Hello everyone! It’s so good to be back posting blogs monthly! For my first review I wanted to share a favorite band of mine: Florence and the Machine. Specifically one song from them that I fancy. I have been listening to them for quite a while now, so hopefully this review may get you interested in them. The song I would like to review is Dog Days Are Over. Alright, with that being said, let’s begin!
DOG DAYS ARE OVER by Florence and the Machine:
Happiness, hit her like a train on a track
Coming towards her, stuck still no turning back
She hid around corners and she hid under beds
She killed it with kisses and from it she fled
With every bubble she sank with a drink
And washed it away down the kitchen sink
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
The horses are coming so you better run
Run fast for your mother run fast for your father
Run for your children for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind you
Can’t carry it with you if you want to survive
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can’t you hear the horses
‘Cause here they come
And I never wanted anything from you
Except everything you had
And what was left after that too, oh.
Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back
Struck from a great height
By someone who should know better than that
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses
‘Cause here they come
Run fast for your mother and fast for your father
Run for your children for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your loving behind you
Can’t carry it with you if you want to survive
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses
‘Cause here they come
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses
‘Cause here they come
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
The horses are coming
So you better run
One of my favorite parts of this song is the chorus:
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can’t you hear the horses
‘Cause here they come
One of the interpretations was that she was singing about getting away from alcohol and drugs. Which is understandable when you look at the lyrics: the dog days are over, the dog days are done. It interprets to her getting away from those days where she would do drugs.
Another was that she was singing about being scared of love: Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back, Struck from a great height, By someone who should know better than that. This is like she is being shocked by love. It is foreign to her, but now she has been hit with it. It shows her being wary of love.
Overall, the song is very catchy and interpretive. I’m sure anyone could find different meanings in this song! From the chorus to the beat of it, this song is truly amazing and close to my heart. In fact, all of her songs make me feel great inside! Florence and the Machine is definitely one of my favorite bands, and will continue to be.
I would definitely recommend listening to their songs! Also, take a look at the music videos! They are very fun and interesting!
“Beautiful and brutally honest, Mary Lambert’s poetry is a beacon to anyone who’s ever been knocked down–and picked themselves up again. In verse that deals with sexual assault, mental illness, and body acceptance, Ms. Lambert’s Shame Is an Ocean I Swim Across emerges as an important new voice in poetry, providing strength and resilience even in the darkest of times” (Goodreads.com).
Tips for reading:
Purchase the book
I recommend purchasing the physical book AND the audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by Lambert herself and accompanied by her classically-trained pianism, so the emotion and feeling exude from it. I also suggest purchasing a physical copy or the ebook, so you can follow along with the words as Lambert reads through it.
Tissues
Lambert is a self-proclaimed cryer and a crying advocate. She has often stated that her brand is crying, so it’s no surprise that her book is a real tear-jerker— it’s meant to be.
Sticky notes/bookmarks
Personally, I don’t like to mark in books, so I use sticky notes to flag important pages and jot down any thoughts. There are some pretty heavy themes in this book, so writing notes is highly suggested.
In addition to poetry, Lambert is a singer-songwriter. Grief Creature is her most recent album; it was released one year after her poetry collection. Originally, it was set to have the same title, as it was intended to accompany the book, but Lambert later decided otherwise. However, the album and the book portray many of the same themes; in fact, a few of the songs on her album are lyrical adaptations of her poems. Therefore, to get the full experience, I strongly suggest listening to the album.
Review:
I have probably read this book 20 times since I purchased it in the spring of 2019. With selections like, “I Wish Powerful Men Would Stop Being F*ing Terrible,” “Tips for Fat Girls,” “Rape Poem,” “The Art of Shame,” and “I Know Girls,” Lambert has crafted this work of art that is moving, evocative, and empathetic. It is a mirror, a diary, a poetic reflection of women who are queer, fat, neurodiverse, and are, not only, survivors but lovers, as well as the radical notion that you can be both.
It is a book about healing, but it is also a book about feeling. Lambert, very beautifully, tells women that it is okay to feel shame, to feel sad, to feel broken, to feel numb, to feel any and everything, but to feel something.
The book is comprised of 5 chapters, but the first one is my favorite.
O N E
my body is terrifying,
idaho is a giant sh*thole,
and other wholesome stories.
This chapter includes selections about body acceptance, sexual assault, trauma, and vulnerability. The collection begins with a piece entitled:
How I Learned to Love
When I was fifteen, I hated everything except for Weezer and maybe like two people. And cereal. One time a boy grabbed me in the music room and kissed my neck in front of everybody. I did not want to be kissed, but I thought I was supposed to want to be kissed. I did not know what to do. And so I laughed. I knew you were supposed to laugh after things like that The world had taught me to dress up my trauma in short skirts and secret bathroom crying, to protect the fragility of boys at all costs
When I was five, my father molested me you become a strange human that way You cannot whip yourself awake as a child I should have been born a bird
When I turned six, I stopped talking.
When I was twenty-five and my name was on the radio, I asked people to write poems and send them to me Maybe because I was starved of honest humanity Half of the poems were about slit wrists
I do not want to know any more about this brand of humanity. All I know of love is hunger.
When I met you, I planted my heart into the heavy earth. I was scared, But you smiled back. Thank God I was not born a bird.
*my favorite lines are bolded
I remember the first time, I heard this poem. I had never heard anything like it, and it was absurd, but also, so beautiful. I didn’t know what to think or how to feel, but I remember the feeling of awe at how simplistic, yet raw this poem was written. I could feel the vulnerability seep from Lambert’s words— it enticed me, and I wanted to read more and more. I flipped through the pages hungrily, eating all of the words being fed to me, like they were my last meal. Lambert has this way of making you appreciate the morbidity and the authenticity of life. I shuddered at her words because I knew what they meant. It was like she could see inside my soul, and oh, what power writers and literary artists have to bestow this gift.
My second selection from this chapter is entitled:
The Art of Shame
My mother found a rabid dog And wanted to hug it Wanted to give it all her glorious honeylove Wanted to bathe her children in a two-parent household But, the dog didn’t want kids The dog would scream it in the hallway at four A.M Reminding us as often as possible The sheer art of it How the monster could panic into my body Sometimes I still hear it in the chambers of my heart The way some glorious paintings stay with you
I am a museum I must be a museum
When I was seven, the dog told me I was going to be a slut No one came over to our house to play The dog made me write, “I will flush the bathroom toilet” seventy-five times I would’ve remembered to flush the toilet But, I started blacking out around then Forgetting basic things Started praying that Oprah would save us all I took snapshots with my memory camera Hoping there would be justice for this kind of psycho warfare The teachers at the daycare offered apology eyes and extra sequins For the art project The day after, the dog chased me around each room Because I forgot where my other shoe was
When you are a child And your mind is panicked like a fire alarm at all times You lose the ability to remember simple things I haven’t lost a personal item in months Do not laugh when I say, ‘This is a victory’ Shame is an ocean I swim across Sometimes, I call it drowning Sometimes, I call it Moses Sometimes, I say, “Good morning!” and sway to its murky durge Sometimes, I win and cut off its crest with a pink machete Sometimes, I want to f*ck it and Marry it and kill it all at the same time Sometimes, I spend my whole day apologizing on shame’s behalf Sometimes, I think it must be an art form to feel this bad Sometimes, I outrun all of its psycho history Other times, I repeat the language from my childmouth While beating my head against a wall But all the time, I am forgiven
*my favorite lines are bolded
This is one of those poems that Lambert also included on her album. On the album, it is entitled “Me, Museum“. I strongly recommend listening to the spoken word version to fully experience its glory. This poem is one of my absolute favorite pieces by Lambert, next to “Tips for Fat Girls” and “Margaritas”. It is so powerful and beautifully written. It amazes me how Lambert told this entire story in such a poetic form. Many of her works do this, and it is one of my favorite aspects of her writing. It almost feels like prose, but somehow, still feels exactly like poetry, and I think that’s a unique style of writing.
As much as I’d like to include all of my favorites from this collection, I simply cannot, but I do encourage you to purchase this book and experience the greatness yourself. I will, however, include some other examples of Lambert’s work below:
This was my very first literary review, so be gentle. How’d I do? Tell me your thoughts! Also, if you choose to read/listen to this selection, please let me know, I would love to hear your thoughts on it.
The search for a short story that would entrance me in its world was harder than I thought. I’ve now realized that if the first two sentences of a short story don’t peak my interest, I probably will not read it. In my search, I skipped over an estimate of 5 short stories before I landed on the one I wanted to read. It might have been 6 or 7 stories, but it was during a midnight surge of energy that I looked at these stories, and I honestly don’t remember exactly how many I looked at.
The short story I am reviewing today caught my attention simply because of its title. Karen Russell, an American novelist, created this short story ‘Haunting Olivia’ in 2005. The story, in short, revolves around the journey of two brothers who search the ocean to find the body of their dead sister, Olivia, with a pair of goggles that allows you to see the ghost of things in the ocean.
The story was…odd. I have never read a story like it before. The two brothers, who are still just children, hold different emotions regarding the death of their little sister who died after being swept away by the ocean’s tide. Though her death is sad and tragic, the death of any child is, it wasn’t what made the story sad, in my opinion. The actions and emotions of the brothers is what made the story so heart-wrenching for me. The oldest brother, Wallow, described as being the tougher counterpart of the duo, expressed feelings of guilt and regret and had the need of telling his sister he was sorry for what happened to her. This alone got me. I can’t imagine losing a sibling and my only need, the only thing that would give me closure, was to say that I am sorry; I felt for Wallow. His brother Timothy, the narrator, didn’t understand Wallow. I feel this is mostly due to the fact Timothy was dealing with his own feelings towards Olivia’s death. Timothy was more on the side of letting Olivia be at rest. He wanted to stop the search and let Olivia be with the dead. He didn’t want to be reminded anymore of how his baby sister was dead. This was the man conflict between Timothy and Wallow. Wallow wanted so badly to find Olivia that he never considered how it must have been for Timothy; he was inadvertently torturing his brother with Olivia’s death. For Wallow, finding Olivia was the only solution to achieving his need of apologizing to Olivia.
Going past the content of the story, the structure of the short story was well executed. The struggle I face often with short stories is giving a complete story in such a limited amount of time and space. Russell did this well. She layered on parts of the story like Olivia’s death, how it happened, how the parents felt, and other significant issues that went along with Timothy and Wallow’s journey, but she didn’t make them to where they overpowered the overall story of the brothers. In this, she still managed to have a beginning, middle, and end to this story. Her writing style was very clear and kind of bizarre. The plot alone was very absurd and held an eerie feel to it. It almost made me uncomfortable to read considering I, too, am the youngest daughter of two older siblings, and though I am clearly not dead, I often put the faces of my older sister and brother to Timothy and Wallow as I was reading. It was my way of personalizing the story.
Overall, this story was amazing, entertaining, very well- written, and did everything a short story should do for its reader. I would highly recommend take 30-45 minutes out of your day to read this short story and be entranced in the mind of Timothy and the world that surrounds him.
I’ll post the link to the story here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/06/13/haunting-olivia
A lot of people keep planners or datebooks to keep track of their busy schedules and lives, but when I talk about my planner, I’m talking about my Happy Planner.
What’s a Happy Planner, you may ask? Well, it’s a planner like no other. It has a disc-bound system that allows you to remove and add in your own pages using a special hole puncher and discs specific to The Happy Planner.
The appeal of Happy Planners are that they are so customizable. It is essentially what you make it. Whether you’re simple and minimalistic or bright and colorful, there’s a Happy Planner for you. There’s different types of planners too. For instance, there’s Faith planners, Fitness planners, Recipe planners, Health and Wellness planners, Student/Teacher planners, etc. There are so many types available in all kinds of designs and layouts. As for layouts, The Happy Planner has a couple different sizes of planners: BIG, Classic, mini, skinny mini, and Classic skinny mini.
In these sizes, you can get different layouts, such as Vertical, Hourly, Block, Horizontal, Lined Vertical, etc.
So, now you’ve got the system figured out, you’ve chosen your size(s), and your layout(s). Here comes the fun part… STICKERS!! Another reason The Happy Planner is so special is because they are designed for decorative planning. Decorative planning is so much fun, and it allows you to be creative while being productive. Here are a few of my weekly planner spreads:
Other Planners
So, I know this blog has been pretty specific to The Happy Planner, but there are some other really great planner companies that offer other binding systems and customization. There’s Erin Condren, Plum Paper, Agenda 52, Recollections, and more! These can all be found on their own websites or at your local craft store (Michael’s, JoAnn’s, Hobby Lobby, etc.). The Happy Planner is a little more exclusive, and a limited quantity of their products can be found at Walmart. However, with that exclusivity, comes a more exclusive price. There are coupons and bargains pretty often, but being a decorative planner can get pretty pricey. I recommend joining Buy/Sell/Trade groups for planners on Facebook, as many of them destash their unwanted items or will resale items that they might not have needed.
Planner Community
Another perk of being a planner, is the community! The planner community is filled with people from all walks of life who just enjoy being creative and keeping track of their busy schedules. It’s such a positive and accepting environment, and most people don’t even know about it. And maybe some people find it weird that people can come together to bond over stickers, but weird or not, it’s all some people have, so who are we to judge what makes them happy and fulfilled?
My Planner Journey
My journey into the planner world started in 2016. My sister bought me Recollections planner for Christmas. I didn’t care too much for it in the beginning, but as I got older and my life got busier, I needed it. Looking back, I didn’t have nearly as much stuff to do now, but as a middle-schooler, just having a place to keep track of it all helped me tremendously.
When I switched to the more coveted Happy Planner, it honestly changed my life. I became obsessed with the stickers and writing things in my planner. It was so fun, and I was happier because I was getting things done and still taking care of myself. The Happy Planner’s motto is “Plan a life you love,” and I stand by that. Nothing great can happen without a plan and without action. Having a planner, allows me to plan, thus allowing me to take action, and do great things.
I hope this post inspired or motivated you in some way. Maybe you go out and get your own planner or maybe you just appreciate the people who do.
It has been eons since I last posted any glorious content. And this is my first post as a senior! I am required to write a literary review of something once a month, but I hope to upload more regularly than that. Stay tuned! I am dying to inform you all of my quarantine.
The Art of Disintegration – Album Review for The Cure
Originally, I planned on reviewing a Michael Crichton book, but guess what? It is my first blog of the year! So I decided to review an entire album, dun dun dun.
If you are curious, I still listen to Tears for Fears. In fact, I am listening to their third album right now. By the way, I wrote a blog series about them my junior year, and the posts are still trending. What the heck? I honestly love it.
But newsflash: This may surprise you, but I listen to other music!
The Cure? Huh?
1985
(note 1: This is so informal, I know, but if you are curious about the source of an incorporated image, drag the image to a tab or simply click it, if that works.)
(note 2: I am referencing Wikipedia).
The Cure is an English band that formed in 1978—characterized by various, changing members and one constant: Robert Smith. Wikipedia classifies their music as gothic rock, post-punk, alternative rock, and new wave. I believe that they have about thirteen studio albums, all released not too far apart. In 2019, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And despite The Cure producing anything but plastic, overly manufactured pop, the band has found quite a bit of success.
Disintegration: The Album in Question
Released: May 2, 1989
Alternative rock, gothic rock, post-punk, new wave, dark wave, dream pop, ethereal wave
Eighth studio album
Charting at no. 3 in the UK and no. 12 in the US, Disintegration lives as the highest selling Cure album to date.
Included on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”
Track One: “Plainsong”
Duration: 5:12
Initial Thoughts
What a proper intro! I have fallen in love with the soft bells interrupted by the truly extravagant, soaring synth sound (the synth is so awe-inspiring that I have tried learning the notes by ear on my own synthesizer). “Plainsong” is an ethereal, simply riveting opening to Disintegration, perfectly capturing the essence of the entire album and leaving listeners feeling quite grand.
Lyrics
Characteristic of the Cure, this piece is predominantly instrumental (by that, I mean that the lyrics are not the focus by any means; the effect of the overall sound is spotlighted, a variety of instruments creating an entire universe of so much feeling). However, also characteristic of the Cure, the lyrics are definitely something to appreciate.
“Plainsong”
I think it’s dark and it looks like it’s rain, you said And the wind is blowing like it’s the end of the world, you said
And it’s so cold, it’s like the cold if you were dead And you smiled for a second
I think I’m old and I’m feeling pain, you said And it’s all running out like it’s the end of the world, you said
And it’s so cold, it’s like the cold if you were dead And you smiled for a second
Sometimes you make me feel Like I’m living at the edge of the world Like I’m living at the edge of the world It’s just the way I smile, you said
Robert Smith’s lyrics are often incredibly vague and even abstract, but he is notorious for writing songs with brilliant lyrics. In fact, I admire the poetry of his words and view him as a sort of inspiration. I love abstract poetry meant to convey only feelings drawn up by interpretations. To me, it makes the piece so much more profound and meaningful to the reader.
Although I can not confidently analyze any lyric from Robert Smith, I would love to offer my personal interpretation. (:
Listening to “Plainsong”, I have to realize that the lyrics perfectly match the sound. I love the place the music transports me: I am standing at a cliff’s edge under a sky filled with immense grey clouds. The wind is berating me, and all is grey and soggy and dark. But all is not necessarily dreary. This is a moment of feeling, of memory. This is a moment worth translating into the opening track of a superb album.
This piece fills me with a certain dread. It is about growing older and fearing you never leave an impact on the world. It is about a dreary landscape, both literal and metaphorical. It is about being on the verge of so much.
I love the flow of the lyrics and how it is a conversation. And the last stanza contains such a sincere sweetness. I love it. “Sometimes you make me feel like I’m living at the edge of the world,” and in response, “It’s just the way I smile, you said.” Despite never witnessing it, I feel this moment within me; it is bittersweet and so close to something vast and a bit terrifying—yet almost indescribable.
Overall
“Plainsong” is one of my favorite tracks on this album! It is definitely captivating, and it creates such an ethereal moment in reality.
Track Two: “Pictures of You”
Duration: 7:24
Initial Thoughts
Oh my goodness. “Pictures of You” is one of the most famous Cure songs of all time…and it is nearly ten minutes long! But listening to it, the song’s appeal is evident. “Pictures of You” is truly a masterpiece, a rich blend of various instruments and guitar texture. I can not describe how perfect Smith’s vocals mix with the sound, and the overall effect is quite heavenly. There is so much subtle variety to this piece, and the end leaves listeners feeling breathless. Experiencing “Pictures of You” in an upbeat mood, this will make you dance or bob your head while feeling an upwelling of positive feeling. But when experiencing this song in a nostalgic state of longing or even mourning, “Pictures of You” will tear you apart in the most delicate way.
Lyrics
Unlike “Plainsong”, this piece contains quite a bit of lyrics, and the words are definitely deserving of attention. I contemplated only including excerpts, but the decision-making of which lines tore my heart in two.
“Pictures of You”
I’ve been looking so long at these pictures of you That I almost believe that they’re real I’ve been living so long with my pictures of you That I almost believe that the pictures Are all I can feel
Remembering you standing quiet in the rain As I ran to your heart to be near And we kissed as the sky fell in Holding you close How I always held close in your fear Remembering you running soft through the night You were bigger and brighter and wider than snow And screamed at the make-believe Screamed at the sky And you finally found all your courage To let it all go
Remembering you fallen into my arms Crying for the death of your heart You were stone white So delicate Lost in the cold You were always so lost in the dark Remembering you how you used to be Slow drowned You were angels So much more than everything Hold for the last time then slip away quietly Open my eyes But I never see anything
If only I’d thought of the right words I could have held on to your heart If only I’d thought of the right words I wouldn’t be breaking apart All my pictures of you
Looking so long at these pictures of you But I never hold on to your heart Looking so long for the words to be true But always just breaking apart My pictures of you
There was nothing in the world That I ever wanted more Than to feel you deep in my heart There was nothing in the world That I ever wanted more Than to never feel the breaking apart All my pictures of you
If I could summarize the emotions of this song into one statement, it would be, “if only.” This piece is packed full of so much feeling. It is nostalgic, but the kind of nostalgia that proves quite visceral. You can understand the love the narrator has, but loss of some sort is also apparent.
Yes, “Pictures of You” feels like a piece written about loss. Is it death? Time? Space? However, we know that only “pictures” remain.
A few of my favorite lines:
“I’ve been living so long with my pictures of you that I almost believe that the pictures are all I can feel.”
“…And screamed at the make-believe—screamed at the sky—and you finally found all your courage to let it all go.”
“Open my eyes, but I never see anything.”
“There was nothing in the world that I ever wanted more than to feel you deep in my heart.”
All in all, I adore the lyrics in this. The meaning is more straightforward than other Cure songs, but it can be interpreted in so many different ways. Whether you spend the seven minutes dancing dramatically or sobbing freely, the lyrics remain unchanged. The effect is that powerful. And when Robert Smith sings the last stanza, this extraordinary feeling washes over you, a feeling nearly unknown. Smith’s voice is full of anguish, regret, and gratitude, breathing life into the stellar poetry that will live in your heart long after the song ends.
Overall
“Pictures of You” is truly a moving piece by the Cure, characterized by a vast blend of sound to sink into. It is reflection, reminiscence. It is loss and adoration. It is regret and gratitude. And it is all of the feelings of yesterday. I can not express my level of appreciation for this song…some days I skip past it because it is, well, popular and played constantly. But if you endure the seven minutes of reflection and overwhelming feeling, then you understand. It is an unbeatable Cure classic.
Track Three: “Closedown”
Duration: 4:16
Initial Thoughts
This song, to me, is reminiscent of “Plainsong”…but in an incredibly satisfying, necessary way. It is aware; it is afraid. Time is moving at an alarming rate, traveling at the speed of the heavily percussive intro. I love the drums being layered with the bass. And I love the random synth and guitar melodies. Such as with “Plainsong”, “Closedown” contains a limited amount of lyrics—Robert Smith’s vocals complimenting the instrumental details that subsist whole-heartedly in the spotlight. This piece is meditative, grand, and a balance between grating, heavy bass and light tones produced by synthesizers and rich guitar.
Lyrics
“Closedown”
I’m running out of time I’m out of step and closing down And never sleep for wanting hours The empty hours of greed And uselessly always the need to feel again The real belief of something more than mockery If only I could fill my heart with love
Despite their brief simplicity, I have respect for “Closedown”‘s lyrics. The words flow so naturally, and the pace conveys the urgency of Smith’s message. And so much is packed within this one stanza.
I interpret “Closedown” as nearing the end of something monumental. The seconds are flying by, and you are left comprehending how this impacts you. It is about growing older and slipping into routine, and it is about envy. I adore the line, “If only I can fill my heart with love,” and I can clearly feel the trance-like mix of fear and awe this piece carries. The lyrics are startlingly aware yet…stuck.
Overall
“Closedown” is definitely something to listen to while hastily meeting deadlines at the last second. And, on a more serious note, it is a song worth playing when you feel too old or beyond the present, a song for days spent in worry and longing as the end is felt before it is seen. Grounded by heavy bass and drums that echo in your heart, “Closedown” effortlessly communicates the dread and awe of the change that arrives with inevitably.
Track Four: “Lovesong”
Duration: 3:29
Initial Thoughts
Layer heaven! The soft, meditative lull of an organ-like sound carries guitar cracks and lilting melodies, a lovely bass beat, and upbeat drums. Robert Smith’s voice, full of adoration, elevates the incredible mix of sound to the next level. And random trills and variations to the hypnotic beat create a never-ending intrigue. The overall effect of every musical voice is utterly astounding. Another Cure classic, “Lovesong” refines the recipe of a traditional love song to something so savory and fresh, you lose yourself in a world of sincerity.
Lyrics
“Lovesong”
Whenever I’m alone with you You make me feel like I am home again Whenever I’m alone with you You make me feel like I am whole again
Whenever I’m alone with you You make me feel like I am young again Whenever I’m alone with you You make me feel like I am fun again
However far away I will always love you However long I stay I will always love you Whatever words I say I will always love you I will always love you
Fly me to the moon
Whenever I’m alone with you You make me feel like I am free again Whenever I’m alone with you You make me feel like I am clean again
However far away I will always love you However long I stay I will always love you Whatever words I say I will always love you I will always love you
“Lovesong” is outrageously perfect in its simplicity. There is no need for extravagant moments of jaw-dropping, literary prowess, as every little moment speaks for itself.
Robert Smith effectively uses repetition to allow the sound to carry his words and amplify his message. The lyrics are not a separate body; every voice in “Lovesong” combines to communicate the song’s overall intention. I have no choice but to admire this trusting creative process that, in turn, influences the piece in the most perfect way.
A Few of My Favorite Lines
“Whenever I’m alone with you, you make me feel like I am home again.”
There is something so impactful about “home.”
“Whenever I’m alone with you, you make me feel like I am whole again.”
“Whenever I’m alone with you, you make me feel like I am young again.”
This contrasts one significant element of “Plainsong” and “Closedown”! The muse of Smith’s writing, his wife, challenges his ceaseless worrying of time.
“Fly me to the moon.”
This is spontaneous yet so organic and real.
I love Smith’s voice throughout every moment of this piece! “However far away…,” finds its way into the spotlight, and the song benefits from its repetitive, rich effect. The Cure is not a stranger to love songs—two examples of other pieces being “Halo” and “This Twilight Garden”—but “Lovesong” exists as an incredibly bare yet impressive piece that boasts nothing but sincerity.
“Lovesong” lifts listeners in preparation for what lies on the horizon of Disintegration—a bit of respite in the darkness of time and space.
Overall
Not a fan of love songs? Give this one a try. It is not delusional or for show, and it is characterized by a medley of unique tones and voices. Honestly, despite “Lovesong”‘s popularity, it is quite hypnotic. I have attempted to translate it into purely synth music, and let me tell you…playing the ba dum duh duh duh duh duuuh duuh on keyboard is so satisfying it should be unattainable.
Track Five: “Last Dance”
Duration: 4:42
Initial Thoughts
This piece sticks out to me—an unusual contrast to the swirl of similar feelings before. “Last Dance” is somber, yes, but in a way that is polished and contained; no bleeding emotions saturate the sound. This song is a step away from the contemplation of before, and the tone of the album begins to darken. Although “Last Dance” feels miles away from “Lovesong”, it still focuses on time and some associated negative feelings.
Lyrics
(note: For the sake of brevity, some lines have been omitted; they are marked with ellipses.)
“Last Dance”
I’m so glad you came I’m so glad you remembered To see how we’re ending our last dance together Expectant too punctual but Prettier than ever I really believed that this time it’s forever
But older than me now more constant more real…
…I’m so glad you came I’m so glad you remembered The walking through walls in the heart of December The blindness of happiness Of falling down laughing And I really believed that this time was forever
But Christmas falls late now flatter and colder And never as bright as when we used to fall All this in an instant before I can kiss you A woman now standing were once there was only a girl…
…Reluctantly cautiously but Prettier than ever I really believed That this time it’s forever
But Christmas falls late now, flatter and colder And never as bright as when we used to fall
And even if we drink I don’t think we would kiss In the way that we did when the woman was only a girl
“Last Dance” is a separation from the adoring simplicity of “Lovesong”; it is more austere, and that is conveyed by eloquent wording and an overall succinct sound.
A hint of either sarcasm or absurd wonder can be detected, as Smith sings, “I’m so glad…to see how we’re ending our last dance together.” By examining the lyrics and Smith’s use of, “a woman now standing where once there was only a girl”, I can infer that the subject of the song, perhaps, was once an old muse, and a great deal of time has passed since the narrator last encountered her.
Throughout the piece, Robert Smith is processing the events unfolding before him while reflecting on the path. The month of December holds significance, and Smith realizes that the current Decembers are not quite like before.
In general, I found the lyrics fairly intriguing—especially their tone. One of my favorite lines is, “the blindness of happiness.”
Overall
I appreciate the sound of “Last Dance”; it fits the mood of the lyrics and adds a greater effect to Smith’s vocals. I love the crying electric guitar and the melodic foundational beats of drums, bass, and synth. Although “Last Dance” is not among my all-time favorite Cure songs, I respect the details which make this piece extraordinary: the blend of intense rhythms that combine into one flowing, unstoppable river, Robert’s versatility in songwriting, and the way Smith emphasizes the pronunciation of each word—this adds to the austerity! Love.
End of Part One
As my blog has surpassed three thousand words, I will need at least a part two. My apologies! Stay tuned for the remaining seven songs! Peace. (:
It’s been a while since I last blogged, so I figured I’d just tell you guys what I’ve been up to, as well as what the my blog platform will look like this year!
First, I am a senior now- crazyyy! I am also student body president, which still blows my mind to say out loud, but I’m honestly still the same Maleigh! I feel like coming into this year I almost felt like I had to “redefine myself,” but I quickly realized that is quite okay to just be me!
However, my blogging style will be getting a makeover. Instead of posting journalism or informational type blogs, I will be using this platform to talk more about me and my life. There won’t be quite as many series, and my posting will be more sporadic, but on the last Friday of each month, I will post some sort of literary review, so look forward to those! But as for every other week, you can just expect more about me. Last year when the pandemic hit, things were hard, and I had to sort of go off schedule and off plan, and it proved to be very difficult for me, so I want to challenge myself this year to just write- no rhyme or reason needed.
So, the last time you heard from me, I was reflecting and saying my goodbyes, but in these last few months, I’ve done quite a lot, so I’ll include some photos of what my life has looked like in this pandemic.
I turned 17 in May!
I was so super grateful!
I won a few awards for my writing (not sure why I am holding it like a baby)!
I spent a lot of time with my silly kitty, Manny!
I became pen pals with most of my MSA family to pass the quarantine time, and I must say letter writing is a lost art form!
I hung 😉 out in this super comfy hammock!
I went to “prom”!
That’s pretty much what I did during quarantine! I did a lot of cooking and baking too, but I didn’t have any photos that. How did you guys pass time while at home? Let me know in the comments!!
I have so much free time. I’m about to have even more free time because I’m almost done with school entirely. So, the question must be asked: what do I do with all of this free time? I can easily answer that question: play video games. All-day. And listen to music and YouTube videos as well, but mostly play video games. What video games have I played the most? Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Now, some of you may be wondering: what on earth are those things? Well, settle down, cuz I’m about to teach you a lesson about two of my favorite video games.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game that came out on March 20. Yes, I did drive out to the GameStop in McComb to get my copy of the game. Quarantine wouldn’t stop me from getting my game about talking animals and growing flowers. I was determined to get my hands on it; and once I got it, I drove back to my house, went inside, and loaded my new game onto my Switch.
Right away, I could tell that I would love this game. The music was relaxing, and the first characters I encountered were Timmy and Tommy Nook, two young raccoons that are related to the titular character Tom Nook.
Look how cute they are. How could you not instantly fall in love with them?
Right away, I got busy working on making my town the best it could possibly be. I spent a lot of time picking weeds, replanting trees, and visiting mystery islands to find new flowers and fruits to grow on my island (all I’m missing is oranges… which I got at the beginning of the game, but ate them without knowing that I could plant them. oops). My two starting villagers were Canberra, the koala, and Hamlet, the hamster. Hamlet is a jock. I hate jocks. They won’t shut up about sports. I hate them in Animal Crossing almost as much as I do in real life.
I’ve been working with this game since it came out on that very day. I’ve been doing my best to make my island the best that it can be. I’ve been planting flowers, getting new villagers, and messing with the layout in a way that makes visual and coherent sense. My sister has been helping me as well, though she helps a little less so than I would like. Currently, I’m working on paying off the next to last upgrade for my house, while also working on getting to a five-star rating so that my island has the best image that it can be.
When I’m not working on my tropical paradise, I’m beating people up in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This fighting game is a lot different from most fighting games for one main reason: it’s a crossover of a multitude of different companies and franchises. From the Mario brothers to Final Fantasy VII, everyone from nearly every major gaming name in history has a place on the fighting roster. Also, this game is rather easy to understand; it doesn’t require very complex inputs like the arcade fighting games of old (Street Fighter, we’re looking at you). It usually requires the push of one button and a movement on the control stick, and your path to kicking butt is complete.
One of my favorite characters in the game is Hero, one of the downloadable content characters that’s from Dragon Quest. This character is unique in that, when you input the combination of down+B, you’re given four random moves that you can use against your opponent. Some of them are virtually useless (kacklang) and some are incredibly useful (heal and magic burst). I also love seeing a character in the game that isn’t just another normal sword fighter (see: every Fire Emblem rep except for Robin).
These two games have helped me keep my sanity during these crazy times, and I’m so happy that I have these games to occupy my time. I’m also grateful that I even have a Switch to begin with; it allows me to have an escape to a world where I don’t have to even care about what’s going on outside my home.
Seven years ago, a free game was released onto the internet. This solo-developed horror game was created by Joonas Rikkonen, and last year was the first time that the game was released in a stable condition. This game is called SCP Containment Breach, where you play as a D-class (what the game refers to as people who get tested on in the facility this game takes place in) charged with making an attempt to escape when one of the many anomalies that are kept on-site escapes, causing a facility-wide breach to occur. But this franchise didn’t start out as just a horror game: it started as an innocuous post on 4Chan.
SCP-173. A lab report written in the horror section of 4Chan about a strange creature kept in a containment site that was hidden from normal society. It is described as an animate statue made of concrete and rebar, painted with Krylon brand spray paint. It only moves when something is not watching it, so no less than three people can enter its cell at a time, ensuring the safety of personnel who may be around it who need to blink. Its method of killing is a quick snap of the neck; closing your eyes around this monster ensures your quick demise. No one knew what to make of this unique and disturbing post, but they did know one thing: it was something that had never been seen before.
Soon, these types of posts began to clog the 4Chan board where it had been born. So, along with a few others, the SCP Wiki was created. On this site, the list of SCPs began to exponentially grow. Some notable entries include:
SCP-294, a coffee vending machine that can dispense any liquid, including those that have the potential to be catastrophically destructive. Upon depositing fifty cents, the user is prompted to enter a liquid of choice into the keypad, and the machine can dispense it. When tested, the machine could produce water, coffee, beer, and soda, non-consumable liquids such as sulfuric acid, wiper fluid, and motor oil.
SCP-426, I am a toaster; I can only be referred to in the first person in order to keep ambiguity. When I am in prolonged exposure to an individual, I slowly cause the person in question to believe that they are a toaster. I was given to a couple as a wedding gift, and after two months, an electrical fire caused the house to burn down. I was afterward taken into SCP’s custody, and I have remained there ever since.
SCP-1974, a bathtub that holds the consciousness of two individuals: SCP-1974-1, who is a male American, and SCP-1974-2, a male Russian. The two consciousnesses are in a near-constant state of arguing, and one can hear it if they submerge any body part into the water.
The only SCP that has never been designated is SCP-001. There have been a few proposals, most of which are catastrophic events, but to this day, those who man the SCP Wiki refuse to give this coveted spot away.
A few years after the SCP Wiki was created, a game designer commonly known as Regalis decided that he was going to make a game based off the SCP series. The main question is: how would one go about creating a game about a series that is home to hundreds of thousands of individual creatures? The answer was to create a game that was focused on escaping an SCP lab. The game was titled SCP Containment Breach, and to this day, it is still getting consistently updated.
The player character in the game is a D-Class personnel (in the SCP universe, the foundation often uses death-row criminals in their testing), and during a routine check on SCP-173, it breaches containment. It is now the job of the player to safely evade the many SCPs in the facility and find a way to escape.
This game, along with the efforts of those who work for the SCP Wiki, has kept the SCP Foundation a staple in modern horror and suspense. If you have the time, here’s a recommendation: to find out which SCP you are, go to Google and search “SCP” plus your birthday. Mine, SCP-825, is a medieval helmet that induces visions in those who wear it. And if your SCP interests you, why not search for readings of SCP articles on YouTube? This series is full of interesting creatures, and I am sure that you will find something that is both exciting and entertaining.
Bruce Springsteen’s song “The Last Carnival” is something I have been listening to a lot lately. For me, it holds so many different meaning and resonates with so many events happening in my life right now. First of all, I lost a dear friend to a motorcycle accident on April 10th. I haven’t really been ready to talk about it because I was ready to face the “sorry for your loss” again, but at this time I feel like I need to leave a tribute to her. What better way to do that than to listen to a song that reminds me how alive she was.
“We won’t be dancing together on the high wire
Facing the lines with you at my side, oh no.
We won’t be breathing the smoke in the fire
On a midway.
Hanging from the trapeze, my wrists waiting for your wrists.
Two daredevils high upon the water’s edge.
You throwing the knife that lands inches from my head.”
She enjoyed walking on the wild side of things. She was a limit-tester. That friend you could do anything will no matter how crazy of dangerous. Springsteen encompasses above exactly how it felt to be with her and the grief I feel that I won’t get to have those adventures with her anymore. She was fearless, and she made me fearless. She was the most alive person I knew, and I know wherever she is at now, that hasn’t changed. She always walked the line of risk like it was a tightrope. Where is she is, she’s pushing the rules. She’s existing beyond the way all of us exist, and that is exactly how she lived her life. “The last Carnival” reminds me of the last time she and I did something out of the ordinary. We were at a parade in our hometown, and we got bored, so we walked through the parade band and then made our way a few miles up the road. She was determined to walk in the middle of the road and dodge any vehicles that came at her. That was our last carnival.
This song also reminds me of my MSA family. My literaries and I have been through thick and thin together. We have argued, almost fought, laughed together, cried together, got to know each other in the most mentally and emotionally intimate ways. The past two years have been a roller-coaster ride, and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to love all of these fantastic people.
Thank you, Ms. Vickie for being my mom away from home. You were always there to listen when I was having a hard time and ready to give me a laugh when I needed it most.
Thank You, Mr. Benny and Mrs. Suz for always checking up on me and pushing me to be the best I could be.
Thank You, Mrs. Kathy for sitting with me at dinner when I was alone, you have no idea how much that meant to me.
Thank You, Mrs. Sibley for being the best mentor I could ask for, learning my love language, and never letting me give up on myself. There were times when you had more faith in me than I did, and your guidance has helped me grow as a writer and especially as a person. I know I was a handful, and I can never fully express my gratitude for everything you have taught me.
Thank You, Kerri Bland for always being the person that could make me laugh until I couldn’t breathe. You are heading for amazing things, and I am so proud of the person you have evolved into since we first met back at camp. I have lived with you for two years and over that time you have become one the best and most memorable friends I have and will ever meet.
Thank You, Morgan Crosby for being such an amazing listener and supporter. You have never judged me. You have always pushed me to do great things from raising my ACT score, to listening to me read my pieces over and over even before they were done, for feeding me comfort food, for the warm hugs, for listening to me complain all the time, you are a great human being and I love you so much.
Thank You, Victoria Jerde for helping me gain confidence in myself. You were there each time I doubted my abilities or my strength. I am grateful that I got to know you because you were one of the few people who understood everything I was suffering with. You are so beautiful and smart and strong, and never let yourself get down just like you never allowed me too.
Imani Carter/Skipwith, we have been through some stuff together for sure, but I am glad we were able to solidify a bond and friendship this year. You have had my back when it counted most since that summer we roomed together at camp, and you are going to do such amazing things with your words. I am proud and excited to see where you go.
Micheal “MJ” Coleman, man am I going to miss you. You are such a shining star. I am going to miss hearing you sing, hearing you laugh, and watching you dance. I’ll miss our talks. Remember last year when I sat by you in the lab and we would always cut up? You really became my brother over these years, and I love you so much.
Kia Nations, we weren’t really that close, but I’ll miss your ability to stand up for yourself no matter what. Your writing has grown so much, and I can’t wait to see where you wind up. You have such a bright future, never let anyone try to get you down because you are a force to be reckoned with.
Finally, Chloe Russell, my best friend, my future Millsaps roommate, I won’t even try to explain how much you mean to me. You came into my life at the perfect time. You made me stronger. You made me a better writer, gave me a better outlook on life, and help me become a better person. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t of took me out for that drive back in the beginning of last year and gave me a new friend when I had no one. You keep me going, and wherever you wind up, I’ll be right beside you cheering you on.
To my juniors, and to their juniors, and so on: Seize every moment, bask in it, love where you’re at and love where you are going because if you are apart of this family, you are destined for great things. This is my last carnival, but I know that you all will only make the carnival bigger, greater, and incomparable. Love you all.
“Moon rise, moon rise, the light that was in your eyes is gone away.
Daybreak, daybreak, the thing in you that made me ache has gone to stay
We’ll be riding the train without you tonight
The train that keeps on moving
It’s black smoke scorching the evening sky.
A million stars shining above us like every soul living and dead
Has been gathered together by God to sing a hymn
Over the old bones.
Sundown, sundown.
They empty out the fairgrounds.
Where are you now my handsome Billy?”
It kills me that I have to say good-bye to you all like this, but at least it’ll be in a place for me to always look back and remember. Thank you so much MSA, for changing my life, for helping me become great.
Quarantine has forced me to try many new things, including reading books that I thought were overrated, along with movies I never watched because I thought they were overrated, and finally, watching shows I never watched because- I bet you can guess why- I thought that they were overrated.
Which show have I avoided for many years because I thought it would be so horrible? Game of Thrones. At one point in time, everyone was talking about this show- and I mean everyone. I was the one percent of the population who had never seen a single episode.
I began the Game of Thrones journey by watching a completely different show, this one is called Disenchantment. I recommend disenchantment to anyone willing to try it; it’s super underrated. It’s an adult cartoon and it’s hilarious. It really makes fun of Game of Thrones and the middle ages time period in general.
I was watching that show one day and I thought to myself, “why not at least give it a shot.” so, I switched over to Amazon Prime Video and went to watching it.
This show is so unbelievable gruesome. Within the first thirty minutes I had watched two men ripped to pieces, and another beheaded for treason. I thought to myself, “What is wrong with our generation?” as I continued watching with no regrets.
There is a ridiculous amount of characters- it’s really hard to keep up at first but you get the hang of it. By the way, it’s very much so rated R so watch out, youngin’s. I want to read the books one day but apparently there are even more characters in the book so I have no earthly idea how I would even begin to follow that. Then again, so many people die it might not be that hard.
George RR Martin, the author, truly spares no one. He has chewed my heart up, swallowed it, and threw it up in the gutter too many times to count. At the end of every season, someone you loved dies. No one is safe. I’m so serious, you think everything is grand then BOOM death.
Aside from that, there are some awesome female characters in the show. One being The Mother Of Dragons, who starts off being sold to a man as a wife and now has an army of ten thousand men she freed from slavery and three dragons and she cannot be burned. Fire does not hurt her. She’s awesome. There’s also a little girl called Arya Stark who I love with all of my heart and soul because she is a little warrior. She has been through so much and she is so strong and if she dies I swear I will go to Martin personally and ask him to please reconsider. I cannot handle that.
All in all, I was being stupid for not watching it. I was just scared of being basic, but I’ve come to the conclusion that good cinematography and story writing should always be appreciated, no matter how many people already like it, or how many don’t.
