An Object Lession in the Distracting Power of Literal Meaning

[packbat]

Listen to this track.

(If the embed fails, you can find the track here.)

Now, consider the question: if you didn't see the video or know the referents of the words, if it were a straight audio recording called "Fuval Unccl Crbcyr" and sung in a language you couldn't understand, how would you evaluate the emotional content of the track? (Yes, please, listen to it again. I'll wait.)

Would it be, perhaps, wistful? Or hopeful? Or even ... unhappy, in parts, however cheery in others?

Hm.

Comments

[ceruleanst.livejournal.com]

"Stand" is a totally upbeat song about being aware of the great big awesome ball you live on and the relative positions of you and all the other stuff on it. The most potentially sad element is the cryptic lyric "if wishes were trees, the trees would be falling," and Stipe successfully makes this sound like it's probably a good thing, or at worst a silly bit of nonsense that you don't need to worry about because you know where you are and that's better than tree-wishes.

[chanlemur.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. I had forgotten that one. Okay, point there.