#1  
Old 17-Aug-2004, 21:06
Kid A
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Default song lines with idiomatic expressions

Hello everybody,

I've got a lot of questions concerning some idiom- they're all song lines and I have difficulties to understand them, because they can't be found in a dictionary. I would be very grateful if you could explain me the meaning, since I'm dying to understand them.

1) I've become a pattern (after that it says 'saying things to say them, doing things to do them writng things to stay unchanged' - I think this relates to the line with the pattern)
In another song the same singer wrote the line ' when you realise it's a pattern and not a phase it's what you've become and it's what you will stay' .

2) There's a song called Quicksilver moments, what does that actually mean?

3) please don't be insulted by the backhand cult of pharmacy - here I wonder what a backhand cult is.

4) but it's a trick on your ego a two-step off tempo

5) to keep plugging away on my own wasted time

6) do you know how scared I am of the bottom dropping out

7) I've broken your heart for the first and only time one day I'll feel this way too, on the receiving end of heavy-handed logic


Thanks in advance,

Kid A
  #2  
Old 17-Aug-2004, 21:42
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Default Re: song lines with idiomatic expressions

Quote:
1) I've become a pattern (after that it says 'saying things to say them, doing things to do them writng things to stay unchanged' - I think this relates to the line with the pattern)
In another song the same singer wrote the line ' when you realise it's a pattern and not a phase it's what you've become and it's what you will stay' .
pattern means, to repeat. In the song,the singer is saying his/her actions in life are being repeated over and over again; there's no change in the pattern. It's not a phase (i.e., one stage in the process of change and development). The singer is doing the same things over and over again. S/he is not changing/developing/evolving. The singer's life is stagnant/dull/motionless, in a never-ending repeated cycle of the same old same old.

Quote:
2) There's a song called Quicksilver moments, what does that actually mean?
Quicksilver means, liable to sudden unpredictable change.

Quote:
3) please don't be insulted by the backhand cult of pharmacy - here I wonder what a backhand cult is.
I don't know either. Sorry.

Quote:
4) but it's a trick on your ego a two-step off tempo
a two-step is a dance step. off tempo means, not with the beat. I don't know what it means in relation to the lyrics, though. Sorry.

Quote:
5) to keep plugging away on my own wasted time
Quote:
plugging away
means, working steadily at something with no end or future in sight.

Quote:
6) do you know how scared I am of the bottom dropping out
the bottom dropping out refers to losing one's footing. If, say, you are in a bus and the bottom of the bus drops out, you'll drop and possibly get injured/hurt or even die from the fall.

Quote:
7) I've broken your heart for the first and only time. One day I'll feel this way too, on the receiving end of heavy-handed logic
heavy-handed means, over-bearing, oppressive; logic refers to the chain of reasoning: Because I broke your heart and someone will break mine. That reasoning is heavy-handed (i.e., too much to bear/carry);it's oppressive (i.e., cruel).

All the best, 8)
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Old 18-Aug-2004, 18:23
Kid A
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Casiopea, thank you very much for answering. I luckily understood nearly everything and you have made things much clearer for me. :D

Kid A
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Old 19-Aug-2004, 07:30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kid A
Casiopea, thank you very much for answering. I luckily understood nearly everything and you have made things much clearer for me. :D

Kid A
You're welcome. :D
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Old 23-Aug-2004, 18:08
Kid A
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Just one more question:

"Alphabet you 20 dollars,
you'll forget that time in college"

is the beginning of a song. But I can't figure out the meaning. I would be great I anyone could help me for a second time :D.
Thank you very much
Isabel
  #6  
Old 23-Aug-2004, 21:41
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It sounds like a play on 'I'll bet you'.
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Old 23-Aug-2004, 21:59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tdol
It sounds like a play on 'I'll bet you'.
Excellent ear! I never would have picked that up. Cool!

8) 8) | 8) 8)
8) 8) | 8) 8)
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Old 24-Aug-2004, 09:51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Casiopea
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdol
It sounds like a play on 'I'll bet you'.
Excellent ear! I never would have picked that up. Cool!

8) 8) | 8) 8)
8) 8) | 8) 8)
Wow! Thank you so much! :D :D :D
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Old 24-Aug-2004, 17:23
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Glad to help.
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