Whose "It's My Life" is it anyway?
September 3, 2011 2:53 AM Subscribe
What is the 1984 Talk Talk hit It's My Life actually about? This was the song that No Doubt covered in 2003. But is the subject matter?
Contrary to the bands' respective videos, I don't think the tune is about animal rights or Gwen Stefani killing her bandmates. I did the requisite online searches and found nothing. Anyone know?
Contrary to the bands' respective videos, I don't think the tune is about animal rights or Gwen Stefani killing her bandmates. I did the requisite online searches and found nothing. Anyone know?
I always thought that, given the video, it was a "traditional love song," but from an animal. In the same way that Perfect Day is a love song, but to heroin.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 5:31 AM on September 3, 2011
posted by Threeway Handshake at 5:31 AM on September 3, 2011
You want "SongMeanings", although it's just fan speculation and nothing too authoritative. Apparently the band was into animal rights, and some of the comments there also opine that it's from a pet's point of view. But others dismiss it, and I'm not sure the lyrics quite fit anyway.
And they're rather sparse, so it's probably meant to be vague. I do like the interpretation that it's about evolving perspectives in relationships, and denial ("Afraid to lose," "Convince myself").
And the video is thought to be more of a critique of their record label, and the practice of lip-synching in videos. Wikipedia points out there were two versions by Talk Talk.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 5:48 AM on September 3, 2011
And they're rather sparse, so it's probably meant to be vague. I do like the interpretation that it's about evolving perspectives in relationships, and denial ("Afraid to lose," "Convince myself").
And the video is thought to be more of a critique of their record label, and the practice of lip-synching in videos. Wikipedia points out there were two versions by Talk Talk.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 5:48 AM on September 3, 2011
I'm just going to put out there that Talk Talk, as a band, got increasingly abstract and vague later in their career. One of my all time favorite albums remains their "Laughing Stock" record, and I have no CLUE what ANY of it is about. Even line by line is impossible to digest.
posted by smitt at 6:17 AM on September 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by smitt at 6:17 AM on September 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
Well in regards to trying to get clues from the original video, you kind of can't. The original video (with the animals and such), was actually a statement on the inanity of music videos, so it was making fun of that by using seemingly unrelated animal footage and the lead singer not singing with his mouth shut. (Of course, that kind of thing didn't fly in the US and they ended up having to refilm a US version showing the band playing and lipsynching, exactly the things they didn't want to do). At the same time, it kind of gives you a glimpse into the band's philosophy and probably a glimpse into Hollis' personality if you want to think too much about it and overanalyze.
The video above is sort of an example of the career trajectory Talk Talk took (in regards to the distaste and cynicism Hollis seemed to have about how the music industry is played). So to me, it just seem like a sort of cynical commentary or slice of life take about a moment in modern life and a relationship.
Especially considering it's on the same album as "Such a Shame," which was inspired by the cult social commentary the book The Dice Man. So I don't think the song lyrics are any deeper beyond being about someone confronting another person about the disillusionment in their relationship and what they deserve, blah blah and it's not out of touch when compared to lyrics of songs also on that album like "Dum Dum Girl" or "Call in the Night Boy". It just seems to be kind of an overarching theme and mood for that album.
posted by kkokkodalk at 10:29 AM on September 3, 2011
The video above is sort of an example of the career trajectory Talk Talk took (in regards to the distaste and cynicism Hollis seemed to have about how the music industry is played). So to me, it just seem like a sort of cynical commentary or slice of life take about a moment in modern life and a relationship.
Especially considering it's on the same album as "Such a Shame," which was inspired by the cult social commentary the book The Dice Man. So I don't think the song lyrics are any deeper beyond being about someone confronting another person about the disillusionment in their relationship and what they deserve, blah blah and it's not out of touch when compared to lyrics of songs also on that album like "Dum Dum Girl" or "Call in the Night Boy". It just seems to be kind of an overarching theme and mood for that album.
posted by kkokkodalk at 10:29 AM on September 3, 2011
And agreeing that further in the careers they got more and more abstract and vague (how they got in a whole brouhaha with their record label in the first place), so when I say it seems to be commentary on relationships and modern life, you can take that as being literal or metaphorical. The whole "trying to get out of their contract thing, but EMI wouldn't let them go" didn't happen until around Spirit of Eden came out, but who knows if there was some sourness before that. Even when the first album first came out, you could kind of see they were being packaged as this New Wave, Duran Duran boy band-ish thing. They're seriously a fascinating band to read about if you have the patience to go track down different interviews from the 80s and all that.
posted by kkokkodalk at 10:38 AM on September 3, 2011
posted by kkokkodalk at 10:38 AM on September 3, 2011
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No?
posted by DarlingBri at 3:07 AM on September 3, 2011 [1 favorite]