#song speculation

[miss-body-paint]

Milex fandom, what's your favourite song about them?

Will start. My personal pleasure is "You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights but You Were Staring Straight at Me". Beloved firstborn of Milex dynamic. The words "They don't want to say hello like I want to say hello" are just absolute lyrics . And I love the shyness of Alex when he was asked about it during the interview (I've lost it a long time ago, so can anybody help me to find it again? )

[notlikethat-kat]

So...I just found out about Miles' song, 'Before it's Midnight' and I was STRUCK by the similarities in these lyrics:

"You know the shape of the shadows I want to make Not before it's midnight" -- 'Before It's Midnight,' Miles Kane, 2011

&

"There's all sorts of shapes that I bet you can make When you want to escape, say the word" -- Stop the World I Wanna Get Off With You, Arctic Monkeys, 2013

I know someone probably must have already, but I personally don't remember ever seeing this parallel be made before.

[tayfabe75]

Don’t you think it’s Matty in some of the distorted vocals on Labyrinth? It sounds like it.

Oh yes! In my opinion, Labyrinth is perhaps the most egregious use of Matty's voice in one of her songs. I made a video comparing the voice to his "Uh oh" from the acoustic version of 'Paris' (I think Taylor using "uh oh" lyrically within 'Labyrinth' might even be a nod to his song 'Paris'!):

Speaking of 'Paris', in Taylor's 'Paris', I believe she samples his voice from either 'Heart Out' or 'Settle Down' and distorts it (listen here)

But it doesn't stop there! I think she samples his "squeak" from 'Settle Down' on her track 'Death by a Thousand Cuts' (comparison at the beginning of this edit), and that she samples his "Yeeah!" in 'August' (comparison here). I believe I also hear Matty's voice in the grunting noises on the track 'Glitch', as well as on the line "all my days" in 'You're On Your Own Kid'.

Before you think I'm too crazy, I think most of the male vocals on Midnights sound like Jack, except for the few examples I pointed out that sound like they have a different timbre from him (and perhaps more like a certain British singer who happened to be haunting ELS at the same time Midnights was recorded…)

Lastly, and this isn't too crazy considering the collaboration was definitely real… I believe I hear Matty on the word "drunk" at the very end of "Slut!" (though, upon further listen… I think I also hear his voice during the line "nobody knows")

Thanks for the ask! That was a fun one ♥

[ripash]

okay but like "a pearl" by mitski is the perfect jalyssa song hello and welcome to my ted talk

like the song in general gives them vibes but the line specifically "It's just that I fell in love with a war" reminds me the most of them cuz it describes both of them

Alyssa is "the war" because of her harsh, sarcastic, and rude demeanor but James could also be interpreted as "the war" because of his violent tendencies the first half of the show.

And then the line "there's a hole that you fill" is also them because of the way they're attracted to the other person's personality. James likes Alyssa's confidence and outspokenness and Alyssa likes James's loyalty and bravery.

anyways I just wanted to ramble about how this song is so them

[jennyboom21]

I is feel like Closure is part Kaylor and part SB2 (though those things are inextricably linked), like in the second masters sale we know they reached out cause they wanted Taylor to sign a NDA, probably went all “let’s put all that ugliness in the past, we’ll let you be involved if you just be nice,” and Taylor went full “if you don’t get the fck up out of my face...”

The impersonal lyrics are a bit telling, treating a person like a product.

“closure”

It's been a long time

And seeing the shape of your name

Still spells out pain

It wasn't right

The way it all went down

Looks like you know that now

Yes, I got your letter

Yes, I'm doing better

It cut deep to know ya

Right to the bone

Yes, I got your letter

Yes, I'm doing better

I know that it's over

I don't need your "closure"

Your "closure"

Don't treat me like some situation that needs to be handled

I'm fine with my spite

And my tears

And my beers and my candles

I can feel you smoothing me over

Yes, I got your letter

Yes, I'm doing better

It cut deep to know ya

Right to the bone

Yes, I got your letter

Yes, I'm doing better

I know that it's over

I don't need your "closure"

Your "closure"

Your "closure"

Your "closure"

I know I'm just a

Wrinkle in your new life

Staying "friends"

Would iron it out so nice

Guilty, guilty reaching out across the sea

That you put between you and me

But it's fake

And it's oh so unnecessary

Yes, I got your letter

Yes, I'm doing better

It cut deep to know ya

Right to the bone

Yes, I got your letter

Yes, I'm doing better

I know that it's over

I don't need your "closure"

"Closure"

Your "closure"

Your "closure"

[miss-body-paint]

Used to be my girl is a confession!

And let me crack that theory for you, guys. Don't pretend it's the only truth out here but I had a lot of fun forming the throught. So, hope you'll also enjoy.

Firstly, you have to know one thing: I'm convinced that almost every romantic song by Arctic monkeys is dedicated to Miles. I mean, if speculations are right, Kane and Turner had been together for more than 20 years. Impressive, right? But then why all the songs mention girls?

After one of the world's most commercially succesfull albums that also made Turner some kind of playboy in audience eyes, we got TLSP2. And it was gay as f*ck. All songs on release had a bit too much tension for two men to sing in one mic, you know? So maybe Alex wanted to finally not be asemed of who he is? His ideas had already earned billions for big bosses so now he had right to be free.

Heading to the text:

Colour pictures of re-entry

Voices calling down the hall

In my opinion it's about album in general. Re-entry = new music, followed by tour. Colour pictures = expectations of fans and critics that are a bit too high now. Voices calling down the hall = Alex self expectations from the recording. He is ready to face his darkest secrets that he was hiding for so long.

I wanted you to know

You’re the only one that bent me

He speaks to industry and his message is clear: "You are the only thing that keeps me from being myself"

This far out of shape

Don’t make no mistake

Alex knows how the audience views him after AM ( this far out of shape = this whole situation is strange as he knows himself) but begs to understand the message correctly

I’m a liar, I’m a cheat, a leech, a thief

The outside looks no good and there ain’t nothing underneath

These words just prove my previous statements. Alex and the image he created

Darling can’t you see, my heart melted in the heat

My heart melted in the heat like yours

May be just catchy words to make it seem more like "dark romance" song.

First impressions of the century

My interpretation is that, in fact, 21st century became more free for queer people to live their lifes. At least recently. But somehow media personas still have to follow straight narrative to fit in. That's the impression - a bit dissapointing, right? Even the intonation of said words is mocking.

Two way mirror one way street

Turner had a choice: be himself (aka don't hide his love for people of the same sex = two way mirroror which is usually connected with crime - either spy on someone or in interrogation room) or to stay in a safe state and always be misirable (=one way street).

Good cop bad cop routine

Continioning with criminal associations, "good cop bad cop" can symbolize devision of opinions on true AT personality

Black-light animal print boogie

Animal print in my brain is something really daring, as much as deciding to not follow rules of show busines when you are a big name. Also Miles' love to that type of cloth colors

Black-light is connected with Alex and Miles relationship. Following Arctic Monkeys' lyrics that love is only allowed in the dark (Makes me wanna blow her candles out just to see if you glow in the dark - The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala as an example) and black-light barelly gives any ability to see.

Boogie (and any dance according to Turner) is a metaphor for lie. You should just remember "Dance Little Liar" and then it's obvious.

In conclusion these words are completely Milex shaped.

Left in a heap a kiss on either cheek

May be a hint to Italian culture and cinema, fully adored by Miles

I’m a phoney, I’m a fake, a fraud, a snake

Gimme all your love So I can fill you up with hate

Also about souless machine called show business

Girl I’m in a state, my heart melted yesterday

My heart melted yesterday like yours

The odyssey

It came down kind of hard on me

According to Odyssey sinopsis: The reader begins in the middle of the tale, learning about previous events only through Odysseus’s retelling// Odysseus, as he is being released from captivity by the nymph Calypso//Books XIII–XXIV, the second half of the poem, find Odysseus back in Ithaca, facing unexpected obstacles and danger. He meets with his protector-goddess Athena and reveals himself first to his faithful swineherd Eumaeus and then to Telemachus before developing a complicated plan to dispose of the suitors.

So, it sounds familiar, right? Complicated plan to get rid of the past, self revealing, talking about previous events, middle of adventure. In text nymph Calypso, who offered our character immortality (for Turner it is popularity) if he would stay with her, but he ultimately chose to return home to his wife (Alex's true loved one - Miles), symdolises industry.

It came down kind of hard on me = Odyssey was an inspiration for lyrics.

The here and now so suddenly

Became a different world

Different world = new way of expressing himself, so suddenly= no one expected such honesty after AM's macho man

Finally I slipped out of reality

It must all be imaginary

Alex is finally free to do whatever he wants but still can't believe his own happiness (It must all be imaginary).

She used to be my girl

Used to be my girl

And, finally there are lines because of which I started the analysis. "Used to be my girl" talks about being closeted due to show business rules. But these words are a confession: someone used to be Turner's girl all the time. Somehow it's also a promise not to hide anymore (used - past continuous, it won't last any longer then for a moment in the past). Have you noticed that after EYCTE Turner's songs got rid of all (or almost all) the "girls" imedinatelly? There is still some kind of lover in-between the lines, through.

That's all I wanted to say. Of course, I know that "Used to be my girl" is co-written with Miles (as all of the Puppets' songs) but I am convinced that the main idea of lyrics belongs to Turner's mind.

[miss-body-paint]

Is this what you wanted?

Hey, long time no see! Last weeks had been rough but I'm here with brand-new analysis. It was just out of my expectations how this song connects with A HUGE AMMOUNT of tlsp songs. Yes, I know that that specific one is a cover. But should be a reason why they chose it not only as a song to perform but also as the one to make a music video for?

As always, I can't even imagine what's going on in Alex or Miles mind so it's just my interpretation.

You were the promise at dawn

I was the morning after

Remember "And if you're bothered, I don't want your prayers. Save it for the morning after" from Teddy Picker? Really Miles-shaped (incredible @misskattylashes pointed an opportunity of Kane experiencing a catholic guilt in this post).

Also, according to Genius, can be meaningfully connected with "Do I Wanna Know"

You were Jesus Christ my Lord

I was the money lender

I personally like to think about these specific lines in context of crime fiction. Jesus Christ is a pure good while money lander in every gangster movie I've ever seen causes BIG troubles. Always portraited as the worst of all the bad guys

You were the sensitive woman

I was the very reverend Freud

Okey. Sensitive woman (?) means that she can be easy leaded by someone's ideas. But what about Freud? Sigmund Freud is a former father of psyhoanalysis. His analysis of dreams (dream synopsis) as wish fulfillments provided him with models for the clinical analysis of symptom formation and the underlying mechanisms of repression (proves my previous theory from line one).

The main tenets of classical psychoanalysis are as follows:

Human behavior, experience, and cognition are largely determined by internal and usually irrational drives;

attempts to understand these drives lead to psychological resistance in the form of defense mechanisms ("I’ve got this ego mechanic" from Pottion approaching has really similar meaning)

But why revended? Sigmund had really questionable ideas and methods. I think that it can hint us to Reverend Musical Instruments. Commonly known as Reverend Guitars, is an American manufacturer of electric guitars and basses. Turner compares himself as a musician to the famous psyhologist. Both too courageous with their ideas.

You were the manual orgasm

I was the dirty little boy

Manual means something which is made by instructions. Right, how it should be. Man+woman if you dare. While Alex, singing that song, is some kind of the tempting serpent.

And is this what you wanted

To live in a house that is haunted

By the ghost of you and me?

"I just wanted to be one of those ghosts you thought that you could forget" from Start treatment, extremely Milex song, talks about regret about for own actions. Turner is the only ghost there. While in "Is this what you wanted?" there are two ghosts. Someone who is invisible for audience (not for Milex fandom, through) but is clearly here, haunts the narrative since first AM album( I'm talking about you, "You probably couldn't see for the lights...").

The word haunted can also be connected with my beloved "Dracula Teeth" but EYCTE in general is really mystically-centered.

You were Marlon Brando

I was Steve Mcqueen

Genius sugests that these two can be included because of connections with mafia during their acting ages. And I really can't imagine why did Leonard Cohen chose them. But for you to know: Marlon Brando was clearly bisexual (confirmed publicly and wasn't ashamed of it) while Steve Mcqueen was always known as the main macho man of his time — similar to Alex during AM era, you know?

You were K.Y. Jelly

I was vaseline

Can I not comment on this line? Yes? Thank you

You were the father of modern medicine

I was Mr. Clean

So, my interpretation of these words is that the singer views himself only as a beautiful but useless picture while his partner is a hidden gem, genius. Knowing how Alex speaks loftily about Miles, it's really them-coded

You where the whore and the beast of Babylon

I was Rin Tin Tin

Let's discuss the Whore of Babylon.

...We know the Whore of Babylon is the High Priesthood because she wears “purple and scarlet” (the vestment colors of the Jerusalem priests) and she is adorned in precious stones. Outfit, as I see it, really similar to the one Miles wearing in "Is this what you wanted" mv.

The “Whore of Babylon” refers to how the Jewish priesthood has become a “whore” or “prostitute” providing her intimate services not to God but to pagan Rome. A widely regarded indication of whether a person was a pagan or a Christian was their partaking in ritual sacrifice. Not only the bloody mess but also sexual practices, when the gender of partner isn't the most important thing.

The end of Revelation 17 explain how the Beast will eventually turn on the Whore of Babylon and make her dead. The duality of throughts here: you want it but you should destroy that specific part of your personality.

Rin Tin Tin  was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, France, that became an international star in motion pictures. The trained dog was an immediate box-office success and went on to appear in 27 Hollywood films, gaining worldwide fame. And yes, that's how the industry works. Not only for dogs but also for people celebrities: just train them right and there will be a goldmine.

While The whore and the beast of Babylon is something sublime, Tin Tin is just another entertainer

...You got old and wrinkled

I stayed seventeen

Another vampire problem, don't care, haha. But speaking seriously, this line can also be connected with fame. Throughout the song we can hear the singer speaking about his fate as a part of people's entertainment routine. So in their minds he'll always be "seventeen" (young) while his partner lives a normal live

You lusted after so many baby

I lay here with one

You defied your solitude

I came through alone

Spoke about Milex dynamic with some person and made a conclusion that it can easily be a discription of them. Of course none of us know how is was/is but let's accept that as a theory

You said that you could never love me

I undid your gown...

"Could never love" because of internal homophobia. But at the end of the day the singer knows what he wants and how to get it

It was a GREAT fun to analys Cohen's lyrics, especially from tlsp perspective. Hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as i enjoyed the writing process

[notlikethat-kat]

Star Treatment Analysis

Not exactly anything groundbreaking, as this is extrememly similar to other analyses of this song that I've read before, but I figured I'd take the time and take a crack at writing out my own interpretation of this song, from a Milex perspective of course.

And so, without further ado:

I just wanted to be one of The Strokes

“I just wanted to be in a band and make music”

Now look at the mess you made me make

“But now I’m famous and it came with a whole bunch of complications and I didn’t want this”

Hitchhiking with a monogrammed suitcase

I’m not sure if “mongrammed” implies the suitcase has Alex’s own initials on it, or if it’s just some other logo signifying a brand name, but either way ‘monogrammed suitcase’ to me gives the impression of a high end item, something a rich person has.

But he’s also hitchhiking, which is something a poor person would do.

Like, he’s successful now, but in the wrong ways.

Miles away from any half-useful imaginary highway

And he’s nowhere close to where he wants to be

I'm a big name in deep space

Once again: he’s famous

Ask your mates, but golden boy's in bad shape

But he’s not happy

I found out the hard way; That here ain't no place for dolls like you and me

Something about who he (and someone else?) actually is or wanted to be was rejected (?)/he was reprimanded for something (behavior during ECYTE?).

Everybody's on a barge; Floating down the endless stream of great TV; 1984, 2019

Not really sure…general social commentary(?) about how people just want to mindlessly consume things and not have to think about them?

Maybe I was a little too wild in the '70s

Sex, drugs, rock n roll. ECYTE. Y’know. Too gay? Ruining his carefully crafted AM persona? Not selling an easily consumable product?

Rocket-ship grease down the cracks of my knuckles; Karate bandana, warp speed chic; Hair down to there, impressive moustache; Love came in a bottle with a twist-off cap; Let's all have a swig and do a hot lap; So who you gonna call?; The Martini Police

Seemingly talking about the ‘wild times in the 70’s’ – I know people think the ‘rocket ship grease’ is a euphemism, which I can see. He also mentions “love” coming after a bottle, presumably of alcohol. But instead of regretting it, he’s saying “let’s do it again, who’s gonna stop us?”

Baby, that isn't how they look tonight, oh no; It took the light forever to get to your eyes

Obviously refers to the real phenomenon of stars in space, and the light taking so long to reach us that we see them not as they are, but how they were.

In the context of the song, Alex is the ‘star’ and he’s saying that what you see is a façade. The audience isn’t seeing him for what he really is.

I just wanted to be one of those ghosts; You thought that you could forget; And then I haunt you via the rear-view mirror; On a long drive from the back seat

Now this starts the section that we all obviously think could be about Miles. Maybe Alex is saying here that he wanted to end whatever it was that was between him and Miles (though secretly he didn’t want Miles to forget about him). Some sort of clean break (to make things easier career-wise?), that maybe didn’t happen the way he ‘wanted.’ (Maybe Miles rejected that idea and wanted to fight for them.)

But it's alright, 'cause you love me; And you recognise that it ain't how it should be; Your eyes are heavy and the weather's getting ugly; So pull over, I know the place; Don't you know an apparition is a cheap date?

The break was not clean. Whatever they had going on is still going on, just in secret now, perhaps sporadically, and Miles isn’t happy about it.*

(*Reminder that we think they ‘broke up’ (?) after this, in late 2017-2018(?), when Miles left LA due to “just a lot of nonsense” and how fake everybody was.)

As for the ‘apparition’ line: Real Alex is a ghost because the Real Alex can’t be seen – only the façade, only Alex the Star is allowed to be seen by other people.

What exactly is it you've been drinking these days?; Jukebox in the corner, "Long Hot Summer"

Catching up/reminiscing. I think it was misskattylashes that established that ‘Long Hot Summer’ is heavily connected to the time Alex and Miles were recording ECYTE. (Check my ‘Star Treatment’ tag for the post about this.)

They've got a film up on the wall and it's dark enough to dance; What do you mean you've never seen Blade Runner?

“Dance” could be another euphemism. Notice it also only happens in the dark, where no one will see (‘it’s dark enough’ = it has to be dark).

The Blade Runner line is interesting because it seems obvious that it should be connected to Taylor, whose favorite movie was famously Blade Runner, if I’m not mistaken. So, could we be wrong and this whole song is actually about Taylor? Maybe. Though I also wonder if Alex puts in lines like this sometimes on purpose, as red herrings to make us think they’re about something – or someone – they’re actually not. (Like how we think ‘Knee Socks’ could be about Miles because of the ‘king and queen seat/mean streets’ lyrics, even though actual knee socks are something that’s blatantly supposed to make us connect the song to Alexa Chung, who famously wore them.)

 “What do you mean you've never seen Blade Runner?” is also not something it makes sense to ask Taylor. I’m wondering more if it’s something she would ask other people, and now maybe it’s in the song as an in-joke between Alex and Miles, which kind of fits with how the ‘Long Hot Summer’ line seems to be reminiscing on that same time period. Idk though.

Oh, maybe I was a little too wild in the '70s; Back down to earth with a lounge singer shimmer; Elevator down to my make-believe residency from the honeymoon suite; Two shows a day, four nights a week; Easy money

He was forced to come back to ‘real life’ (Arctic Monkeys) after ECYTE.

(Feels extremely easy, btw, to draw a parallel between this and lyrics from Alexandra Savior’s song, ‘Cupid,’ co-written by Alex, and it also came out in 2017:

“Stuck in fantasy mode Whoever really liked coming back down to Earth? It's not that it hurt* It was just so much worse With anyone but you”)

Back to Star Treatment, staying in the honeymoon suite implies that he’s in a relationship, but that he leaves the other person behind in order to ‘go to work.’ The residency is make-believe because the persona is make-believe. He essentially pretends to be someone he’s not for a living.

(*Note that “it’s not that it hurt” also seems to go along with the “easy money” line. The career itself isn’t the hard part.)

So who you gonna call?; The Martini Police x2

Again, almost like he’s stuck between a rock and hard place. He can’t be who he really wants to be; he has to play a part, but he’s also not really giving up Miles, and there’s nothing anyone (the 'police') can do about that. After all, he is playing his part, isn’t he? So, it’s kind of a compromise, and this is the way things are going to be for the foreseeable future.

Oh, baby, that isn't how they look tonight; It took the light absolutely forever to get to your eyes

Directly hinting to the audience: “YOU’RE NOT SEEING THE TRUTH, YOU’RE NOT SEEING WHO I ACTUALLY AM.”

(And that it took the light “absolutely forever” implies that they’re not even close.)

And as we gaze skyward, ain't it dark early?

Not sure if there’s any significance to it being “dark early” – can’t figure that out.

(Maybe it’s that, when you’re a star, you have to be prepared to be “on” all the time, even when you’re not ready? If you’re a star, you may be unexpectedly seen at any moment, and you can’t afford to be caught without the façade?)

[…] It's the star treatment, ooh; The star treatment

“This is what it’s like, being a star. No one sees the real you, but that’s the way it is.”