"Lyrics Explained" Explained

There are so many timeless, inventive, and genius works of art being created everyday, that sometimes a few of them fall through the cracks. My goal here is to help out everyone who doesn't have time to delve deeply into the meaning of the lyrics of todays greatest artistic expressions: songs. As with any art form, the beauty is in the layers. I hope to peel away some of the layers, read between the lines, piece the puzzle together, and use as many cliches as possible along the way. So please to enjoy the meanings as I see them of some of the best songs of our time.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Rain is a Good Thing by Luke Bryan

First impression: “My daddy spent his life staring up at the sky.” This reminds me of something heard from someone who lived on a farm: turkeys are so dumb that when it rains they stare up at the sky and will drown if you don’t take them inside. I guess what I’m saying is that I hope that his dad is not a turkey or from Turkey. Moving on.

He learned a valuable lesson from his dad: rain is a good thing. He then elaborates that rain is good because it makes corn, which in turn makes whiskey, which in yet another turn makes his baby feel “frisky.” I can’t help but wonder if he learned this from his dad, too. If he did (which I think we can all agree he did), then his dad would have been talking about the singer’s mom. This song could clearly only be a country song, as singing about your dad getting your mom drunk/frisky is only acceptable in the south. Not being from the south, for me this song just took a very weird turn.

He then goes into needless detail about how the whiskey makes his girl frisky. Apparently they purchase the whiskey at a bar, and enjoy it with friends. This is not interesting. What is interesting is that he reveals that he “hunts his honeys down” which makes me question whether this song is indeed about humans. After all, the singer has already shown an unusual amazement/love of rain, which no person would. I’m gonna say he’s an animal, presumably a predator, until he proves me wrong. This song is more than meets the ears.

Next he talks about another reason why rain is a good thing: it drives females inside for shelter. When it rains and the “tin roof starts talkin’ that’s the best love we made.” I am assuming now that he is an advanced predator, one who waits in caves, abandoned barns, etc for his prey. When they come in to find relief from the shelter he gives them...well, you know. These are clearly animals who do not like the rain. Maybe some kind of large cat like a mink or cougar.

He finishes with reasons why humans should like rain, too. 1) the creek rises, 2) country girls love to cuddle, and 3) there are mud puddles. It seems our singer is a wily hunter who has observed his human co-inhabitants in order to gain some understanding as to their feelings about rain. Much like Frankenstein’s monster, he waits in barns, under brush, etc for women to run for cover, right into his deformed, loving hands. In a Pavlovian response to rain, this monster gets excited, because he knows mating time has come. The women will soon flock to whatever cover he is hiding in, and boy are they in for a surprise. The Frankenstein angle also explains the first quandary I had about the song: the mother-lust. Since the monster had no mother, he does not know the social implications of lusting after your mom. He does not know it is icky and gross to think of your parents in any way like that. This makes perfect sense. It also explains why his dad spent all his life staring at the sky. Dr Frankenstein was a dreamer. He wanted to create life. He was often seen staring at the heavens, looking for divine intervention. He spent his whole life dedicated to one goal, and he eventually finally achieved it.

In an homage to a classic novel, Luke Bryan (surely a pseudonym, as it is the most stereotypical country name ever) has woven an intricate and layered story that seemingly revolves around getting laid. After thorough examination, though, we can clearly see the deep anthropological and social underpinnings of a true modern-day narrative about a misunderstood monster. It is refreshing to see Bryan has taken to reinvigorating the timeless classic “Frankenstein”, much like Taylor Swift has breathed new life in the stale, boring Romeo and Juliet storyline. The narrative Bryan lays out has the threads of misunderstanding, aqua-wonder, and social rejection all woven into a breathtaking tapestry of wonder which leaves me wanting more. I want to see him tackle “Pride and Prejudice” using only words related tractors and beer. I think a man of Bryan’s ability and love of farm equipment is the only man for the job.

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