I just read all of Zetigeist's lyrics for the first time...
 

They're surprisingly good. Some of them are really good, actually.

It's funny, really. Billy's so incoherent when he sings. So when you actually know what the hell he's singing, the songs totally transform into something different.

I have to be honest... I wasn't a huge fan of the Zeitgeist album. I liked parts of it okay, but it was never a seemingly timeless enjoyment for me. But now that I've listened to every track while reading along to SPFC's lyrics(I could have used the booklet, but the booklet doesn't have the lyrics for the bonus songs like Death from Above), I actually really, really like the album. Knowing what the lyrics are, the actual sound of the album is different to me, now. It's more poignant.

A big surprise, I think. I assumed my feelings about the album were pretty set in stone. I'm kind of glad they weren't.

If you haven't listened to the album while following along with the lyrics yet, you should give it a try.



Songs that I like a lot more now that I know the lyrics:

-Pomp and Circumstances
-7 Shades of Black (wow... the song is totally different once you know what he's singing about)
-Starz

noone cares

I care.

Edit: Twineball cares

These are the worst lyrics.

agreed

Care to elaborate on any of them?

It took me many listens to appreciate P&C, but listening on headphones and then seeing the beautiful live version in Dallas last fall really did it.

I started out doing this... and I've always liked zeitgeist.

7SOB = Best song of the Zeitgeist period

It's been my favorite on the album since I first heard it.

Kafka would be proud

Sure.

With regard to Pomp and Circumstances, initially, I was thrown by the sound. I didn't care much for it, and thus I didn't care to try and focus on what he was actually singing about. Over time I started to appreciate the sound, but it wasn't unti hearing the live version that I realized that the lyrics were really very fragile... almost like Blissed and Gone. After reading the lyrics along with the music, I found that the song is very well-written... very good, emotional articulation. With proper punctuation, the lyrics are very moving, I think:

"When I was born, I lost.
When I was freed, I fought.
Now that I’m loved, I’m caught
between the rest and this tragic mess;
an invited guest.

[and later...]

Cause I won't tell,
I won't tell a soul
that I'm mad as hell;
torn, broken and frayed.
I'm torn, broken and frayed.
No... I'm cold, worn out and shamed."

la la la la la la laaaaa laa laa

"I'm torn, broken and frayed.
No... I'm cold, worn out and shamed."

wtf. make your mind up Bill.

do you hate yourself, or something?

these lyrics are only good in comparison to the simplistic and sometimes juvenile drivel on the rest of the album

I don't know... I would call the lyrics of 7 Shades of Black "simplistic."


"We are the lurking,
the panzers,
the black as coal as night.

Stealing what stealthy,
and stellar,
until we get it right.

Notice the yearlings,
the dead things,
the pretty as you please.

I am the regent, the marquis,
sowing my bad seeds.

love zeitgeist lyrics. the starz chorus is fantastic

theres something sensitive about "this hurts so much, this knowing carries me" "what hurts so much is knowing we are free"

Yeah, that's my favorite line from Starz... I noticed that last night.

I was already convinced for P&C, but yes you have pointed out some good lines. The live version really floored me in Dallas.

I'm still not a big fan of the vocal delivery on 7SOB, although the music is great. Not sure about the lyrics really either...

Starz I like more.

But they should bring 7SOB and Starz back live! 7SOB has been the least played song from Zeitgeist. They said in one of the Myspace interviews that they thought 7SOB and COLG would be great live, but then they tried them and it didn't work as expected. They've since re-done COLG slightly and it rocks. Time for 7SOB to return...

Worst lyrics on any Pumpkins album, main disappointment for me. Beyond all production or anything else, the lack of moving lyrics bothers me the most. I like the Pomp lyrics but the "I'm mad as hell" line is so cheesy, it makes me think of Network. 7SOB is like a cheap mimic of MCIS era sneering "cyber metal" songs with angry word association lyrics, like Zero or Where Boys Fear to Tread. I like some of the United States lyrics "I don't know what I believe/but if I feel safe what do I need" just because it is interesting to hear Corgan sing something so overtly political. There are other noteworthy lyrics on the album and bonus tracks too, Stellar and Zeitgeist are pretty good, but overall this album has the weakest lyrics after Machina.

zeitgeist lyrics destroy machina lyrics.

come to think about it, gish lyrics are pretty terrible too. yeah yeah it was their first album, but its still a pumpkins album.

7sob is way too corny for me. regardless of the decent lyrics.

I agree, bring back live 7SOB!

I always read along with my first listen of any CD. It always makes listening more poignant.

That last line of "Pomp" gets me every time... it just makes my heart ache :(

This is exactly what I love about this song. The sound and lyrics are sharp and pointed -- they know exactly what they're getting at and they don't beat around the bush getting there. There are plenty of songs on Zeigeist that don't follow that same philosophy, which is why I appreciate 7SOB so much.

(All right, I'm done sounding like a fanboy.)

keep it coming dude. just like the board shouldn't be without criticism of pumpkins, you shouldn't feel deterred to balance it with praise. say how you feel brother!

c'mon, 7SOB is some bad goth poetry man.

mayfuck?

we ah starz