Lyrics Discussion Thread: Childhood Dreams

[jax1511]

^ Taylor, good point. Perhaps that is the meaning behind it, with death comes a rebirth if you believe in re-incarnation, so it is quite possible. I find with alot of Nelly's songs she tends to walk a fine line between optimisim and pessimism... Not really pessimism, but more the realist side of life that everything is not clean cut and that there are multiple shades of grey... yet regardless she typically has an optimisitic outlook and realises that she, in many ways, is in control of her destiny or at least understands she plays a role in it.

But that point goes back to the beginning verse "Honestly what will become of me/ don't like reality/ it's all way too clear to me" You can sort of see the hopelessness of realising she's not necessarily happy with the way things are turning out in life, yet the next half of that verse sort of leans to her realist side of thinking. ("but really life is daily/we are what we don't see/missed everything daydreaming." That's something many people struggle with, rather than living in the now and accepting things for how they are today, we can get stuck watching life pass us by while we sit and wish for what we don't have -- rather than going out and getting it.

Perhaps that ties into your idea of rebirth and the "dogs were whistling at the new moon/hoping it would come soon/so that they could die" verse. Her optimisim makes her believe that there's still hope and rebirth and with that she will be able to make changes that are necessary for her.

Man, we really need to just call Nelly and ASK her.

[Felo]

Originally Posted by Maca

You met her?? Oh man... Green with envy now.

OK, well, next person to see her just tackle her, sit on her back and don't let her go until she answers, deal?

hahah that made me laugh so hard
if she comes back to Mexico, I'll definitely do that... ok maybe not
but I'll stalk her until I get my answer

[Maca (Mod)]

Originally Posted by taylor

i view it more in a positive way. then the line "so that they could die" comes, haha... this may seem kind of out there but i thought it could be like some kind of reincarnation/rebirth thing. i just chose to see the song in not really a happy way, but not absolutely depressing either, basically all good things come to an end, but there is still hope and you can grow and continue on in life even if it seems hard or scary.

Originally Posted by jax1511

I find with alot of Nelly's songs she tends to walk a fine line between optimisim and pessimism... Not really pessimism, but more the realist side of life that everything is not clean cut and that there are multiple shades of grey... yet regardless she typically has an optimisitic outlook and realises that she, in many ways, is in control of her destiny or at least understands she plays a role in it.

You're totally on it guys. If you analyze the lyrics coldly they come out hopeless and pessimistic. I said that AGT used to bring me down but now it doesn't, and that's because even with the serious lyrics it still has an undertone of cheerfullness behind it.

Think about this: the part about the dogs and the "so that they could die" thing is paired with this sweet cheery whistling which is one of the most uplifting moments in the song, so both things balance each other out. The lyrics may seem or actually be sombre but the mood of the song is not. I don't think Nelly intends AGT to be a sad, depressing song, just a thoughtful one. That is one thing about her, she can make the mood of a song really stand out clearly.

Like with Powerless: the lyrics are about being frustrated about the media and people that bring you down and how to deal with that, but the mood of the song is definitely positive and about your inner strenght. You know by listening to the song that she's not bitching about it and being angry, she's just reflecting on it and trying to express how that makes her feel.

It's very hard to put all of your thoughts and emotions into words, isn't it? It's like language is not enough a lot of the time...

Originally Posted by jax1511

But that point goes back to the beginning verse "Honestly what will become of me/ don't like reality/ it's all way too clear to me" You can sort of see the hopelessness of realising she's not necessarily happy with the way things are turning out in life, yet the next half of that verse sort of leans to her realist side of thinking. ("but really life is daily/we are what we don't see/missed everything daydreaming." That's something many people struggle with, rather than living in the now and accepting things for how they are today, we can get stuck watching life pass us by while we sit and wish for what we don't have -- rather than going out and getting it.

Perhaps that ties into your idea of rebirth and the "dogs were whistling at the new moon/hoping it would come soon/so that they could die" verse. Her optimisim makes her believe that there's still hope and rebirth and with that she will be able to make changes that are necessary for her.

Jax, that is so true. There's always opposing forces in her songs, like if her mood is telling her one thing and her logic is telling her another. But the songs always transmit a great sense of positiveness. Think of In God's Hands, a really sweet song a bout a really sad matter.

And I think these opposing forces are the most evident in how Childhood Dreams and Try seem to contradict one another, they're two seemingly very different takes on love, but that's a whole other discussion (Sorry, I just get carried away and I can't seem to be able to stop, LOL)

Originally Posted by Felo

hahah that made me laugh so hard
if she comes back to Mexico, I'll definitely do that... ok maybe not
but I'll stalk her until I get my answer

LOL!!! You just gave me an image: "Yoh, Nelly!" **tackles her before she has time to react**

Yay!! We should start a whole maffia thing or something...

You can be the leader of the Mexican chapter and I'll take Central America

[jax1511]

^ Opposing forces! Exactly, I couldn't think of the correct way to say it. Maca, I know your a biologist and all, but I think you've missed your literary calling. The way you analyze these lyrics is incredible. I'm so happy you started this thread.

[Maca (Mod)]

Awww **big hug**

I'm so happy to have someone to talk to about this, none of my friends/siblings/cousins/neighbors/random strangers in the street are Nelly fans so it's nice to have an outlet for the obsession

And I've been thinking about it and I don't thing AGT is about hopelessness anymore. Now I think the real message is how sometimes things bring you down and you deal with it with defense mechanisms and denial, but that is not really the way to go. You react in that way, it's natural, but you have to come off it at some point.

Nelly's kinda admitting that and dealing with it in the song, right?

Thanks guys, you brought a whole new light to this song for me

[jax1511]

Originally Posted by Maca

Awww **big hug**

I'm so happy to have someone to talk to about this, none of my friends/siblings/cousins/neighbours/random strangers in the street are Nelly fans so it's nice to have an outlet for the obsession

Maybe you scare the random folks in the street with your obsession.

[Maca (Mod)]

Hmmmm? You think? **scratches head**

Then it would be a good idea to stop asking strangers if they've listened to Folklore and requesting a summary of how it influences their everyday life... right???

[kat_4eva2]

^yes, i think i should stop doing that too
y'know it actually hurts when someone drives past in a mini and hits you with a fish!

But i agree about what you were just saying about AGT Alejandro, that makes sense, its like shes talking about how all good things can't last, so we should accept it
like when she says 'the pain sets in and i don't cry'
its like shes numb from the pain now, she accepts that it hurts when good things end
does that make sense to anyone but me?

[Maca (Mod)]

Sure, that makes total sense

And that fish thing is so random, you killed me with that

[jax1511]

Maca, I nominate you to propose a new song to discuss...