Nearing the age of 80, Neil Young has somehow managed to release an album that some regard as "the most deeply personal songs" of his career.
Auspiciously enough, on Friday the 13th, June 2025, Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts released the album "Talkin' To The Trees". Some have regarded the songs as so personally intense, that even Neil has over stepped a line. Others -- of course -- disagree that this is exactly the essence of Neil Young, going where other artists would never dare to go.
The apparent reaction dichotomy surrounds the album's first two songs: "Family Life" and "Dark Mirage" and their dark, raw honesty.
Our 1st Comment of the Moment on Talkin' To The Trees Album by Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts is by the highly respected and oft quoted Scotsman:
There is nothing wrong with writing personal records.Toast, Tonight's the Night, and Homegrown are all deeply personal, whilst also demonstrating great warmth and good-natured character. The artist here might be leader, a rebel, a passionate lover, or a freedom fighter, but it's quite clear he's not a vandal, arsonist, abuser, or terrorist.Other great records see artists "playing the villain" with relish and glee, in a fictional (or allegorical) world they've constructed.The opening songs of Talkin to the Trees seem to be neither of these. They are both personal and toxic. Malignant.Likewise, there is a clear difference between "dark" and "harmful". Sleeps with Angels is a dark masterpiece, but packed with empathy and hope. The same is true of Greendale: full of grief, full of care.The superb Green is Blue from Colorado is extremely dark and rooted in reality, but it is not the musical equivalent of a forest fire. It's more an invitation to pick up the fire extinguisher.Once the songs seemingly become badly-sharpened instruments of destruction, then I think the artist has made an error of judgement.It's also entirely out of character for Neil Young. The record strikes me as a tragedy, with the cyanide of the first two tracks seeping into our appreciation of the bittersweetness that follows. The latter songs are contextualised by what we've heard so far.If these songs are as autobiographical as they appear, it seems he's decided hope is lost and has hit the nuclear button out of frustration and fear. He's sawn away at the last threads of a relationship.This is something I will neither celebrate nor enjoy. A younger Neil Young, or perhaps an older one, would agree with me.The momentary Neil we are hearing from right now, meanwhile, seems to be in crisis. Dark Mirage (which, of course, is a song with a perspective, and not the gospel truth) hints at depression, or multiple depressions, within the world it depicts. If so, the song itself is essentially destructive.I can say with as much certainty as anybody: there are ways to overcome depression. But I don't think these songs are amongst those ways. They are more like fuel for the fire.When an artist is in despair or in crisis, he must step away from the sharp tools of his trade until he's regained enough composure to use them with his previous care.[ADDENDUM]I think we have to be careful not to fall too comfortably into the viewpoint that the song presents us. (Not necessarily in Neil's case, but the parallel would be that auto-biographies can sometimes be self-flattering or one-sided).With respect to Dan Swan [see below] and others, I'll admit I'm unconvinced about the whole "honest, authentic, real, brave" thing. A surgeon who wakes up in a bad mood and starts slashing away with the scalpel might be all of these things. He's also a bad surgeon. And he needs to put down the blade.I don't think Neil will ever regret sharing the original Amber Jean song with the world. I'm not sure the same will be true of these new ones. To use his songwriting skill to dispatch his family as pawns in a chess game leads me to conclude he's made an error of judgement. Assuming my reading of this is correct, then presumably people close to him have made the same observation.The flipside is that choosing to publish the arguably cruel songs here (at absolute best, a case of fighting fire with fire) is a wholly out-of-character aberration, both within the album and his decades-long career.Of course, that doesn't make the traces of cyanide any easier to swallow.Scotsman.
Many thanks Scotsman for sharing your thoughts on this vital subject in these times. Your contributions to the community are valued and appreciated.
As noted above, there is a flip side. Here's a comment by Dan in response:
I find it encouraging that those with such strong negative reactions to this album are sharing their thoughts.As I have always said; “the more powerful the reaction, the better the art”. I completely understand the negative reactions, but I simply don’t see it that way.Yes; the lyrics are harsh and brutal in several songs, but they represent his honest voice speaking from a place none of us can truly know. His life is not ours to live. Yet we have all felt pain, and loss in our lives. As a songwriter he is simply communicating his heartfelt feelings of pain honestly. Perhaps it’s not important to him how it makes others feel, he’s just putting it out there. Maybe he finds it cathartic to lay it all out for everyone to hear. I don’t know; but I respect his willingness to do so.I celebrate his honesty. I may not be able to fully understand it, because it’s not mine to understand. I just appreciate the fact that he’s willing to share it with the world. This is artistic bravery at its finest.I found Prairie Wind to be uncomfortably personal too, but I loved that record. Pushing people’s comfort limits is a big part of the creative process, and from the reactions shared here, I think Neil has been successful with this aspect of it.
[ADDENDUM]
We humans are all flawed imperfect beings, and none of us are immune to mistakes or misjudgments. I’m convinced that we all have our own forms of darkness that occasionally overshadow our better selves.Neil has always been willing to be transparent about his flaws. And everyone is entitled to their own views on this matter. I’m not defending his approach to his pain, but I am defending his right to choose how he deals with it.I’m not going to judge him because that’s not my job. He’s an artist making artistic choices about how he wants to express himself, and I certainly don’t fault him for doing that.The collateral damage he may be causing himself is completely on him. I believe we can all agree that he is revealing his pain to the world, knowing that not everyone is going to appreciate it. I’m also convinced that he isn’t concerned with how people might feel about it.Art can be messy sometimes. As can life itself.Peace 🙏
Similar to Scotsman above, many thanks Dan for being here and being a regular contributor. Like Scots, your contributions to the community are valued and appreciated.
The album "Talkin' to the Trees," recorded with Chrome Hearts, was released on Friday, 13 June on CD, vinyl, and digital.
In May, Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts released a new Official Music Video for the song "Lets Roll Again".
In January, Neil Young dropped a track from his latest album titled "big change is coming". In addition, an Official Music Video was released featuring the band The Chrome Hearts.
by Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts
The first two songs are uncomfortable to me because he names names, and repeats himself. It's one thing to write a love song to your newborn; it's another to drag family laundry into the public eye, particularly when the participants don't ask for it. Amber has likely spent most of her life dealing with having famous parents, and whatever the issue is, she didn't go to the press with it.
ReplyDeleteIt is possible to clarify with some distinctions. Of course, we all value honestly, but honesty is not the same thing as "telling the truth." I could, if I wanted, tell the truth about myself and my family life right now. But the context would be wrong and no one should praise me for being honest. (Just think of a blow hard who always reminds people of their accomplishments- this is also "telling the truth") Artistic honesty, whatever that is supposed to be, is obviously not the same thing as telling the truth about oneself. In fact, the intrusion of the self might be regarded as artistically problematic- just as overt political commentary might be problematic for art. This points are just a beginning for discussion.
ReplyDelete'but honesty is not the same thing as "telling the truth."'
ReplyDelete...no point in attempting to engage with that
oh well
ridiculous comments aside, we can all be thankful that Billy & Ralph weren't asked to sing on this disaster
I found the recent comments posted on this site extremely disappointing. It seems as if some are confusing their own life with our hero's one. Many are speculating about things they don't know. The internet has become a reservoir of hate, even for Neil fans, and it appalls me. For my part, I am simply happy and grateful that Neil is releasing new albums, which I listen to passionately with my young sons. I can't wait to see him in concert and share this moment with my family.
ReplyDeleteWilliam: You talk about "many" people. Can we have some specifics?
DeleteThe fact that you are writing this on this particular blog post implies the problem is either with me or Dan S. Dan hasn't said anything critical, so it must necessarily be me.
If so, please be aware: I have not speculated. I have not proffered any hate, at all. This should be very clear.
I have not rummaged through any trash cans, nor have the slightest interest in doing so. As and when I am relying on my reading of something being correct, I have clearly signposted this within the text. The point-of-view I have offered is far less personalised than the songs themselves, which actively invite people to fall into the trap of speculation or assumption.
Most of the comments I have read are just people feeling somewhat shocked, and upset over what appears to have happened. (Notice, again, the word "appears").
It seems to me the most flagrantly disrespectful thing in this situation is to cheer on a apparent tragedy with cries of "Go, Neil — the lead guitar rocks!".
So I'm not denying it exists, but you absolutely must specify examples of this "reservoir of hate", and then the people in question can respond.
That way, we have a discussion. But it simply will not do to make vague, non-specific pronouncements, tarring everybody with the same brush, and not even giving the opportunity to respond — because they don't know what they are responding to.
I've made my argument crystal clear. You do the same.
Scotsman.
PS: I assume you are not actually the reformed gunfighter from the Clint Eastwood film?
I guess the point I made is ridiculous. Jonathon, why don't you actually think about what I said? The idea goes back to Aristotle. The honest person tells the truth at the right time, in the right way, for the right reasons, and to the right people. I am not going to sit around and listen to people call comments ridiculous when they obviously are not.
ReplyDeleteAb: I'd been thinking about how we think about honesty, too: when it's good, when it's not so good. My view is essentially along the same lines as yours, and I will write about this is on my own site within a few days. (Not to do with Neil, just in general).
DeleteScots: I think it is very important, considerable nuance required. I look forward to reading your work.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I wish I’d listened to album before I saw some of these comments. I’ll never know whether I’d have had a different, more or less clouded impression. Regarding Dark Mirage and Family Life, I can understand discomfort. But I don’t share the strong aversion some feel.
ReplyDeleteWithout going into specific detail, I’ll share that I lost my dad some years ago in a painful way. He was outlived by both of his own parents. I suspect that speaks for himself. It was doubtlessly extraordinarily hard for my mom, too, being the surviving parent with all the complicated emotions that entails.
I don’t say this in order to “trauma dump”—although I do think many of our current real world problems could be traced back to suppressed personal traumas—but to express that I can understand holding anger for someone while still loving them and missing them deeply. Having these disturbing emotions simultaneously is profoundly human, in my experience anyhow. It’s important to reconcile those feelings, or at least recognize them truthfully, if you don’t want to become alienated from yourself and from others.
I guess my point is something along the lines of “better out than in.” That’s part of what art and music are for. My dad was a musician, maybe not coincidentally. Some of my earliest memories are of him singing (in a shaky, scratchy voice) and playing guitar around the house. If he was plugged in to the amp (with his cheap, wine red hollow-body electric with the f holes), my mom would often be asking him to turn it down. Looking back, some of those times playing music may have been the closest he came to completely exorcising his own dark mirages.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteTMR: what you have shared is a very personal and moving story. You have also done so with great respect for all involved, and enormous self-understanding, too.
DeleteThe point you make is a profound one. Art is a way of grappling with difficult, often tumultuous feelings.
The difference here might be the question of boundaries, and the question of whether a course of action really is likely to be a helpful or positive one. It arguably becomes even more crucial to consider these details when others are involved, or explicitly named. (Though, of course, even without naming others, it’s possible for an artist to put his foot in his mouth in a moment of anger. Most of us have done this, at one point or another!).
Writing a song to get something out of your system is not the same as putting it into the public arena.
Likewise, modern psychiatry tends to prioritise the challenging or changing of distorted thoughts, rather than accepting them and following a process of catharsis.
As I mentioned to a friend about this, a scalpel can either be a life-saving tool or a reckless weapon, depending on the skill and intention of the person doing the wielding. The devil is, I think, in the detail.
None of this bears any resemblance to your situation or the thoughtful, empathetic, and generous way you have shared it. I also have no doubt that Neil Young loves all of his family very much.
Sending best wishes, as always.
Typo: “speaks for himself” should be “speaks for itself.”
ReplyDeleteMR: The trauma dump is one serious problem and I have had to read poetry and short stories which cross a line- and I do not know precisely where the line is- the line into self absorbed banality. The trauma literature works only when it addresses the issues of trauma in a general way (from the particular to the universal). Russell Banks's novel Affliction is a great example.
ReplyDeleteHello forum
ReplyDeleteOne cpncert ticket for NY tour premiere at Dalhalla in Sweden available.
My own parents were cut off for a time from being allowed to see their grandkids, my nephews. It was painful, and for not a good reason either. People have their mental health issues, and that can be the deciding factor. Does this make me more likely to appreciate Dark Mirage? Maybe.
ReplyDeleteI would like it if we blog regulars tried a little harder to be kind to each other, not commenting on any specific dispute, recent or not. Some in society have no kindness to share unless they have a like minded person as a sounding board to agree with. “Then I’ll be nice, because we have the same beliefs.”
There is some high stress in people about recent events and changes in the US Government, etc. We are all still here because we love Neil Young music. Some of you are pretty hard to impress & sound pretty jaded.
“You can say the soul is gone
And the feeling is just not there
Not like it was so long ago
On the empty page before you
You can fill in what you care
Try to make it new before you go”
“You can say the soul is gone
And closе another door
Just be sure that yours is not thе one.”
-Stringman (-Neil Young)
I hope Neil & his people miss some of the commentary on the new album.
Luckily he is still making albums for himself, not for you (or I).
“America doesn’t know what to do with its old heroes.” -Jakob Dylan
I hope you have a good day!
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
As with William, Alan, you need to make clear which specific comments you are disagreeing with, or painting as unkind:
ReplyDelete"Some in society have no kindness to share unless they have a like minded person as a sounding board to agree with."
The temptation is for any particular commenter is to assume you are writing about them, whether you are or not, because you don't make clear exactly what specific words you are disagreeing with. It comes across as passive/aggressive.
Once you do this, a discussion becomes possible, rather than just a series of pronouncements.
Scotsman.
I just noticed that most comments try to get at the heart of the matter right away. After listenting to the album just once and reading the included lyrics sheet it occurred to me that the titles of the two problematic tracks have not been discussed here, really. What exactly is "Family Life" (as Neil Young defines it, as his audience wants it to be understood) and also what does the metaphor of a "Dark Mirage" imply when used as a title?
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my déformations professionelles, that makes me insist with my students that they take the title into account before they start analyzing any text. If everything could be taken for real or factual wouldn't be "spectre" a more appropriate word than "mirage"? As usual there might be more to the picture than meets the eye... If that's too banal with you people out there, forgive me and be reminded that English is not my first language.
@flyingscotzman : my comments asking people to be kinder to each other were truly not aimed at any one or more persons. I love your writing & I enjoy reading the many posts. My appeal was not focused on this latest thread or the latest time period.
ReplyDeleteI am not in crisis with TW. I love it. We are all going thru some stressful times at the moment. “World War 3? etc” “Civil War 2” ?
The positive & peaceful warriors will prevail, I pray.
Dark Mirage: It’s ugly, but it’s not real?
Your Brother Alan in Seattle
Alan: thanks for clarifying, and no problem at all. l love reading your words too, particularly when about our shared passion for the environment etc. I fully empathise with the situation you guys are going through right now in the US, and the knock-on effect on the rest of us, too.
DeleteRemember we are not mind-readers, so it's easy to get the wrong end of the stick!
In both scotzman's and abner's comments, the key note seems to be boundaries. It occurs to me that artists are often not great with boundaries, partly because art is highly involved with a desire for communication. If you feel the urge to communicate, make contact, or feel in touch with other humans at almost any cost, you're not necessarily apt to be clear-headed about other people's needs (or your own).
ReplyDeleteVarious art forms are used to express things we can't seem to put into words or get out of our system in any other way. It's possible to be simultaneously afraid of being alone with your feelings and afraid of burdening, or hurting, others with them.
As for art and trauma, it seems to me the only feasible metric is whether it's a cathartic, healing, or otherwise constructive experience for both artist and audience. That's bound to be a case-by-case question. During a concert, a musician generally wants everyone to have a positive experience, but it's impossible to guarantee what each individual's experience will be.
It's worth noting also that the audience has boundaries of its own: those of us who have been listening closely to Neil Young for a long time know many of the names in 'Family Life', but not the real dynamics. I couldn't possibly say how the songs might impact those things, nor would it be appropriate to pass judgement or speculation. That's an important boundary point for me, albeit a tricky one. There's a lot that can (and should) be said about creativity and emotional health, but I'm cautious not to take the personal, revealing nature of a song as license to comment on the artist's specific situation. All I really know is the song. I find that important to remember.
Dionys, you're right about the titles. A mirage, in the literal sense, is an optical illusion. The word denotes something that's not as it appears to be. I'm glad your comment got me to look it up, as I now realize it's from the same root word as 'mirror'.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a pretty strong album from late career Neil. The family rift threw me off on first listen...a lot to take in, right? The second time around, things seemed to make more sense. Outside of Big Change, Let's Roll Again, Silver Eagle etc....I see this as a raw, heartfelt reaching out to his daughter. Yes, Dark Mirage shows the darker side to whatever's going on but if you listen to the album from start to finish (a lost art it seems), Neil really reaches out in some incredibly beautiful and sincere ways. I get the feeling he sequenced these songs very deliberately. It seems to tell a tale...one deeper than any of us could ever really know.
ReplyDeleteAll a gentle reminder that a tour begins in about 12 hours time.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope our collective discussion of this does descend into a "this setlist is too/not political/personal enough" debate. Thanks to my youngest son I get to go to Brussels with him in 2 weeks time and have Hyde Park after that, so been a long time coming for a micro roadtrip. Something to look forward to.
I had a look at the NYA timeline today. Dark Mirage recorded 22nd Oct, Family Life on 17th November. So Neil has had over 6 months to decide whether to release these songs or not. And for his team to argue for or against. And to attempt an apparent family reconciliation.
As these songs are now out there that means communication somewhere has failed and so we get a glimpse - one sided - of someone's pain and despair. We can choose to listen or not.
What I don't like is the naming of grandchildren (we assume) in the lyrics. They are collateral damage in this family issue. It suggests they are not yet old enough to make their own decisions of who to see or not see. They should be left to do this on their own terms and not have songs around pushing emotional buttons, leaving aside exposing them to potential online fannish wrath from those who think they own their heroes. That is an error of judgement.
Decisions have been made, on both sides. I can help but think there is a Pegi Young testimony sitting in a lawyer's vault, only to be opened when all the main protaganists are gone, that will open out this troubling history some more. I doubt many characters will emerge unscathed.
Roll on Wednesday Night. Have a great one Sweden.
Tony "Hambone" in the UK
I think both Ian and Alan hit the nail on the head that a mirage is an illusion. This is what depression is: it goes beyond sadness, into a unrealistic and distorted way of looking at the world.
ReplyDelete(And once again, we must note a song is not the truth, but itself an illusion — a creation).
Of course, none of this I see any problem with. A song dealing with these themes sounds like an inspired idea.
But these songs are actually weapons, not just expressions. They name names. They close ranks, outcasting one lion from the pride as a sort of pariah.
This leads to the uncomfortable but undeniable truth that none of the comments have even come close to stepping into the minefield that the songs themselves actually lead a deliberate path to.
Amongst excellent points, Ian mentions "I'm cautious not to take the personal, revealing nature of a song as license to comment on the artist's specific situation.". While this is an attitude I hope more will follow, it is not the attitude that the songs encourage. They essentially toss Neil's family into the hornets' nest.
The only bit of speculation I will offer is that Neil loves his family very much, but has resorted to this sort of thing out frustration with what appears to be a stalemate, or deadlock. Okay, I understand that. But a line like "my best wife ever" (why the need for comparison, other than to rub salt into a wound?) seems actively cruel in it's real-life context. And unlikely to do anything to do anything other than worsen the deadlock.
I think if we feel somewhat dismayed by this situation, that's not a bad reaction to have.
Scotsman.
The last I heard about Amber before this album was that she was filming a movie of Crazy Horse of their tour last year. Then some of the Horse including Neil got sick, and it was cancelled. So I'm guessing we will never get to see this movie. I don't think this had anything to do with Neil and Amber having their falling out, but maybe we will never know .
ReplyDeleteI do think ‘Family Life’ is the more troublesome of the two songs, because of the names and for reasons scotzman outlined. On the other hand, some early comments led me to expect something possibly vindictive or spiteful—which, although I could be wrong, I don’t think that’s where it’s coming from.
ReplyDeleteMR: sorry if I seemed dismissive of your very good comments. How many of us have had rough times with our families and with our mental health? I certainly have had my share with suicides, alcoholism, depression, and the dysfunctions that are cause and effect of these sad realities. Somehow we have to synthesize our sadness and pain into the the fabric of our lives so we can learn from them and not sink like rocks. For myself, I have never "called out" any of my family members, even those who have tried to harm me. A philosophical approach is to somehow work our way through it and maybe this is what Neil is doing. We know a lot less than we sometimes think.
ReplyDeleteAbner: I didn’t think you sounded dismissive. When there are so many good points flying around, it’s hard to address everything in detail. The concerns you raise are important from the POV of both creator and listener/reader.
ReplyDeleteIn non-fiction writing especially, these ethical problems are always being negotiated. Fiction can be, among other things, maintain healthy psychological distance.
In trying to be precise and concise, I may sometimes sound gruffer than I mean to.
This is a brilliant discussion here about human challenges and how we deal with them. I’m comforted by everyone sharing their experiences and thoughts on the subject at hand.
ReplyDeleteWe all have experiences that have shifted our perspectives as we journey through this life, and sharing them with others in a safe space is a remarkable gift.
As for Neil’s choices on his most recent album, all I can see from my own life experiences, is that he is processing his feelings in the only way he feels comfortable with.
We can all agree that it’s his process, and whether we understand it, or have issues with it, they ultimately belong solely to him. Our reactions are more a reflection of our own experiences that have shifted our perceptions.
Peace 🙏
"If you listen to that music and you see me you aren't getting anything out of it. If you listen to that music and you see yourself it will probably make you cry and you'll learn something about yourself. Now your getting something out of it, you know?" Joni Mitchell on CBS News 12 years ago about eight minutes into the interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUu1MvnAecc
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is a needless thought experiment, but I can’t help wondering how someone would hear Dark Mirage if they hadn’t listened to Family Life first?
ReplyDeleteIn that sense, putting them back to back feels like a deliberate statement. Yet if I’m trying to look purely at sound and lyrics, Dark Mirage strikes me as the more developed, substantial of the two.
I’m not usually heavy on ranking, but I’d tentatively say Dark Mirage, First Fire, and Bottle of Love carry some of the album’s strongest musical moments. I’ve also found a new appreciation for Big Change. Those are some Big Chords.
@Jim : Thanks for posting this. I agree wholeheartedly with Joni on this. Music is meant to spark something within the listener, and I believe Neil has been incredibly successful in this particular case.
ReplyDeleteThe lyrics and title of Family Life definitely impacted my thoughts and reaction to Dark Mirage on first listening to the album. As the first bars and chords of Dark Mirage started up, I was still asking myself if I had really just listened to a song where Neil was having a pop at his own daughter by name
ReplyDeleteAs the song progressed I was quite taken back by the lyrics and tone of the music and was debating with myself about what I was actually listening to. No names are named in Dark Mirage but I found it hard not to assume who the 'Dark Daughter' referred to in the song might be.
And the sequencing of Family Life immediately before Dark Mirage is of course a deliberate choice. So I'm thinking it must be in order to make the listener come to the same conclusion as me?
Great to see so many comments and fascinating thoughts by the way. I'm enjoying listening to this album. As someone commented when Big Change was released 'it sounds finished'. Some great harmonica parts and Neil's voice sounds strong in most of the songs. And if he is going to write a new song that sounds a bit like an old song then Helpless is a good choice in my book.
What do people make of Bottle of Love? Any thoughts on what 'go and touch the animal' is about? And what might 'the lion lurking there in the trees' In First Fire Of Winter refer to? Doesn't matter really, I still have no idea what 'purple words on a grey background' mean after all these years, but I am curious nevertheless.
I was listening to The Visitor yesterday and noticed in retrospect the lyrics of Diggin' A Hole also have a message here about his troubled relationship with the AJ and being cut off from the grandkids. That one went more under the radar than what is now very out in the open. In any case, the challenges have clearly been going on now for awhile and I just feel a lot of sadness for all involved.
ReplyDeleteA key difference in this earlier lament is the sense that Neil shares culpability in whatever went down. "I'm diggin' a hole."
ReplyDeleteAh, well spotted Knowledge Nomad. I had a feeling there had been some comment about the grand children before, but I couldn't place it. Surprised it's taken this long for someone to mention it - perhaps like me most folk don't listen to The Visitor that much these days. Listening to Dark Mirage it did cross my mind that musically it could have fit in on The Visitor quite well. Perhaps the song even dates back to that time period?
ReplyDeleteSignificantly, I heard “Then I’ll remember Amber Jean and sing it with all my heart” as an earnest comment, not some sort of facetious dig. I could be misconstruing the tone, I guess. Even the singer-writer doesn’t seem too sure about the song’s tone.
ReplyDeleteFunny enough, I’ve had The Visitor in mind lately: “I’m living with a gameshow host/who was to brag and has to boast […]can I take the time to do what’s right?[…]out on a limb almost too long.” What if the gameshow host isn’t just the obvious political reference, but simultaneously the self-critiquing, self-doubting part of oneself that always seems to be undermining you? The negative cheerleader? The metaphor gains strength by suggesting the artificiality and obnoxious glibness we may associate with TV presenters.
@MR - yes, that's the alternative interpretation I was debating with myself as Dark Mirage started up. I would probably have stuck with that if Dark Mirage wasn't up next.
ReplyDeleteI usually think of NY as earnest, or sincere, almost to a fault. There’s a type of sincerity, in my experience, where you’re so earnest person people assume you’re being a smart-ass, because humans are fairly cynical and “no one would say that unironically.”
ReplyDeleteOr conversely, maybe my optimism makes me partial to overly charitable interpretations.