality, 2020 was terrible for so many reasons. GG's incident, him being overworked, crazy fan wars and antis etc etc..anyone who cares about Yibo would be delusional to think he had it good last year.

欢迎你们来加入我的世界 (You're welcome to join my world)

入场券上面有正义的光源 (There's a light of justice on the admission ticket)

DD is giving fans an open invitation to enter his world, to understand him as a person and not just an idol. And he also hopes that his world can bring some light to the fans' world, to bring some positivity, encouragement and guidance to them.

此生面对严厉又仁慈的一切 (In this life we'll face harshness but also kindness)

轻松一点，我们一起度过黑夜 (Just relax, together we'll overcome darkness)

In the entertainment world (or life in general), there will be ups and downs, criticisms and compliments. Regardless of what may come, we can overcome any challenges together. Darkness here could also refer to the antis who seem determined to bring GGDD down. This could be a message to fans - to tell them that they don't always have to rush to defend him, and they don't need to retaliate (aka fan wars). It could also be a message to GG, to make a stand of solidarity and to reassure GG that DD will face any challenges alongside him.

新的征途 (A new journey)

愚蠢的，不好相处 (These fools, they aren't easy to get along with)

愚蠢的，不会打住 (These fools, they won't stop)

但衬托明天更耀眼的路 (But they will set off a brighter path for tomorrow)

It was said that DD matured considerably after the 2*7 incident. Took up more responsibility, became more focused on his career and mindful of future advancements etc. Started to take on more serious acting projects and to shift his career trajectory towards something more sustainable and less 'idol'. The new journey could be a reference to this new path. The fools - the antis, those against GGDD - may have caused damage but their actions have also sparked off DD's desire to do better and to find his footing in the entertainment industry. He now has a clearer view of what he wants, the path he wants to take.

我是我的样子 (This is how I am)

我生来就固执 (I was born stubborn)

讲自己的故事 (I'll tell my own story)

活独特的气质 (Living my unique self)

Follow me, 找到自己的价值 (Follow me, find your own value)

不去迎合别人活才会觉得有意思 (Life is interesting if you don't cater to others)

我的世界不退让 (It's my world I won't give in)

Here, DD is being assertive. This is me, I follow my own rules, I'll make my own decisions, I'll forge my own path, I won't be influenced, I won't give up on my beliefs. So antis, capitalists etc can f*ck off.

It could also be seen as an advice to his fans - to follow his lead and live their own lives. This is also something that GG has repeatedly said to fans - to focus on their own lives, personal relationships, studies, careers etc. Don't devote so much time on chasing idols, online fan wars etc.

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

乐观地，走向前 (Just move forward with optimism)

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

无所谓，多危险 (Doesn't matter how dangerous it is)

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

这是我的世界 (This is my world)

我世界的守则，不许你诡辩 (These are the rules of my world, I won't allow any sophistry)

I see this as DD's words of encouragement, to himself and to GG. Despite all the challenges and hardship, darkness will pass and the sun will come out eventually. And it's shining brightly, there is hope left in this world, there's is much to look forward to. So don't fear, be brave and forge ahead.

Sophistry: the use of clever but false arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving

Poor DD is always hit with industry rumours, about him dating his co-stars etc. Last year, someone even made a false police report against him. Just look at the number of statements his company had to put out. There have also always been ongoing rumours about rivalry between GGDD, tales of backstabbing etc, especially in 2020 at the height of the incident. DD is saying that this is his life, his world. No one knows better than the both of them. So to those who don't know better but continue to spew nonsense about his life and relationships and spread hate, know that I don't care about your antics, they don't hurt me but I won't tolerate them as well.

在我世界行走 (Walking in my world)

什么人生主题你透露 (What kind of life theme do you envisage)

是胆大勇猛所向披靡 (Is it to be bold, courageous and invincible)

或胆小逃避钻进壳里 (Or to be timid and escape into your shell)

喧闹倾诉众人party (Is it to pour out your troubles at a rowdy party)

寂寞相思不停地哭泣 (Or to cry silently non-stop out of loneliness and love-sickness)

都欢迎你来我这里 (All are welcome)

只要跟从自己的内心 (So long as you follow your heart)

跟限制和噪音说一声 bang bang (I'll say 'Bang Bang' to restriction and noises)

怪兽都退散 (Monsters, be gone)

What kind of person am I in your eyes? The cool guy or soft sweet babie Yibo? Here, DD is acknowledging that the public has many different perceptions of him, and fans love different personas of him and he's ok with that. But if you love him, then let him be. Don't try to restrict him, don't quarrel or force him into a certain mould of your preference. He won't hesitate to shoot the haters (monsters) down.

迈出轻盈的步伐 (Take a light step forward)

一声令下 (With a single command)

来宣布告别孤勇 (To announce a farewell to having to fight alone)

On this new path, with a new-found realisation of what he wants, DD is clear of what he wants to achieve and he is no longer burdened by fear, uncertainties etc. Both GGDD now have each other by their sides, they share a common purpose as they navigate the intricacies of the entertainment industry together and work their way to the top. And I think this is something that we're seeing more in the fandom since end 2020 - GGDD seemingly becoming more bold in their actions and messages they put out (silent or otherwise).

想要做盘旋的龙 (Wanna be a hovering dragon)

还想做懒散的虫 (Or a lazy worm)

别打扰我走开没空 (Don't bother me, go away, I have no time for that)

In public, DD is that proud and confident king. He's not a pushover. But behind the cameras, he just wants to chill and relax (and play games). Please don't bother me, give me some privacy to lead my own life, don't tell me what I can or cannot do.

Cue DD's message. He meant it.

Follow me, 找到自己的价值 (Follow me, find your own value)

不去迎合别人活才会觉得有意思 (Life is interesting if you don't cater to others)

我们永远不退让 (We will never give in)

This is a repetition of the earlier verse but what has changed is the last 2 lines. From <It's my world I won't give in>, DD now says <We will never give in>. This was actually the first thing that sparked off my CPN, and hinted to me that this song concerns GG in some ways. Who's We? We all know how GGDD almost always use the word 'we' in their CQL promo interviews and bts, as though they come as a package and all views represent both of them as a entity. This also echoes the earlier sentiments - both of them, after the 2020 incident, have developed a steely resolve. They won't let the antis or challenges or societal views hold them back anymore. Their world, their rules. They will fight for their rights and what they believe in, and they are determined to reach their goals.

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

乐观地走向前 (Just move forward with optimism)

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

无所谓多危险 (Doesn't matter how dangerous it is)

阳光耀眼 (The sun is dazzling)

这是我的世界 (This is my world)

我们的世界不会被改变 (Our world will never be changed)

Again, similar to the above 'we' example. From this part of the song onwards, DD is referring to them both. The last line could also be viewed as an affirmation of GGDD's commitment to each other. Whatever is it, our relationship will not change. We will go through it all together.

Don‘t stop, get it, get it

Let me see you work up on it

Don’t stop, get it, get it

Let me see you all up on it

Let me see you work up on it

Don‘t stop, get it, get it

Don't stop

Hey

I interpret this as DD's words of encouragement to GG. Like don't stop fighting, continue to work hard towards your (our) goals. Go for it, you can do it!

在我的世界 (In my world)

本能很关键 (Instinct is the key)

坚持自己 (Stay true to yourself)

就是你们的世界 (It is your world)

DD's parting words to fans: to stay true to oneself, to build and enrich your own worlds, to fight for your goals, like how he is trying.

Well, I had fun working on this. Maybe I'll do Wu Gan another time. Reminded me of literature class during my schooling days, although I never did Chinese literature back then. Feel free to share your thoughts on the song with me. =D

#wang yibo #bjyx #bjyxszd #yizhan #the ji's song of the moment

103 notes · View notes

out-of-this-dimension · 3 years

Text

Hypothetically Rewriting Assault’s Story + Some General Assault Opinions

There’s a game my husband and I like to play when we watch a movie, play a game, or read a book that has a story that we don’t really enjoy or we enjoy certain parts of but not others. We look at things we’d keep and things we’d change and we build a story from there-- sort of like an AU but we don’t really go into the writing part, we just stick to theorizing and mapping a general story.

I decided to play that game with Star Fox. Not because I think Star Fox has a bad story but because sometimes I think the stories could have been handled better. Note: for the rewrite game, I only really look at story, even for video games, I don’t really look at gameplay mechanics, but I do understand those have a lot to do with story potential so I do take it in as a factor... I just don’t bother to “rewrite” the mechanics, if that makes any sense at all. Some of my list today will include boss encounters but I wouldn’t necessarily say those are mechanic-related... more like “event-related”.

I’ve mused a bit in the past about rewriting Adventures and Command and I do have plans to do a mock up of an Adventures remake eventually. However, today I was thinking about how I would go about handling an Assault re-write in particular. Much like Command and Adventures, I don’t have any beef with the core story but I do think there’s a few things that could’ve been better about Assault’s storyline-- like they had good ideas rolling but they didn’t quite refine them.

Under the cut because SUPER long.

My basic feelings on Assault are pretty positive. I think the game is generally just fun and I like that it feels like the natural progression from SF64. I liked getting to see planets we haven’t seen since the N64 era in better graphics and I liked seeing Star Wolf return. I also just thought the aparoids were neat enemies.

Generally speaking, though, when it comes to Assault, I think it suffers from the thing it tries to push the most-- the story. I think a lot of people get caught up in thinking the story is better than it is because it’s the first game since SF64 that really follows the same Star Fox vibe without retelling the Lylat Wars. Don’t get me wrong, the overall plot is great but the execution and pacing are... wonky. Certain characterizations also take a hit in some regards but no one really talks about that when Command exists. That’s something we’ll talk about later on with this post.

That being said, Assault really does have a lot good going for it. An absolute banger of a soundtrack, some great dialogue, a neat story synopsis, the introduction of cool characters like Panther and Beltino (who existed but was always off-screen), and just good levels.

So, here’s what I would add, I suppose, if I were to somehow have the ability to rewrite Assault. Originally I had this in paragraph form, but I’ve made it into more of a list under topic segments with main points bolded for your viewing pleasure. Some of these points might be considered nitpicky and while I do understand that yes, this is a game about space animals, I do hold the developers in high enough regard to make a game with a continuity that makes sense.

The Story Changes

- Reduce Pigma’s storyline in Assault. This is the biggest one for me because a bulk of the plotline feels like a giant chase to just get at Pigma and it feels like it derails from the actual plot with the aparoids. We only go to Sargasso because of Pigma. We only go to Fichina and then back to Meteo again, because of Pigma. That’s 3 levels in a 10 level game devoted to just tracking down Pigma and chasing him. While it makes the build up to fighting Pigma kind of nice, I personally feel like the plot could be reduced to 2 levels. If Assault overall was a longer game, I could see them making it 3 levels. Overall, though, in its current state, I feel like the side plot overstays its welcome and the aparoids promptly get shoved to the side in favor of “Oh no, we gotta get to Pigma!” And I get the main motive here is to show how the aparoids affect people and because of the build up, it does a good job at showing how utterly terrifying the aparoids are. But it’s still too long given the length of Assault’s story. The only alternative to this is make Assault longer, which... honestly, it should be.

- Revise the scene with Tricky. I’m obviously not well-versed in dinosaur biology but I’m pretty sure dinos didn’t grow that fast from what studying I HAVE done. And why is he suddenly king now? Did his parents die? He seems not affected by this at all? Like it’s a funny scene with him, Fox, and Krystal, but it’s odd if you really look at it. Give us, as players, more context because I’m still not even sure what happened to make Tricky suddenly the leader and... big. As a note, you’re gonna hear me gripe a lot about the Sauria level in this post.

- The Star Wolf + Peppy sacrifice is a low effort way to raise tension/stakes and then cop out. Oldest trick in the book, imo, is to act like you’re going to kill off important characters only for them to be alive miraculously. And let’s face it, as an audience we all know they aren’t going to kill those characters because it’s Nintendo and those characters are too beloved. I would’ve forgiven them for only doing this with Peppy or Star Wolf, but when you tack them both together and throw in the fact they make it seem like you’re going to have to kill General Pepper too... yeah, it’s just a bit much of the same trope over and over again. I wanted to put a note in here about how I’m fine with the Great Fox being “sacrificed” but overall, it needed to return to the series because of it’s icon status, but I think that’s more of a gripe at Command instead of Assault.

- Keep Pigma alive. This will conflict with a point I have later on about the game consistently having characters cheat death for easy drama points but with Pigma, I would’ve kept him fully alive... but maybe with some physical damage from the aparoids. I understand he’s semi-alive in Command and tbh I don’t know where I stand on that. Why keep Pigma alive, you might ask? I feel like his character has a lot more potential than being “just the greedy guy”. Like he’s got good potential future villain material for future games and... if I’m honest? I just don’t see Nintendo wanting to keep Pigma dead so why even bother killing him off? They couldn’t even commit to him being dead in Command anyways so it seems very moot.

- Bring Bill and Katt back. Assault is acts a bit like a big reunion of all of our SF64 favorites but our two favorite side characters are suspiciously missing. Wouldn’t Bill be out on the front lines fighting against Andrew in the beginning? Or maybe back in Katina? And wouldn’t Katt inevitably show up in the midst of the invasion, maybe to pointedly check in on Falco?

- Bring Andrew back for the final fight. I think Andrew being defeated early into the game is fine overall but I think bringing him back in for a reunion final fight against the aparoids would serve to really solidify that it’s really everyone vs the invading aparoid force. It would show that not only is Star Wolf willing to put aside their differences but so is basically everyone in the Lylat System in the name of survival. Imagine the Venomians and Cornerians working together against an aparoid fleet, giving Star Fox and Star Wolf time to attack the queen? I just think it’d be neat and it’d open up the potential for some fun banter mid-mission. I do understand that quite a few people consider Andrew canonically dead after Assault but personally, I feel that his defeat left his fate questionable (I’m a staunch believer that unless there’s a body, they’re probably alive, especially for Nintendo games because, again, they never like to kill people off) so him returning in Command never really bothered me.

- In general, reconsider some of the character portrayals. Unfortunately, when a series has a different studio for each game, character portrayals will inevitably have inconsistencies. While I give Namco a lot of credit for putting in oodles and oodles of detail into the game (particularly the levels), I think they failed in their portrayal of Fox, at the least, and Wolf is a considerable offender as well. While it’s obvious that Fox in Adventures was effectively modeled off of Sabre even in terms of personality, Rareware was at least able to justify Fox’s newfound jaded attitude with the passing of many years and a distinct lack of steady income, resulting in the team being in disarray. Assault’s Fox is a stark contrast to his cynical interpretation with seemingly no explanation other than maybe “Oh, I have more money and a gf, maybe I should behave myself”. As if the sudden change in personality wasn’t random, Fox also just seems very blah, like a blank slate stereotypical shooter game protagonist dude with little to no emotion. Wolf is less obvious but gets slated into a mentor-like role midway through the game and ends up in a respectful rivalry with Fox... which there’s nothing inherently wrong with that except for it happening abruptly (and, I mean, Peppy is right there). But I take less issue with this and more of an issue with the fact that there’s an entire level establishing that Wolf now runs a crime den with effectively what seems to be an army and no one bats an eye at this. He doesn’t even call on them to help with the aparoids. Did they all die when the aparoids attacked Meteo? Are they safe somewhere else? Where do they go? How was Sargasso able to operate without the CDF being on their doorstep with warrants for arrests?

- Don’t kill all the dinosaurs. A bit of a dramatic statement but the ending screen that showed all the damage to Sauria really bothered me. While I understand that the dinosaurs had less of a chance against the aparoids than a more technology-focused society like Corneria, I was a bit disappointed that the decision was made to just state that a lot of tribes had been wiped out. I know this could easily be retconned in a future game and I feel like it should be. “But why, Amalia? Why are you disappointed by that?” 1) It’s a little too grimdark for my tastes. 2) The fact it all happened off-screen felt very hand-wavy. And 3) It brings into question the entire point of Adventures. Why did we bother to save this planet if it was going to be reduced to rubble and ash 1 year later? Where were the Krazoa in all of this? Why did they not make an appearance at all to try to stop the invasion with their alleged powers? It just raises too many weird questions and I feel like Namco didn’t think it through too much. Which I mean, sure. Family, kiddo game. I’m not asking for bigbrain plot and lore but I’m squinting at this bit because it does feel very contrary to the lore from the previous game.

- Make the aparoids more relevant. As nice as it is to have a random bad guy from another galaxy, I feel like there was more that could be done with the aparoids in terms of their origins. Tiny things, mind you, not huge revelations. Off the top of my head, they could have been tied into Krystal’s backstory to help alleviate some of the complaints that she was too random to be added to the series’ main cast. Alternatively, they could have been a product of Andross or even a weapon prototype from Corneria that fled the lab (I actually thought the game was leaning in that direction for a bit then just Nothing Happened). I get that the vagueness of their origins leaves room for people to speculate and speculation is nice but... when you leave too many things unknown, it starts to feel less like giving fans room to interpret and more like just doing random things for the sake of it. I think a lore tidbit here or there would work wonders for the aparoids instead of leaving them as just borg/zerg clones.

Level-Based Changes

- Add either Aparoid RedEye or Aparoid General Scales as a boss to Sauria. Given that this level mysteriously lacks a boss, which is just weird compared to the other levels, I think that they had the opportunity to add something cool to go along with the cinematic feel they were going for with Assault. Assault’s cutscenes do play in a movie-like fashion and it’s clear they’re trying to make the game as epic as possible. It’s a shame they had so much fodder for a great boss here but they failed to go through with it. Alternatively: Add a Krazoa-Aparoid fusion. Why? Because Star Fox is about cool epic sci-fi and that would be cool epic sci-fi incarnate.

- Add a boss to the Aparoid Homeworld Level, aka the penultimate level. Another one I felt was personally weird that there was no “final defense system” to challenge the team. Would be cool to do an aerial battle over the aparoid planet with some giant flying aparoid.

- Be kinder to Sauria. The level had some good homages but overall was incredibly small and incredibly short. It felt like a bone tossed to Adventures fans but was not entirely true to the setting built by Rareware. I’m... not even sure where the Sauria level is supposed to take place? I presume it’s Walled City but it doesn’t really have the same color scheme or aesthetic? Also where is my revised Adventures music? Why do all the other levels get it but Sauria doesn’t?

- Put some of those funky items from the multiplayer into the main campaign. I don’t know why some of these things, items especially, were omitted unless it was purely due to time constraints. I remember having missile launchers and jetpacks in the multiplayer and was a bit sad that they were not in the main campaign. Retuning the levels and adding those in would be a nice breath of fresh air for the more tedious on-foot missions.

- More levels. Self-explanatory. Still sad we didn’t get the Zoness or Titania levels in the single-player mode.

I think all of the above changes would improve the game, though I recognize all of this is being said 16 years later after lots of time to contemplate Assault’s weaker points. I’m not entirely certain how long Star Fox Assault took to develop but given that there’s obviously quite a bit scrapped from the game (an entire arcade mode was scrapped as well), I’m going to assume that the studio felt pressured to shove the game out the door and into the hands of customers. It’s a shame, really, because I think a little bit longer in the oven would have done a lot of good. Still, the product we got was good in its own right and a game that many people look back on fondly. I haven’t gotten to replay it in years but I hope to quite soon.

You might wonder why I bothered typing this all out and I guess my point was this-- Assault was great but it wasn’t perfect, and while a lot of other games fall under a crushing amount of scrutiny, Assault seems to dodge it. And don’t get me wrong-- I adore Assault. But given that not many takes exist out there about rewriting it, I decided to give it a shot. For variety’s sake.

I do want to a mock up of a revised Assault story, which I think I will get to work on after completing this while all my ideas are still fresh in mind. So stay tuned for that sometime in the near future. I will also be doing my Adventures mock up at some point but probably not for a little bit as I do wanna focus some of my free time on actual fic-writing.

Anyways, if you stuck around this long, thank you for reading! Have any changes you’d like to see to Assault if you could time machine your way back to the early 2000s? Feel free to post in the comments, I’d love to read your ideas!

#star fox assault #starfox assault #super long #queue'd

30 notes · View notes

binderclipdocs · 3 years

Note

Hello! I’m wondering what your take is on Dear Friend (and especially “I’m in love with a friend of mine”?) I find the song a little confusing, and I’ve read a lot of different interpretations. I really love your films and I know you’ve done a lot of research, would love to know what you think. Thanks!

Thanks for your appreciation, anon! I love Dear Friend and am happy to share my thoughts on this haunting, mournful, mysterious song!

I’ll be the first to admit the lyrics are confusing (like so many McCartney songs!), mostly by virtue of the fact that Paul uses “friend” twice in a row. Are there two friends, or only one? By using the word “friend” on top of each other as he does, it suggests either a single friend (the titular “Dear Friend”) in two situations OR two friends, in separate/competing situations.

Dear Friend, throw the wine

I’m in love with a friend of mine

Really, truly, young and newlywed

Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, interpretation, fantasy, etc. and no one but McCartney himself can definitively declare precisely what he meant with this song. But it’s my opinion that Paul was saying the latter; that he is in love with his friend and new wife, Linda. This is my conclusion after having deeply researched this period extensively for TWO documentary series (McCartney (2020) and Understanding Lennon/McCartney), an opinion that obviously no one is required to entertain and anyone is free to discard. But for those who are interested, I’ll share my reasoning below.

Firstly, this is NOT an attempt to disprove that Paul was ever in love with John or vice verse. They both used this term publicly and therefore probably/possibly did privately with each other as well. But Paul’s statements in April, 1970 pretty clearly spell out the situation:

“Personally, I don’t think John could do the Beatles thing now. I don’t think it would be good for him.

John’s in love with Yoko, and he’s no longer in love with the other three of us. And let’s face it, we were in love with the Beatles as much as anyone.”

So John and Paul were “in love” (with each other as people, or the Beatles as a concept, or Lennon/McCartney as a team, etc) for a long time. But by 1970, they both have new spouses and new lives and are following different paths. Here’s a brief recap of the events that led to this statement:

In a now-famous meeting in September 1969, John told Paul that he was leaving the Beatles and wanted a divorce. Whether this was an idle threat designed to scare/hurt Paul, or a real desire on John’s part is open to interpretation, but Paul, for his part, took it seriously.

Allen Klein asked John not to go public with his decision to leave the group and John happily and uncharacteristically agreed to sit on this “news” indefinitely. Paul subsequently disappeared for 6-8 weeks, mourned the loss of the band privately in Scotland, and then began working on his first solo album. Communication between John and Paul fell apart at that point, and John began a campaign of maneuvers - possibly engineered or facilitated by Klein - to bring Paul back into the Beatles’ fold and force him to submit to Klein’s management and John’s leadership. Backed into a proverbial corner by John, George, Ringo, Yoko and Klein, Paul played the last card he had: he quit.

In April 1970, Paul made the split official (deliberately or accidentally? YMMV) with the release of his first solo LP, and attempted to finalize the divorce with an uncooperative John for the remainder of the year. As is pretty well-documented, Paul tried for a quick and amicable split, requesting a release from the Beatles’ contract. But after John was unresponsive and Allen Klein advised him to set duplicitous legal traps that would prevent Paul from separating from the Beatles, Paul (as advised by his lawyers) decided to sue for divorce by the end of 1970.

By 2020, even the most casual Beatles fans know two basic truisms: 1) that Paul loved John always and 2) that Paul didn’t want the band to break up. Of course there’s more to the story than just that. We have also been told repeatedly that John “left Paul,” but this is not the whole truth either.

Essentially what John did was yell “I’m breaking up with you!” and then block the door every time Paul tried to leave.

As late as September, 1971 John is still saying publicly that he hopes Paul will return.

Int.: Let's talk a bit about Paul's aversion to Klein. From what we've read it seemed as if this wasn't there in the beginning, even though Paul wanted the Eastmans to run things. But it came on later as things progressed. And yet despite this, we gather that Klein was still hoping that Paul would return to the group.

John: Oh, he'd love it if Paul would come back. I think he was hoping he would for years and years. He thought that if he did something, to show Paul that he could do it, Paul would come around. But no chance. I mean, I want him to come out of it, too, you know. He will one day. I give him five years, I've said that. In five years he'll wake up.

[Narrator voice: Paul did not came back.]

Yes, Paul loved John. No, Paul didn’t want the Beatles to break up.

But when John said he wanted out, Paul took him seriously, respected his decision, never made a single attempt to woo John back and showed up 6 months later with a moving van and divorce papers.

When you hear Dear Friend out of context -knowing only that Paul loved John and was sad after the breakup- it’s not wholly unreasonable to think maybe Paul was declaring his eternal love for John here:

I’m in love with a friend of mine really, truly, young and newlywed

But when you experience Dear Friend in the proper context, that interpretation sounds less and less likely. Here’s Paul:

April 21, 1970

“I’m not blaming her. I’m blaming me. You can’t blame John for falling in love with Yoko any more than you can blame me for falling in love with Linda.

We tried writing together a few more times, but I think we both decided it would be easier to work separately. I told John on the phone the other day that at the beginning of last year I was annoyed with him. I was jealous because of Yoko, and afraid about the break-up of a great musical partnership. It’s taken me a year to realise that they were in love. Just like Linda and me."

Summer 1970

Paul writes John a 12-page letter requesting that they “let each other out of the trap.” John’s response was a picture of himself and Yoko with a balloon drawn above his head saying “How and Why?”

Paul responded: “How? By singing a paper that says we hereby dissolve our partnership. Why? Because there is no partnership.”

April 16, 1971

PAUL: “We used to get asked at press conferences, 'What are you going to do when the bubble bursts?' When I talked to John just the other day, he said something about, 'Well, the bubble's going to burst.' And I said, 'It has burst. That's the point. That's why I've had to do this, why l had to apply to the court. You don't think I really enjoy doing that kind of stuff. I had to do it because the bubble has burst-- everywhere but on paper.' That's the only place we're tied now.”

Nov 11, 1971

MM: But John said to me that what you’d done in bringing the [court] trials up and everything was what they all wanted, that you’d just done it a lot earlier than they would have done.

PAUL: Well if that’s true, well… well, come on! That’s – see, I’ve told you… The joke is, though, that we don’t have to do trials. It’s not necessary. If the four Beatles signed a bit of paper, or even ripped the old contract up and said, “This contract is no longer valid, we all hereby said it, we all legally direct the shareholders…” the whole thing, to wind it all up, we could do it. And if that’s really what he wants, he could do it this minute. [snaps fingers]

Furthermore, Paul was deeply in love with Linda during this period, as reflected by: the songs on both McCartney and RAM, the testimony of those around them at the time and by Paul’s own recollections. The first few years of Paul and Linda’s marriage was their honeymoon period, their era as newlyweds. It was certainly an awful time for Paul in many respects: the business battles of the Beatles were excruciating and extremely stressful and the loss of his three best friends was heartbreaking. Furthermore, the rock press had largely turned against him (sometimes viciously so), and John & Yoko (and Allen Klein) were painting him as a traitor to the counterculture and a villain for destroying the Beatles with his granny music, giant ego and overbearing personality. Paul and Linda were extremely isolated, partially by choice and partially by force.

But even though this was a terrible time for Paul in many respects, he was extremely happy with his new family. He later described this period with Linda as one of the happiest periods of their life. Paul has said numerous times Linda (along with nature and horse-riding) brought him out of depression after the Beatles ended and gave him the strength to push forward with his solo career, at a time when many were rooting against him (and a literal cult was forming that claimed he was DEAD and had been replaced by an inferior imposter- let that sink in for a moment!). He has been consistent about it over the years, and reiterated it as recently as 2020:

UNCUT: Tell me about the guy in the photo n the McCartney sleeve. He looks happy.

PAUL: I was really happy, yeah. The Beatles had become such a business machine, and with the arrival of Allen Klein the whole thing, every day was very unpleasant.

UNCUT: So there you were on the farm, finding solace in a new family...

PAUL: Yes. I had a little place in Scotland. So we just went out there. “It’s so remote, no one can be bothered trekking all the way up here for a meeting.” It was a good period. We grabbed our freedom- you know what, we seized the day! Also, I had a new baby; I’d not been a father before, so I was very happy.

In December of 1970, John gave his infamous Lennon Remembers interview to Rolling Stone. According to the liner notes of the Wildlife reissue from 2018 (and confirmed by the timing of the demo), Paul composed Dear Friend in reaction to John’s comments in that interview (not How Do You Sleep, as is commonly believed). But he sat on the song for awhile and didn’t record it until late 1971 (for inclusion on Wildlife). Judging from the tone of Too Many People and other songs on RAM, Paul’s initial sadness, confusion and disappointment gradually morphed into (or perhaps swung back and forth between) anger and defiance, accompanied by a taunting and/or gloating tone. Having gotten Dear Friend out of his system, it seems it simply didn’t fit thematically on RAM. Perhaps after the release of HDYS, Paul was deflated and despondent enough to return to Dear Friend? Perhaps Jealous Guy tempered or calmed Paul’s anger?

Or maybe it was just a genuine attempt to turn the heat down. We know that immediately following its release, John and Paul agreed (seemingly at Paul’s insistence) to quit bickering in public.

In any case, Dear Friend is a complex songs with a spectrum of emotions. Unlike Jealous Guy it is not apologetic; it’s mournful but also incredulous and slightly accusatory. Paul appears to be calling John’s bluff: Do you really believe all the bullshit you’re spewing?

Are you a fool, or is it true?

The John Lennon of Lennon Remembers is without hope or faith, denouncing everything he ever believed in and everyone he ever trusted -with the notable exceptions of Allen Klein, Phil Spector and Yoko. Paul clearly loves John and hopes to salvage their relationship, but Dear Friend was written at a time when John was being manipulated and exploited by people he later admitted were misplaced “daddy figures.” While Klein and Spector turned out to not be the most reliable friends to John, Paul certainly seems to know and understand John’s vulnerabilities and motivations better than most. As he sings in the demo:

Are you afraid? Or are you blue?

So why does Paul mention that he’s newlywed and in love with Linda? Firstly, because he is, and he wants to celebrate with his best friend. We know Paul’s desire was for the two couples to make peace and be friends. Pour the Wine. Clink glasses and celebrate their new marriages together.

PAUL: Dear Friend was to do with John, a bit of longing about John. Let’s have a glass of wine and forget about it. A making up song. (July 2001).

This is precisely what the two couples did in December of 1971, immediately following the release of Wildlife.

JOHN: We were both nervous, the four of us were nervous. I hadn’t seen him for a long time. I’d spoken on the phone [with him]. Uh, it was alright, you know. It was alright.

This is precisely what happened again throughout 1974 (with John & May Pang this time around), which John affectionately called their “Beaujolais evenings.”

Admittedly, It may seem odd for Paul to mention that he is happily married (and in love with another “friend”) in a make up song to John. Until you think about the romantic tension between John and Paul and Paul’s bold public recognition of it with this statement: “It’s taken me a year to realise that they were in love. Just like Linda and me.” Paul acknowledges here that John is in love with Yoko and wants John to acknowledge his love for Linda as well.

In Dear Friend he’s communicating that there is nothing to fear; they are secure in their respective marriages, there is no need to be hurt or angry or jealous anymore. We’re no longer partners, but we can still be friends. “Let’s have a glass of wine and forget about it.” A softer, gentler version of: Wake up, John. It’s over. Sign the fucking papers already.

So I think of Dear Friend as an olive branch, but not the groveling type some apparently do. And I most definitely do not think it was a signal to John that Paul was still in love with him, despite being newlywed to Linda.

I suppose it might seem a bit brutal for Paul to be singing about loving someone else in a song to John (although he’s done it before and I think John has done the same). But I honestly think it is something Paul believes John needs to hear and accept at this point; that he is “really, truly” in love with Linda and that he’s not about to divorce her or run after the first “blonde with big tits” as Allen Klein so charmingly suggested.

By September 1971, John still hasn’t seemed to accept Linda, or Paul’s relationship with her:

John: Paul always wanted the home life, you see. [... long, rambling story about being terrified when Paul got a job in 1961 and for a second looked as if he might abandon John and the group]

All the other girls were just groupies mainly. And with Linda not only did he have a ready-made family, but she knows what he wants, obviously, and has given it to him. The complete family life. He's in Scotland. He told me he doesn't like English cities anymore. So that's how it is.

Int.: So you think with Linda he's found what he wanted?

John: I guess so. I guess so. I just don't understand . . . I never knew what he wanted in a woman because I never knew what I wanted.

With comments like this John seems (IMO) to be twisting himself into knots trying to rationalize Paul’s choice of Linda, practically wondering aloud what could she give him that I couldn’t? He still seems unwilling to face or accept what Paul begrudgingly accepted and admitted years before: that his partner fell in love with someone else.

Here’s 76 year old Paul reminiscing about this tender, bittersweet time in his life, happy and in love with his wife and young family and simultaneously in deep pain over losing his dearly beloved best friend:

I remember when I heard the song recently, listening to the roughs in the car. And I thought, ‘Oh God’. That lyric: ‘Really truly, young and newly wed’. Listening to that was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s true!’ I’m trying to say to John, ‘Look, you know, it’s all cool. Have a glass of wine. Let’s be cool.’

“Let’s be cool.” Not “Please take me back,” not “Ignore my just-for-show marriage, I’m still in love with YOU.” To me, Paul is saying “I’m really, truly in love with my friend and new wife, can we please just be happy for each other? It’s all cool.” And for the record, I don’t find this sentiment any less loving on Paul’s part because I don’t think Paul being in love with his own wife (which he was), detracts from his love for John in any way. Again, I agree that the lyrics are slightly ambiguous, and perhaps this is meaningful too. It could be that the lack of hard boundary between the two friends (John and Linda) reflects how much Paul loves them both; they certainly aren’t positioned as opposites (i.e. I love her but I hate you). Instead they’re both part of the imagined celebration; Paul wants them all to share the wine together- and he wants them to tolerate (love) each other.

I think the traditional narrative doesn’t account for all of this because the traditional narrative does not acknowledge that John has any feelings for Paul in the first place. How in the world could Paul be asking John to “be cool” and accept the new situation when John didn’t even care about Paul in the first place and had been trying to get rid of him for years? This perception - of John gleefully blasting Paul with HDYS and Paul replying that he’s in love with John - has taken hold in many minds and has picked up a lot of steam in recent years with so-called “jean jackets” because they fundamentally believe that Paul’s love for John was one-sided. They cannot comprehend that Paul would ever tell John to “cool it” or back off in any way (even in 70-71) because they take the surface story at face value: John dumped Paul for Yoko and heartbroken Paul spent the rest of his life desperately trying to win John back. This is the narrative depicted in virtually every book I’ve read. My analysis is based on my own research, not this narrative.

I would invite readers of this post to watch (or re-watch) ULM (particularly volume 3 ) for a more comprehensive study of John and Paul’s relationship.

Lastly, after doing my own independent research for McCartney (2020), I found that the Paul McCartney described by the musicians and collaborators in Paul’s life was dramatically different from the person depicted in books like Man on the Run. My films are free from narration and commentary; I rely on first-hand interviews and information from the people involved, and in my opinion there is a great deal to be learned about Paul from the way he relates to others, especially through music. And although the McCartney series is about his solo career as opposed to his Beatle career, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in Lennon/McCartney for the insights they could gain.

Thank you very much for this ask- hopefully there aren’t too many typos!

176 notes · View notes