My interpretation of She Bathed Herself… is that it’s about being in love or even in a relationship with someone who doesn‘t love you. You go to great lengths to please your lover, right down to erasing all aspects of your own personality (bleach being used to disinfect and remove stains, impurities, etc). You think these actions will lead to love but, of course, they don’t. 💔
It's funny hearing them talk about all the different musical influences. To me, it just sounds like the Manics. Specifically, Journal for Plague Lovers sounds like it could have been the next album after The Holy Bible, in an alternate universe. It takes me back in a bittersweet kind of way.
Definitely, they did a beautiful job with it. 'Job'. It's a gorgeous work of art. I felt when I first heard it that they'd done Richey's words justice, they'd effectively captured with music and conveyed the sense he was going for or the sense that arose from the words to reflect the state of mind he was in at that point just before taking off forever. There's some hope maybe -- or maybe it's just some hanging on. I hear wounded, fragile, broken, doubting - it's bittersweet, graceful, delicate -- delicately falling apart.
8:10 I always assumed the 'J.D.' in the title stood for James Dean, a contemporary of Brando and another icon of alienation and self-destruction. I also wonder whether Dean and/or Brando served as the inspiration behind 'Motorcycle Emptiness' - there certainly seems to be some sort of homage to 50's American iconography there, especially in the title.
Motorcycle emptiness was inspired by the book Rumblefish by S.E. Hinton, specifically the character of motorcycle boy. So yeah there is that homage to the 50s/60s. I think Marlon J.D. is about idolisation, especially the line ‘to live without luxury’ and the lines about not fighting back. There’s this quote from Richey about how whenever he got beaten up, he would never throw a punch back, would never descend to their level. And I think his views on violence and materialism show on this song.
For such a serious dark record, some of it, musically, is a laugh. The guitars on Me & Stephen Hawking, all the title track, Bag Lady (the hidden track)
wow i am extremely sorry then! i take it back you obviously listen to some great music and the clash is actually my favourite band but honestly, i am sorry, you listen to some great music :) but i do think that the Manics are still amazing, they sung about what they felt strongly about,
Must agree: WTF?? Jimmy??? Never heard that before. Actually as I remember (books, interviews etc.) noone ever called him Jimmy. It sounds a bit weird:)
you know what i take what i said back, your obviously all passionate about the manics, although i dont like them, i'm in no posistion to fill up their comments section with the things i've said. Let's call it quits
