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Religion/Politics of the Band?

(32 posts)
  • Started 15 years ago by danielbritt
  • Latest reply from TheDoctor

  1. danielbritt
    danielbritt
    (9 Posts)

    I've always (or recently) wondered of the religion and politics of the members of Spoon.
    there are some clues, but no real answers.
    in Jonathan Fisk "religion don't mean a thing. it's just another way to be right wing", but that could have been the voice of the fictional Johnathan Fisk.
    and it's clear from Don't make me a target that they do not like Bush. "he comes from a parking lot town, where nothing lives in the sun".

    any other clues you may have found?

    I Say, Indeed!
    Posted 15 years ago #
  2. DYEvahMindMath
    DYEvahMindMath
    (26 Posts)

    Bringing about the apocalypse
    Is not considered
    Considered cool
    Still you go setting it up
    But never give it a thought
    Just go setting it up

    More of Bush's effects, I'd say.

    My mathematical mind can see the breaks
    So I'm gonna stop riding the brakes
    No no no no more ride the brakes
    Instead I'm gonna see mistakes
    Yeah I'm gonna see mistakes

    So maybe now Congress is going to stop "riding the brakes": House Judiciary Committee asks Scott McClellan to testify under oath June 20. If our laws were followed, the House Sargeant At Arms would force Rove to testify or be held in inherent contempt. (This all per Congressman Wexler.)

    Posted 15 years ago #
  3. Pre
    Pre
    (4 Posts)

    Well, Britt has publicly endorsed Oregon Senate candidate Steve Novick, so you can check out his website at http://www.novickforsenate.org to maybe get a feel for his platform and such so you can learn some about Britt's political beliefs.

    Also, in this interview he mentions how he'd never license music for the GOP or the Army: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/postrock/2007/12/talk_talk_a_conversation_with.html

    Posted 15 years ago #
  4. spudz_mack
    spudz_mack
    (14 Posts)

    Those do make sense and then in "All I Got Is Me" it says

    I'm going defend everything as soon as you threaten my king.
    I'm going to forget all I've been told.

    Which seems to me as soon as someone would to physical attack Bush he would stand up for him.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  5. I am Huckster
    I am Huckster
    (47 Posts)

    You can be anti bush and still be pro America. Perhaps he meant he would defend America when people threaten our president.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  6. wantsarevolution
    wantsarevolution
    (144 Posts)

    Or maybe it was just a more general chess analogy to being personally threatened in some way?

    Posted 15 years ago #
  7. DYEvahMindMath
    DYEvahMindMath
    (26 Posts)

    There are many possible "kings".

    Posted 15 years ago #
  8. TheDoctor
    TheDoctor
    (143 Posts)

    I really don't think any of those lyrics posted are anything government.

    Don't Make Me a Target yes, but All I Got Is Me and My Mathematical Mind I think are strictly about himself. Me, My. Bush, No.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  9. wantsarevolution
    wantsarevolution
    (144 Posts)

    No, Britt has said in interviews before that My Mathematical Mind is political. I'm 99% sure.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  10. User has not uploaded an avatar
    Graymatter315
    (2 Posts)

    I'm pretty sure that Britt doesn't like to state a definitive meaning to a song. His lyrics are implicit and leave room for many interpretations.

    It's funny that you could even interpret "Don't Make Me a Target" in a different way (keeping in mind that Daniel is surely attacking the irrationality of Bush in this song).

    "Here comes the man from the star" (The star being from the Texas flag) and "they come from a parking lot town" could aptly describe Daniel since he's from Temple, Texas which serves only as a great place to get fast food if you're making the drive from Austin to Dallas. So maybe they are elements of self frustration in Target. Who knows.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  11. TheDoctor
    TheDoctor
    (143 Posts)

    My Mathematical Mind I guess could be political but that song is a two sided kind of thing. Don't Make Me a Target is obvious, Mathematical Mind I wouldn't say as much.

    Britt does write a lot of open ended songs but if you kind catch his themes you can tell what he's singing about in most.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  12. User has not uploaded an avatar
    Texana
    (19 Posts)

    "they come from a parking lot town/where nothing lives in the sun" could be describing Midland since both George W. and Laura Bush are from there, but I've never been to Midland so I don't know if that's an accurate description.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  13. Mamma Tell Me
    Mamma Tell Me
    (39 Posts)

    oh, no.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  14. User has not uploaded an avatar
    Texana
    (19 Posts)

    oh no oh what?

    Posted 15 years ago #
  15. TheDoctor
    TheDoctor
    (143 Posts)

    they come from a parking lot town where nothing lives in the sun.

    I think it's just general for commercial residency. Maybe he's talking about an exact city but I don't see how that is relevant. It's obviously about his citizen relationship with Bush and government.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  16. 31starbright
    31starbright
    (161 Posts)

    Look who's talking about politics in the new issue of Under the Radar Magazine:

    Britt in Under the Radar


    http://www.undertheradarmag.com/protestissue2008.html

    Posted 15 years ago #
  17. wantsarevolution
    wantsarevolution
    (144 Posts)

    Haha. Oh Wayne Coyne. He always has to be the most interesting person at the party.

    I'll have to see if I can pick up a copy of this issue somewhere.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  18. TheDoctor
    TheDoctor
    (143 Posts)

    Sweet post 31!

    Posted 15 years ago #
  19. monkfishblues
    monkfishblues
    (250 Posts)

    Wow! I'll see if I can pick that one up tonight. Should be an interesting read.

    Britt looks like he should be leaning up against some darkened doorway, flipping a coin in the air, waiting for some unfortunate person to come along.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  20. TheDoctor
    TheDoctor
    (143 Posts)

    I went to borders looking for this and it wasn't there. if anyone finds one let me know, if not it might not be released just yet.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  21. wantsarevolution
    wantsarevolution
    (144 Posts)

    The website says "coming soon" or "on newsstands soon" or something of that sort. I think it's the summer issue so it will surely be out before too long.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  22. jelarch
    jelarch
    (7 Posts)

    why would you care about political and religious values the band hold. Just enjoy their music.

    Math is Power
    Posted 15 years ago #
  23. wantsarevolution
    wantsarevolution
    (144 Posts)

    I personally think it's interesting to know what's going on in a songwriter's head--what his beliefs and values are--because you can trace that in the songs they write. Being a psychology major, it's particularly interesting to me.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  24. jelarch
    jelarch
    (7 Posts)

    I can see your point, but I find it more rewarding to discover that for myself rather than digging into what was the influence behind the music. How the music influences my day is more important to me.

    Math is Power
    Posted 15 years ago #
  25. 31starbright
    31starbright
    (161 Posts)

    I got a copy of the magazine at Borders on Thursday. I was scared at first that they only had the other one on sale but they had the Colin/Chris/Britt one right behind it. There's another picture of Britt in the magazine where he's holding a poster that says, "Viva La Raza." I don't have a scanner with me at the moment, but I'll scan it later in case anyone wants to see it.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  26. TheDoctor
    TheDoctor
    (143 Posts)

    I'm not getting it to see Britt's views more because it's Britt.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  27. Gabriel
    Gabriel
    (193 Posts)

    So that's what Isaac Brock looks like.

    Personally, I think it's a ridiculous coincidence that this magazine addresses exactly the question just being pondered on.

    Britt looks like he should be leaning up against some darkened doorway, flipping a coin in the air, waiting for some unfortunate person to come along.

    Haha, yeah, he looks uber-sinister.

    Posted 15 years ago #
  28. 31starbright
    31starbright
    (161 Posts)

    I scanned a picture from the magazine: Britt in Under the Radar

    Posted 15 years ago #
  29. wantsarevolution
    wantsarevolution
    (144 Posts)

    Should I know what "la raza" is? Does it make more sense in context?

    Posted 15 years ago #
  30. monkfishblues
    monkfishblues
    (250 Posts)

    Viva La Raza ----> Long Live the Race or Long Live the People

    Posted 15 years ago #

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