I'm Clifford Stumme, and I use literary analysis and research to explain the deeper meanings of pop songs. Feel free to leave a comment or to email me at clifford@popsongprofessor.com with questions or ideas!
All tagged explain lyrics
In "Only Love," Mumford returns to the spiritual questions about faith that he began asking in "Believe." Musically, gentle piano and mere hints of electric guitar make up most of this song until 2:51 when the drums and guitar kick in. The song is a mix of gentleness and power and, as always for Mumford & Sons, vulnerability.
While you may begin listening to the fifth track on Wilder Mind wondering whether or not it's sponsored by tobacco companies, you'll soon find out that the cryptic title "Just Smoke" has a bit more depth and a little bit more pain associated with it than you'd have expected. Additionally, a rousing chorus filled with harmonies, major chords, and powerful synth propel this song to a level of excitement not yet heard on this album. The song is fairly complicated, despite the lyrics being largely literal, but the message is a valuable and worthwhile perspective on a broken relationship. Mumford sings about his misplaced faith in young love and how it wasn't strong enough for him. The song is the story of the heart-breaking process of ending a relationship built on young love.
Think theology has no place in pop music? "Prayer in C" by Lilly Wood & The Prick has got a lot of theological argument in its lyrics, and it's mainly anti-theological.
What's the most intense and scary song that I could find on the local top 40 station? Definitely "Take Me to Church" by Hozier. There's no question. This song is heavy and full of meaning. And it happens to be very culturally relevant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYSVMgRr6pw
