Busy Bees

Summer’s air warm and soft
Pulled quickly through the trees
We lounged around with such a loft
Watching the busy bees
Love was new and bright and bold
Floating with the breeze
The future was not yet told
We were just watching the busy bees

Well a summer’s breeze can quickly freeze
In the flash of moments passed
And love can be torn away
If you don’t keep a steady grasp

He held be tight one summer night
The last embrace I’ll own
Because that night he lost the fight
To an opponent that was never shown
Behind the wheel he lost his life
To man I’ll never know
I pray one day that in this strife
It’s me that he will know


Well a summer’s breeze can quickly freeze
In the flash of moments passed
And love can be torn away
If you don’t keep a steady grasp

The unfaced man that got away
He disappeared like smoke
But come the time I’ll make him pay
And I’ll hear his final choke

Well a summer’s breeze can quickly freeze
In the flash of moments passed
And love can be torn away
If you don’t keep a steady grasp

Summer’s air warm and soft
Pulled quickly through the trees
We lounged around with such a loft
Watching the busy bees

I Don't Believe in A Fairytale End

The chilled mountain air froze me to the core. I tried to tell myself that the strong arms encircling me were creating enough heat to keep me warm, but I could not bear to lie to myself again. Those thoughts were toxins to my mind, they would allow me to hope, allow me to believe that everything would be all right.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I whispered, breaking the tense silence that surrounded us. I tried to not let the reason we were there haunt me, but it kept resurfacing, unable to leave me alone.

“I told you,” his voice was tired, echoing from his thin lips. “This is what I need.”

I looked at him and could not believe what I was seeing. He sat by the fire, orange light illuminating his weary form. His once tall and strong build looked sickly slouched against the thick oak tree. His deep black hair was matted against his forehead, messy and disheveled. He looked like death.

“So that’s it? Come to some stupid lake in Geneva and end it all! This is such bullsh*t!” I tried to keep the burning tears from falling down my face, the hot salt stinging the surface of my eyes. I could feel a scorching anger boiling in my chest, spreading through my veins. I wanted to damn his soul to the deepest circle of hell. I wanted him to burn in the white flames deep in the earth beneath our feel. Guilt swam within my stomach for thinking such things, thoughts that seemed so harrowingly appropriate. I tried to push the anger back into its cage, keeping it locked up, at least for now.

“Yes.” His voice was unwavering and startlingly monotonic. He seemed to not care at all about the situation at hand.

“I wish you wouldn’t.” I moved closer, pressing our faces together. Our noses brushed, the familiar feel of his skin sending electric currents through my body. I watched our misty breath mix together in our view in thick white tendrils that twirled around our heads. “I wish you would stay with me.” I leaned in to plant a kiss upon his lower lip, but he pulled away before I could reach him.

“I can’t. I can’t stay here any longer.” His voice was entirely void of emotion, he sounded like a computer spitting out words that were typed quickly within his mind.

“Why can’t you?” I felt the chill of the empty space he left behind. “Why do you need to throw this all away? Throw away everything we have.” I choked on the sting in my throat, a raw biting pain clawing up my trachea. I pushed back the tears for at least another moment longer.

“Because it’s all too much.” His words were filled with nothing, and though I tried to make eye contact, he refused to meet mine. As I tried to search the green irises in the dim fire light, looking for some indication that the man I loved was still there. That some scrap of his bold personality was hidden in those eyes. Though he did not make contact, I could tell that he was not there, not anymore. The fear that I had already lost him grew stronger with each passing moment.

“So, you’re just going to leave me with all of this? That’s not fair!” Crackles evaded my voice, breaking down my speech.

“We’ve had this discussion before.” He pulled further back against the tree as he spoke, further back into the creeping shadows. “I can’t make this anymore clear.”

I roughly ran my fingers though my hair. The short strands were choppy and thick, cropped short due to a fit of frustration on my side. My jeweled rings pulled these small strands along with them as my fingers racked backward. I looked at the collection of peroxide hair in my hand and let out a chuckle. “I can’t do this right now.” My voice shook as I stood, my gangly knees jarring into his side and my boney elbows knocked him in the nose. Neither of us cared.

I walked through the tree, the air around me darkening as I stepped into the thick mountain forest. When I finally broke free, and stood before the valley, the destination of our trip. I walked out to the edge of the stretching pool. The water was crystal clear and completely smooth as if no one had ever disturbed its surface. The reflection of the moon upon the water was perfect and flawless. The light of its full face hit the valley as if it hung directly above my head.

“How did it become this difficult?” The words floated before me on a ribbon of visible vapor making my way to the edge of the water. I relished the feeling of the spongy sand between my toes, coating my feet in a thick layer of grit. I sat upon the sand, close to the edge of the lake, the same film of grit quickly evading the rest of my skin. My toes dipped in the chilled liquid, rings wrapping their way around my feet and pushed forward into the open water, rippling out until they faded into nonexistence. The soft movement of the water mesmerized me for the time being.

I tired not to bring up memories of the life I missed, my perfect life that shattered in my hands. I tried to keep them locked within my head, but the lock was rusted over, and I could not keep them imprisoned any longer. As they finally broke free a giant wave of utter devastation sent me reeling. I dropped my head into my hands as the memories buzzed around my head like busy worker bees. I could taste his warm loving lips upon my own, so full of care and life and happiness and perfection. I heard his hazy voice so full of sleep and concern as I cried though the static laden receiver listening to his calming voice telling me that everything would be all right. I felt his warm arms wrap around me, pulling me tight to his chest at the end of an awful day. I could smell his cologne lingering upon my pillow and see his smile shine through the darkness.

The tears were falling freely now as I sobbed for the past I craved. And so I sat upon the shore of that lake beneath the pale moonlight shining down upon the lush green valley surrounded by breath taking mountains, and wept.

Midnight came and went speeding by in an attempt to alert me of my approaching fate. I leaned back, laying flat in the sand and watched the stars. I watched the lights twinkle bright above me. I tried to pick out the constellations you always hear about, confused as to how anyone could find pictures in the light mass. As two o’clock reared its head I stood. My body ached in protest as I stiffly stretched, trying to remove the kinks my body now held. I pushed my palms across my skin, trying to remove the sand from myself in a futile effort to get clean.

A heavy sigh pulled through me as I felt as sickening weight upon my hand. I shook my palm out, expecting there to be a big hairy spider strolling across my fingers. Yet, no matter how much I shook my hand, the weight continued to remain. Looking down I realized that the weight was not from something living, but from something I have cherished for many years. The culprit of the weight was perched upon my ting finger and has been for a while. A shiny ornate wedding ring sat gleaming up at me, Celtic engravings were entwined around the metal, fitting snuggly around my finger. Through blurry eyes I saw the moment in which that ring was slid upon my hand, an everlasting promise of love and compassion. With sudden verbosity I ripped the ring from my finger and hurled it into the still water. A satisfying plot filled the air as the ring hit the water and sunk to the bottom of the lake. With my new light hand I wiped the tears from my face with a sharp swipe.

“I can change too,” I sneered, and in the still silence of the night I felt a complete enveloping manic taking over my mind.

In a huff I stormed back to our pathetic campsite and found him sitting in the same place I left him. His sickly frame perched against the mighty oak, the popping fire before him dwindling to naught. As I got closer I could hear a litany tugging from his lips.

“What are you doing?”

“Praying, he’ll protect me tomorrow, he’ll take me in. I know he will, and everything will be alright.” I could not respond to him, not a single word could escape my mouth. Through out his entire life he kept his beliefs close to his heart, something I could not understand. He prayed through every hardship, and his God never failed to disappoint me. He prated though the past year and now I’m going to lose everything important to me. I refused to share his beliefs, and ever have I once uttered a single prayer.

I sat beside him on the itchy blanket I inevitably covered in sand, and stared up at the sky. Though no daylight poked through the blackness I could feel the bright colors pushing their way up to me. I could feel the hours slip away, minutes tick by, and seconds trickle down.

“Hun, can you talk to me?” My voice gave way to my defeat.

“About what?”

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“I’m fine.” His words were curt and biting, trying to end the conversation as soon as it began.

“See, I don’t think that you are, you barely speak to me. You seem so distant and broken. If I’m going to lose you so soon I’d like to talk to you.” My voice cracked and tore, mimicking the pain I felt within me.

“We should sleep.” Dejected, he moved further towards the dark, further way from me.

“No! You can sleep tomorrow! I need this! You’re not well. Please talk to me.”

“I’m the farthest thing from ill.”

“But you’re-“

“I’m fine!” Startled, I closed up and back off. The booming yell greatly contrasting the soft, meek tones he spoke in before. “We should really sleep,” he continued, as if he never raised his voice.

“Because you need sleep.” Sarcasm dripped from every word.

“Please?”

I paused. “Fine” I slunk back over to our makeshift bed beneath the expansive sky. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close, and as I felt him slip into sweet oblivion, his warm breath puffing clouds into my ear, I cried. I cried as each star blinked out one by one. I cried as the moon faded away. I cried as the sky became painted with blood stained watercolors. I cried as morning mocked me.

“Goo’ morning.” His words slurred together, thick and groggy with sleep.

“Morning,” I whispered as I thanked whoever was listening that he could not see my sleep deprived face, that he could not see my broken heart through my glassy eyes.

“Come here.” He rolled me over and squinted through the bright morning sunshine. He placed a light, loving kiss onto my lips. A kiss just like the ones I missed, and as he pulled away I felt a fresh wave of sadness rip right through me.

“I love you,” he whispered. The words stung as they hit my mind, wrapping around my brain and pulling tight. If he loved me he would not be dead set on continuing with this charade.

He stood, stretching and popping in every direction. He wore a pair of ripped jeans and a pale blue tee shirt, clothing I already missed. Without a second glance he was off into the forest. Quickly I scooped myself up and followed the retreating figure before it could completely vanish from my view.

As we approached the lake I drank in my surroundings as a realization dawned on me. I was alone, my manic and I. My happy man had left me many moons ago, he had swiftly taken the one love from my life and left me with a disconnect inside. His ghost has followed me in my mind and in the broken fragments of my heart. My manic and I, we have been quite happy, that I do know.

I let out a stark laugh as the water wrapped around my feet, bangles of ice-cold water encircled my ankles. I listened to the world around me; felt my mind met between my ears. That was it, there I was, and I was fine, content, happy. And with a mocking sneer I let myself wonder if his God would save me, take me in and protect me. I wondered if with his final chance he would not disappoint.

“Like that’ll ever happen,” I spoke aloud.

The water was rising as I marched forward. No turning back now, my manic and I. The water was cold as it seeped into my bones, and as the water reached my chest I head the bird sing to calm me down, but I refused to listen to their song.

“Too little too late!” Cried my manic and I. And soon the water was at my chin, mouth, nose, ears, eyes, and I saw no more, and yet I heard. I heard the world; it was so loud around me, rattling in my ears. I breathed in, and there was nothing.

His God failed me once again.

And the birds kept singing to calm me down.

Short Story Song Lyrics

MY MANIC AND I - LAURA MARLING

He wants to die in a lake in Geneva, the mountains can cover the shape of his nose.

He wants to die where nobody can see him but the beauty of his death

will carry on so I dont believe him.

He greets me with kisses when good days deceive him and sometimes with scorn and sometimes I believe him.
And sometimes I'm convinced my friends think I am crazy, get scared and call him but he's usually hazy.
By one in the morning day is not ended, by two he is scared and sleep is no friend, and by four he will drink but cannot feel it, sleep will not come because sleep does not will it and I dont believe him.
Morning is mocking me.
I'll wander the streets avoiding them eats until the ring on my finger slips to the ground.
A gift to the gutter, a gift to the city the veins of which have broken me down.
And I dont believe him, morning is mocking me.
Oh the gods that he believes never fail to amaze me.
He believes in the love of his god of all things, but I find him wrapped up in all manner of sins.
The drugs that deceive him and the girls that believe him.
I can't control you I dont know you well, these are the reasons I think that you're ill.
I can't control you I dont know you well, these are the reasons I think that you're ill.
And since last that we parted last that I saw him down by a river silent and hardened, morning was mocking us. Blood hit the sky.
I was just happy, my manic and I
He couldn't see me the sun was in his eyes and birds were singing to calm us down. And birds were singing to calm us down.
And I'm sorry young man, I cannot be your friend. I don't believe in a fairytale end. I dont keep my head up all of the time.
I find it dull when my heart meets my mind
Though I hardly know you I think I can tell, these are the reasons I think that we're ill.
I hardly know you I think I can tell, these are the reasons I think that I'm ill.
And the gods that he believes never fail to disappoint me.
And the gods that he believes never fail to disappoint me.
My *nihilist, my* happy man my manic and I have no plans to move on.
The birds are singing to calm us down
And birds are singing to calm us down.

Backmasking

1) In Britney Spears's song "Baby One More Time" when the chorus is played backwards it is said you can hear her say "Sleep with me I'm not too young". Though this is humorous when you place it upon the stigma of her personality now, and the backmasking is much more clear than other "reversed" songs, it still seems a little too far stretched to me.



2) In ELO's song "Fire on High" there is a garble on unintelliglible nonsense, but when it is played backwards there is a very evident message within the noise. When played backwards you can hear "The music is reversible, but time is not. Turn back! Turn back! Turn back!". This is an obviously intentional (and extremely eerie) backmasking.



3) Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" is the most known backmasking, and the most notorious "Satan worship" song. When played backwards the song is "supposedly" full of Satan worship propoganda. This is completely inaudible unless you are actually looking at the words you are supposed to be hearing, and even then it's not Satan worship as everyone claims! The backwards nonsense is something that could only be taken as them talking about Satan torturing sinners! Here is the mentioned backmasked message, “Oh here’s to my sweet Satan./The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is Satan./He will give those with him six six six./There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer, sad Satan”. This one is obviously hogwash.



4) Pink Floyd is also known for doing intentional backmasking. In their song "Empty Spaces" they left a message for those people who enjoy turning songs backwards looking for something else within songs. The message left behind is "Hello, hunters. Congratulations. You've just discovered the secret message. Please send your answer to Old Pink, care of the funny farm, Chalfont." (voice in background) "Roger! Carolyne is on the phone!". I find this one funny because it also pokes fun at these "hunters", saying that they belong in the "funny farm" a euphenism for an insane asylum.



5) Soundgarden also left behind a message, this one actually making fun of people who are looking specifically for Satanic messages within music. "Santa, I love you baby. My Christmas king. Santa, you’re my king. I love you, Santa baby. Got what I need" is found in the song 665. Santa, the pronounciation being extremely close to Satan, is there to fool people into believing they've found a Satanic message, until they hear it fully.



6) It is said when you play The Beatles's song "Revolution 9" you can hear them saying "Turn me on dead man" over and over again. This is directly connected to the Paul is dead conspiracy theory and, to me, is complete hogwash.



7) Another one I find completely ridiculous is Yoko Ono's song "Kiss Kiss Kiss" played backwards says "I shot John Lennon" and though if it were true I would believe it instantly, the backmasking is obviously hogwash.

8) In Weird Al's song "Nature Trail to Hell" it is intentionally backmasked "Satan loves Chez Whiz" which I find completely hilarious and one hundred percent intential.

9) In the backwards solo in the White Stripes song "Walk With a Ghost" "get out of my mind" can be heard. I find this one to also be completely intentional.

10) Another intentional backmasking is in the Tenacious D song "Karate" where the singer says "eat donkey crap", again I find this completely hilarious.

Song Analysis 2 - The Cranberries "Zombie"

Another head hangs lowly,
Child is slowly taken.
And the violence caused such silence,
Who are we mistaken?

But you see, it's not me, it's not my family.
In your head, in your head they are fighting,
With their tanks and their bombs,
And their bombs and their guns.
In your head, in your head, they are crying...

In your head, in your head,
Zombie, zombie, zombie,
Hey, hey, hey. What's in your head,
In your head,
Zombie, zombie, zombie?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh, dou, dou, dou, dou, dou...

Another mother's breakin',
Heart is taking over.
When the vi'lence causes silence,
We must be mistaken.

It's the same old theme since nineteen-sixteen.
In your head, in your head they're still fighting,
With their tanks and their bombs,
And their bombs and their guns.
In your head, in your head, they are dying...

In your head, in your head,
Zombie, zombie, zombie,
Hey, hey, hey. What's in your head,
In your head,
Zombie, zombie, zombie?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh, oh, oh,
Oh, oh, oh, oh, hey, oh, ya, ya-a...

Throughout the world there is constantly war ravaging the land. From to this very moment, to hundreds of years in the past, people are constantly disputing over whatever they can. Ireland was once held in a bloody civil war where a terrorist organization named the IRA held power in the country. In The Cranberries song “Zombie” the band employs striking imagery and flowing metaphors to portray these devastating times.

The imagery within the song, combined with the powerful music, is a strong piece within the song. As the song opens “Another head hangs lowly/Child is slowly taken/and the violence caused such silence/who are we mistaken?” is sung out, these lines throw the image of a child being ripped from their mother’s arms. This could also relate to the Warrington, Cheshire bombing (the main event this song is based on) where two young children were killed, two young boys being torn from their families, killed at such young ages. The second half of the quote portrays the catch 22 of staying silent; if the citizens were to tell the government of the threats of the IRA, they will end up in trouble, but if they do not tell they are putting others into danger, leaving the emotional imagery of tension within this country.

“Zombie” is fully based upon the Warrington, Chesire bombing that killed two young boys, Jonathan Ball (3 years old) and Tim Parry (12 years old). The IRA had left an encoded message to a charity called The Samaritans that a bomb would be detonated outside of a shop in Warrington. The bombs were not stopped in time, though forces had been sent with great amount of time. The bombs were placed into cast-iron litter tins, causing large amounts of shrapnel that aided in the murders and injuries. It is said that fifty four other people were injured in these bombings, four of them seriously.

War tears throughout the world, it is inevitable, but terrorist organizations can be stopped, and this is what The Cranberries are saying. This bombing protest song has hit the hearts of many, proving that violence is not the answer. Though terrorist organizations will continue to ravage throughout the world, we can only hope that as time goes on they will dwindle away.

Myths

Throughout music there are many myths about different artists. For instance, it is thought that through a close inspection of the "Abbey Road" album cover by "The Beatles", there is evidence to prove that Paul McCartney had died. On the Album McCartney is the only memeber without shoes and by their feet is a puddle of blood (the puddle is seen on the Australian version of the cover). It is also said that each member has a role to fill: priest, corpse, undertaker and mourner. Also, in the background there is a police car the stop traffic for the funeral procession.



Another myth is "The Dark Side of Oz". It is said that if you play Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon" after the MGM Lion roars three times in "The Wizard of Oz" the songs will synch up perfectly with the movie. For instance, as "Money" starts to play the movie becomes colorful and the Munchkins dance in time with the music. Also, when the Scarecrow begins to sing "If I Only had a Brain" "Brain Damage" begins to play. There is also another myth surrouding Pink Floyd's music and that is that their album "The Wall" synchs up with "Alice in Wonderland".



Robert Johnson also is known for the oldest music myth. It is told that he had an intense desire to become the best blue's musician. Johnson was instructed to take his guitar to the crossroads and make a deal with the devil. There he was met by the devil who tuned his guitar, played a few songs, and handed back the instrument, along with a mastery of it. This myth is reflected in his music with songs such as "Hell Hound on my Tail", it is said that the Devil sends Hell Hounds out to retrieve the souls that he had been payed; "Crossroad Blues" is another song that pertains to the myth, the crossroads is where he met the Devil and made the deal.



Ozzy Osborne, the Prince of Darkness, is known for also causing a stir while he is on stage. Ozzy is known for biting the heads off of doves and bats while he is on stage. When this happened he was on stage and a fan had thrown it upon the stage because Ozzy had been throwing pig intestines and livers into the crowd, and when he took a bite of it's head he was surprised at what happened because he had thought that the bat had been made of rubber. After the show Ozzy was rushed to the hospital for a rabis shot. Yet, that was not the only time he bit the head off of something, Ozzy also bit the head off of a dove at a record company meeting. He had wanted to release them as a sign of peace, but he was extremely intoxicated at the time and grabbed on and bit the head off of it.



Bob Dylan walked on stage July 25th, 1965 as an acoustic folk singer. The crowd, fans of his acoustic music, did not take a liking the shift they saw that night. When Dylan began to play "Maggie's Farm" upon an electric guitar, the crowd was not happy, instantly a chorus of boos and jeers were thrown at the musician. He did come back later to sing two songs, but the folk community never fully accepted him again after that day.



I notice Marylin Monroe, a famous movie actress. I also notice Edgar Allen Poe, a notorious poet and horror writer. I also notice Bob Dylan, a well known folk artist. I do not know Sonny Liston (a famous boxer), Max Miller (a famous comic), and Issy Bon (a second famous comic).



Citations



Johnson, Tommy. Did Robert Johnson Sell his Soul? 1997. Web. October 28, 2010.
The Dark Side of Oz. 1995. Web. October 28, 2010.
Spinner Staff. Ozzy Osborne Bites Head off of Bat. January 20, 1982. Web. October 28, 2010.
Wikipedia. Electric Dylan Controversy. September 2, 2010. Web. October 28, 2010.

Thesis

In The Cranberries' "Zombie", the narrator employs a scene of harrowing imagery to tell the tale of a worn torn era.