Gareth on ‘That’s Not My Name’
It was a surprise to me to find out that this song actually had a deeper meaning to it than just being a song with a catchy tune. Finding out it had a message of identity was cool. It also talks about how people these days dress up just to get noticed. Hah.
Yap Xiong:
1. 1. Apa Ada Dengammu (What’s wrong with you?), Peterpan
-Youth culture tends to make relationships too much a priority (eg Simple Plan, HFI)
-so breakups are pretty common à what do the lyrics say about relationships?
-Lead singer asks his girlfriend: “I am loyal/I’m faithful…so what’s wrong with you?” – assigning blame (?)
-ideally (I suppose) I shouldn’t say this to my future girlfriend
-relationship: both people should seek to reflect God as much as possible.
-Even in a different (non-Western culture) people still get together/break up for the wrong reason
2. 2. Inside the Fire, Disturbed
“Take your place inside the fire with me!”
Supposedly anti-suicide song. Throws around random references to heaven and salvation. But by whose salvation is being considered?
Ultimately cryptic and double-edged à call to release your life might be giving into or repenting from misery.
Suggests an ominous ambiguity à everything goes but just don’t die.
3. 3. Absolute, Thousand Foot Krutch
“We want the truth/give us the absolute!”
Call to search truth and demand a straight answer à from what?
Whose truth does lead singer want me to look for: his truth – what does his truth mean?
Search for truth with all that you are.
Acknowledges some greater power is needed.
4. 4. Nemo, Nightwish
“O how I wish for living rain/O how I long to live again/my empty heart/laid in the dark/nemo my name forevermore”
Self-repentance, desire to “live” (still too cryptic/confusing), knows that there is first a fall and then must live after that
Dark themes à why do I enjoy very ambiguously themed songs?
Ambiguity means messages are allowed to remain hidden.
What does it mean to live again – hope perhaps.
