Wednesday, 27 June 2012

Wishlist

Listen to the following song, 'Wishlist' (by Pearl Jam) and read the lyrics below:



Lyrics

I wish I was a neutron bomb, for once I could go off
I wish I was a sacrifice, but somehow still lived on
I wish I was a sentimental ornament you hung on
The Christmas tree, I wish I was the star that went on top
I wish I was the evidence, I wish I was the grounds
For 50 million hands upraised and open toward the sky

I wish I was a sailor with someone who waited for me
I wish I was as fortunate, as fortunate as me
I wish I was a messenger and all the news was good
I wish I was the full moon shining off your Camaro's hood

I wish I was an alien at home behind the sun
I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on
I wish I was the pedal brake that you depended on
I wish I was the verb 'to trust' and never let you down

I wish I was a radio song, the one that you turned up
I wish...
I wish...

1) What do you think the song is about?
2) How does the 'narrator'/'singer' feel?
3) Analyse one of the metaphors in the song.
4) Did you enjoy it?
5) What kind of music do you like? Would you like to work with other bands or songs on the blog? If so, which?

Please write your answers in a comment below.

19 comments:

  1. 1) and 2) I think that is about a man who feels fault or feels incomplete because a woman. Also, is a metaphorical feeling.
    3) "I wish I was the pedal brake that you depended on
    I wish I was the verb 'to trust' and never let you down"
    In this stanza I see some fault and hope.
    4) Yes, I like because the music is quite slow and it relax me!
    5) Principally, I like the "cumbia": I'm a real fan of "El Polaco", the one who sings cumbia. I'm really in love with him, I love his music and his voice. Always I can, I go to a concert. Also, I like Karina, the cumbia singer. It's a feminist singer.
    Also, I like Soledad Pastorutti, the one who sing Folklore. I listened her since my childhood and now I listen her with my friends. It's very strange that a teen listen folklore, but I really like it.
    Finally I like national music, rock and roll in fact.

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  2. 1) it's about a romantic man i think. Saying a lot of things that he feel and other things that he want
    2)For me he feels depressed, may be a woman dump him and he didn't want that to happend. He want to be in her life and the song represents what he want in an indirec way.
    3) I wish I was the pedal brake that you depended on

    he want to be in the life of a woman may be, to be important and to be there all days..

    4) Yes, i enjoy it, it was a nice song with a beautiful lyric.
    5)I like rock national and internation too. Pop music and a bit of reggeaton. May be a bit of Cold play, Pink floyd or manu chao. I like those bands

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    Replies
    1. Thanks very much, Malena. I'm quite curious as to why most people thought it was a love song... I will try to do some research on this!

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  3. 1, It's about a man who express his feelings about a woman.
    2, He felt empy, like he miss something about this woman.
    3, I wish I was the verb 'to trust' and never let you down. he feels that she hurt him, and broke his heart in two.
    4, yes I enjoy it, it's a nice song.
    5, I like the beatles, red hot chilli peppers, jack johnson, foo fighters, the strokes, pink floyd in between others:)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for your suggestions, I will take them into account!

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    2. I'm not sure I agree with #3, I interpreted it was the other way round...

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  4. I think the song is about a man who sleep all the tima cause he's always wishing hahah. Joking.
    1) I think it's quite a romantic song, or maybe an "auto-reflexim" one.
    2) He seemed to be relaxed in the video, thinking his self what are his wishies.
    3)I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on
    I wish I was the pedal brake that you depended on
    I wish I was the verb 'to trust' and never let you down.
    4) Nice lyrics, this part of the song, makes me think that it's more a romantic one. Beautiful lyrics.
    5) I enjoy all kind of music, national and international rock, techno, etc etc... Some great bands for me are "the arctic monkeys" "the kooks" "RHCP" "Guasones" and the best one "los parte diskotecas"... hahaha

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    Replies
    1. Have you thought about what the metaphors in #3 might mean?

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  5. 1) I think the song is about a man that loves a woman and he wish he was important for her.

    2)He feels not important to the woman.

    3)"I wish I was the verb to trust and never let you down"
    He wish he was for her an important person and in wich she can trust.

    4)I liked the lyrics but not the singer's voice

    5) I like a lot rock and alternative rock, like Coldplay, Radiohead, Red hot chilli papers, Oasis. I like national rock too. My favorite band is Coldplay, I love them. I will enjoy a lot if we can work with songs or this bands.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, I love alternative rock too; we can definitely work with Radiohead!

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  6. I think that it s a man who is very sad, and he saes the life that he want.
    "I wish I was the verb 'to trust' and never let you down"
    It means that he want to help someone ´for ever.
    I like it, but i ´d prefer the music singed on spanish, and i don t think so we can work whit songs in spanish jajaa

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    Replies
    1. I see your point, of course I really like music in Spanish too, but it's not as easy to work with...

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  7. 1) I think the song is about the things that people cannot do and really needs to do in order to feel complete with themselves. It's like when we can't do something because there is something bigger that doesn't allow us to accomplish our wishes.

    2) I think the singer feels frustrated and kind of depressed too. He can't do what he wants to do and he hides his own wishes inside himself.

    3) "I wish I was a neutron bomb, for once I could go off"
    In my opinion, this metaphor means that he doesn't want to hide his wishes any longer. The author feels angry with the world and wants to explode.

    4) Yes, I enjoy it. I've heard about the band 'Pearl Jam' before, but I haven't heard to any songs till now.
    5) I like Japanese music and Britpop music. My favourite band is definitely Depeche Mode. But I enjoy listening to Radiohead, Placebo, Garbage, Muse and Nirvana. If we can work with any of these bands it would be fantastic.

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    Replies
    1. I like that you tried to think outside the box in your analysis.

      Depeche Mode are great, I'll definitely try to incorporate them into our lessons in the upcoming weeks!

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  8. 1) I think the song is about things that te singer want to do, but he can´t.

    2) I think the narrator feels very sad, and deppressed.

    3)I wish I was a sailor with someone who waited for me
    I understand it like: he feels that nobody take care about it, and he want that someone be interested in him, and ir compares with a sailor because the sailors go away for a long time and ussually have someone who is waiting for them.

    4)Yes I enjoyed it, it's nice.

    5)I listened lot of kind of music, I haven't got a favourite band or genre.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That metaphor you chose is awesome. I totally agree with your interpretation!

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  9. 1)I think the song is about a man that is not as he want to be.
    2)I think the singer feels depressed and very sad.
    3)"I wish I was the souvenir you kept your house key on"
    In this strophe, I can analyze as the man it takes as a remember in the woman, and not as something real. And on it, it puts the word "house", that refers to our place of origin. Probably the life of this man began when it knew this woman, but for her he is not real
    4)Yes, it's good.
    5)I listen a lot of music, but I haven't got a favourite band

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    Replies
    1. I very much agree with your take on 1)

      Why do you say in #3 that he is not real?

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