#playlist analysis

Part two of my old analysis which I did in 2025 before S5 came out and never managed to finish.

Contents: Don't ask me to explain - Substitute - The rebel kind

Songs missing: After the earthquake - The better side - What do you want me to do? - Block Rockin' Beats - Just what I needed (AKA one of my favourite songs ever, thanks Finn Wolfhard for having impeccable taste in music and introducing me to The Cars)

Don't Ask Me to Explain - Montreal

Fun fact: Finn mentioned this album and song on Track Star, a youtube series, where you have to guess the song titles! Cherry peel is an overall solid album and has some excellent moments - but not to forget, it's also very queer. Needless to say, straight people can also enjoy songs about queer experiences. But especially when it comes to indie pop, I feel like you have to connect to the lyrics to really enjoy a song - at least enjoy it enough to mention it in public. I'm not saying that Finn has to be queer to enjoy the song - though I would not rule out the possibility tbh - but playing a queer character, especially one struggling with their identity and sexuality would also give you that kind of deeper connection this specific type of music. But let's get to the song - Overall, the narrator appears to be in love with someone who is "hiding who they are". There's an overall element of restlessness, and forlornness, a frustration of being trapped in a situation where neither party is brave enough to make the first step but is dependent on the other:

Especially this first line is very Mike to me with its 'naivité'. In S1 and S2, Mike doesn't want to turn into a "normal" grown-up which includes a heteronormative relationship. This includes not only the outward affection towards Will,

but also his identity as a nerd - being a nerd means he's an outcast anyway. He can turn into a hero in a dnd campaing, and put on costumes.

Season 3 marks Mike slowly overcoming this naitveté, as he grows older (remember, puberty = MF). Thus, realizing who he "has to be", Mike steps right into the conformity role-play with El.

Let's continue with the lyrics:

The song explicitly states that both parties are in the closet, and that this really is a queer love song. And the final revealing "Besides, I don't want to be the one who's coming out first/ I'd really like to but I'm just too shy" -

comes just before the punch in the gut: "It's so easy to laugh to myself/ And pretend that I could love you but I can't".

Sound familiar?

Substitute - The Who

This song is about a couple that is together based on false presumptions. It's a recurring theme that the narrator states that their partner likes them based on something that is untrue:

= El and Mike are both in a relationship with a made-up version of the other: El with a perfect boyfriend who loves her for who she is, and Mike with a superhero, who saves the world and changed his life. Just like the narrator of the song realizes, he's a substitute for someone else. This again is both the case for El and Mike: El is the substitute for Will, or really any boy - "she's the only girl that will have him" - and for El Mike is the substitute for someone else, who truly puts her first, and loves her for who she is.

And as soon as Mike is not in her life, these people take up more space in her life (Max, Hopper, and Joyce).

Fun fact: there's also the "(Substitute) My coke for gin" line for the new coke truthers (theory by @ghostgirlinsatin ).

The Rebel Kind - Modernettes

The Modernettes are a pretty niche Power Punk Punk Rock band that formed in 1979, and based in Vancouver - which explains Finn's connection to the band. Niche because it's rather difficult to find much about them online, and only little more than a hundred ratings on rateyourmusic despite their - imho - great sound. In The Rebel Kind, the narrator sings about a difficult life filled with sparse pay and spending the evenings drinking in bars while they yearn to be free and true to themselves. There's also the distinct gender/ sexuality/ identity layer:

The narrator considers himself to be part of a group of people, who are some kind of outsiders. Being part of that group comes with difficulties, but he wouldn't have it any other way. However, he is not free yet, for some reason he cannot join his kind, and instead has to prove himself as a man first. Personally, this song is very brokeback mountain: cowboy vibes and the depression that comes with the forced heteronormative life style, a person yearning to be free, trapped in the bounds of what society deems normal.

In other words, this fits the Mike Wheeler closeted gay agenda. Bronski Beat's Smalltown boy. Need I say more? Baltimore's Tarzan Boy from in the Rink-O-mania scene - Jimmy McShane was gay - also shares the motif of a young gay boy moving to a bigger city where he can live true to himself. Mike can't be himself in Hawkins, he can't be with Will, and El may be the only chance for him to be with someone he loves - even if not that way - and who actually likes him instead of seeing right through him.

I could not find out too much about The Modernettes, so it remains unclear whether the song was actually written about gender/ sexuality or is rather based on the daily life of a struggling artist, and the dream to make it as a band. Either way, the artist's original idea is rarely the only correct to interpret media.

I’m happy to share that I’m finally completing my Sanders Sides Playlist Breakdowns!

Starting tomorrow (April 5) on Roman’s Playlist 5th anniversary, stay tuned for a long post! ❤️💛💚🤍🩵💙💜

This is something that I’ve wanted to do for so long but because it’s so much writing and I have so many thoughts, I haven’t been able to find the time to do it. THERE IS SO MUCH IN THESE PLAYLISTS!! Joan and Thomas and Talyn didn’t throw these together Willy Nilly 😅

dude im realising a LOT of songs that are in Will Byers' official spotify playlist are about drugs and I mean it does fit my theory that Vecna's mind control is an allegory for drug abuse :,)

Based on the Amazon Playlist and Established Patterns in S1 and S2

I’ve been listening to the songs on the official playlist that Amazon released in December, and I’ve been thinking about it non-stop. It’s been long enough, and now I feel like I have a solid enough footing to have ideas about season 3 based on the information given to us by the playlist (especially the songs Neil provided). Keep in mind that this is my speculation only. I may be entirely wrong, this post may age poorly, but I am okay with that. At the end of the day, I know for absolute fact that I will be THRILLED with whatever season 3 actually brings (But please – for my sanity – let there be a happy ending for Crowley and Aziraphale).

First of all, we know the season was outlined back in 2005, and I would assume (for the sake of this post if nothing else) that by the time the s3 announcement came, Prime had the general outline. And so, in the spirit of how this show does things, the playlist is full of Clues.

GIF by fuckyeahgoodomens

I’ll put the songs in parenthesis as I go.

Between “Before the Beginning” and “In the Beginning,” i.e. Flashback 1:

We’re going to start the season with Crowley’s Fall (Midnight Rain). Neil has said that he’s not going to ever tell us Starmaker’s name, so I’m not expecting that. But we know that each season starts with a prologue, and we also know that these flashback mirror the current events. Crowley’s Fall makes a lot of sense to start with because it is the first thing that pulls him and Aziraphale apart. And where are we starting from in present day? The Divorce.

How Are Crowley and Aziraphale Doing?

Bad (I’m a Mess). Crowley presents fine to the world, but we, who know him, can see he is struggling. I don’t know if he’ll actually go to therapy, but I would adore it if we got a glimpse of Crowley trying it and being like “NOPE” when it got too hard. He keeps expecting Aziraphale to walk around every corner, and keeps replaying the divorce in his mind (Just My Imagination).

Aziraphale isn’t doing well either. The Kiss, and by extension his last conversation with Crowley plays on his mind all the time (Could’ve Been).

Very soon after the playlist was released, one of my Good Omens friends on Discord (I forget who it was, I am so sorry), suggested that maybe Aziraphale is communicating with Crowley through his dreams. Honestly, I am so on board with this. With the number of songs that mention dreams and daydreams in this playlist, there is no way that Crowley’s dreams and/or imagination won’t play some kind of role in this season (In Dreams, Just My Imagination).

Minisodes

The Titanic

I think the most interesting thing is that we’re going to have at least one minisode about them alone through time. It’s something that we haven’t seen before, and it parallels their current journey.

That being said, I think one of these will be the Titanic (My Heart Will Go On). Here’s how I see it happening:

Crowley is the one on the ship. He’s not there to sink it, he’s just there to enjoy himself. Maybe he plays around with the kids a bit, maybe he makes friends. Point is, the humans have built this supposedly-unsinkable ship of dreams and he just has to see it. He’s there when it sinks. Maybe he even tries to save people or get the other ships to come faster, but he can’t save everyone.

Heartbroken, he returns home to his dark flat. He doesn’t turn on any lights. There are two envelopes waiting for him. He sits at the table to read them in the dark. The first is a commendation from Hell:

“Great job sinking the Titanic! Downstairs are Very Impressed with your work, as always!” He scoffs and tosses it aside. The second one is from Aziraphale.

Oh great, he thinks, Just what I need, a little ‘oh how dare you drown all those people you evil demon you.’ when I’m already feeling like shit. He opens it anyway. The first lines read:

“My Dear Crowley,

I heard that you were aboard the Titanic when it sank. Are you alright?”

Crowley breaks down and cries. ~End Scene~

1941

The playlist has Heart and Soul on it, but not a recent version – it’s specifically one that was recorded in 1939. So we’re almost definitely getting 1941 Part 3.

GIF by mimisempai

We’re going to find out what happened to cause their huge shift in dynamics from Date Night to 1967, and I think it’s a kiss. Maybe a kiss on the cheek? I’m not entirely sure. I do hope they get to slow dance to A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square though.

The Reunion

My friends, it will not go well. This is one of the songs that Neil chose – Cry Me a River. It just reeks of Aziraphale coming back and Crowley being (understandably, and rightly) being bitter towards him. Aziraphale will, eventually, I’m sure, get back in his good books, but he’s gonna need more than an I Was Wrong Dance to do it.

(Actually?) Saving the World

Okay so being perfectly honest, the only reason either of them are the lead characters in this series is because they’re so freaking loveable. They are very bad at their jobs. Anathema, Newt, and Adam saved the world in S1, and although the Husbands gave Adam a little pep-talk, I think he’s smart enough that he could have managed it on his own if he had to.

So, this time they actually need to save the world and have an actual plan. This is where I think a second body swap will happen – hear me out! First of all, remember that no one aside from Gabriel (who is Someone Knows Where), none of the angels or demons have figured out their trick from the first time. So I don’t think it is the plan, but I do think it will be part of the plan. Where am I pulling this idea from? The Show Must Go On, another one of Neil’s choices. It sounds like it’s from Aziraphale’s perspective, but Queen songs are usually associated with Crowley. Seems odd, right? Maybe because it is. Maybe because they swap.

The Book of Life

I think we’re going to see The Book of Life, and I think it’s going to basically be The Book of Love. I think this is where we’re going to get the Main Thesis. The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything, if you will. Love. It’s supposed to be Love.

The Book of Love – another of Neil’s choices.

Epilogue

I predict they get their South Downs cottage (Neil said “not yet,” which implies it’s coming). And there’s also a wedding, though I’m not sure whose it will be (The Book of Love). I REALLY hope that it’s Crowley and Aziraphale, because they deserve that kind of happy ending, and Neil is too much of an Ally not to realize how important it is that they get to Live Happily Ever After.

One Last Thought

I still have no idea what to make of I’d Rather Go Blind. That’s it. That’s the last thought I wanted to share that doesn’t really fit in anywhere else.

This is going to be extremely long and it’s probably going to become a series of posts 🫠 however thanks for enabling me >:)

I PRESENT PART ONE OF THE REASON WHY I PUT THESE SONGS IN THESE PLAYLISTS

The Captain

For these playlists I wanted to keep it in the specific time period but in some cases that may not happen. Without further ado, I explain the Captain in songs!

ok here we go, gamers

so the kennedy playlist isn't long. it's one of my shortest playlists. but i wanted to explain every song in it <3 some of these explanations will be redacted for spoiler reasons. anyway.

for each song i'll explain why it's in there, and then share some of my favorite/most fitting lyrics.

so i'm just gonna go in order <3 starting under the cut!

Posted 13 February 2022

Luke made a new Spotify playlist titled LH2 with 10 songs on it.

I think Luke chose these songs based on not only their lyrics but the overall sound of each song. Each song is pretty guitar and drums forward. Which is a different sound compared to LH1, that had more of that ‘wall of sound’ style to it.

1. All I Want by LCD Soundsystem

In this song the narrator realizes they’ve been neglecting their lover and wanting to fix it but at the same time feeling like all they deserve is pity.

“You learn in your bed

You’ve been gone for too long

To put in the time

But it’s too late to make it strong

Now all I want is your pity

Or all I want is your bitter tears”

This songs lyrics gave me a lot of the same vibes as More by 5 Seconds Of Summer and Place In Me by Luke Hemmings. All three of these songs are from the pov of someone in a relationship where something gets lost in translation. Whether it be bad communication, neglect, or other problem.

2. Narcolepsy by Third Eye Blind

Narcolepsy was written about a band member’s multiple sleeping disorders and how they affected him. This song uses a lot imagery to convey that this “post sleep-paralysis” state they feel trapped in.

“I try to keep awake

But I, I can feel this narcolepsy slide

Into another nightmare”

Narcolepsy is chronic sleep disorder that can cause sudden sleep attacks, loss of muscle tone, & even hallucinations. The narrative comparing to their way of living as if trapped in a narcoleptic/post sleep-paralysis state shows that they feel like the are suffocating and dying even though they are living. This songs lyrics remind me of Starting Line and Mum by Luke Hemmings. In Starting Line, Luke talks about how he feels like he is missing parts of his life, as if years went by without him truly processing that. And in Mum, Luke talks about loving the fear of falling and feeling like he is drowning in the ocean.

3. Queen by Perfume Genius

Queen was praised as “the best gay anthem” of the year. In this song the narrative shows that he isn’t afraid if others see him as “cracked” and “peeling” because he is confident in who he is as a gay man.

“Don’t you know your queen?

Cracked, peeling

Riddled with disease

Don’t you know me?”

This songs lyrics spoke to me the same way the music video for Starting Line (Love Wins sign in the vid) did. Luke is trying to say he isn’t straight. That he is a gay man who is proud of who he is.

4. Everything Now by Arcade Fire

Written about the modern on-demand culture, Everything Now is a song warning us about our own greed and callousness as a society.

“‘Til every room in my house

Is filled with shit I can’t love without”

I truly believe this song is just a reflection of something we already know about Luke, that he is a big time of limited social media usage. We know that Luke isn’t the biggest fan of using social media often as he’d rather spending time doing something more meaningful like hanging with friends and family or working on music. Also the lyrics above kind of reminded me of these lines from More by 5 Seconds Of Summer:

“A house that’s full of everything we wanted

But it’s an empty home, empty home”

5. Like Eating Glass by Bloc Party

Like Eating Glass is about a “completely disoriented couple.” A couple who’s love seems to be dying out. For one reason or another the narrator’s relationship is failing and they feel hopeless because of this.

“It’s so cold in this house

I can’t eat, I can’t sleep

I can’t sleep, I can’t dream”

And at the end of this song you can understand that this is a married couple thanks to a line in the song with a line of traditional roman catholic marriage vows:

“For richer, for poorer, for better, for worse”

This songs lyrics says to me that Luke and Ashton had at time were they really weren’t seeing eye to eye. So much so that it was tearing this long term relationship apart. Also the line about marriage also helps confirm a running theory that Luke and Ashton were recently married*.

6. This Modern Love by Bloc Party

This Modern Love was written about a new love that is still very coy and playful. But also a love that’s taboo.

“What are you holding out for?

What’s always… (In the way?)

Why so damn absent-minded?

Why so scared… (Of romance?)

The significance of Luke choosing this song is that a straight couple isn’t considered a taboo love, but a homosexual couple is. So why would Luke choose this song if not because the relationship he is really in is in fact taboo?! And we know that Ashton isn’t necessarily a fan of marriage but he likes the commitment of it.

Also in the outro of this song is the line “Do you wanna come over and kill some time?” repeated three times which immediately reminded me of Kill My Time by 5 Seconds Of Summer.

“Do you wanna come over and kill some time?

Do you wanna come over and kill some time?

Do you wanna come over and kill some time?

Throw your arms around me”

7. Living Proof by The War On Drugs

This song was born from the chemistry of the band as a live unit. I believe Luke chose this song more for the sentiment than anything else, as 5 Seconds Of Summer is a band that focuses heavily on having a killer live performance. Not only that but I think the first line is also a cheeky nod to Ashton:

“Banging on a drum”

8. Keep the Car Running by Arcade Fire

Keep the Car Running is a song about not giving up. That even when things get hard or when the narrator doesn’t come home to not give up on their relationship.

“Oh when, that it’s coming, keep the car running

If some nights i don’t come home

Please don’t think I’ve left you alone”

This songs also refers to a group as “they” and how this “they” only knows the narrator’s name because he told them. It also tells us that this “they” doesn’t know it but “it’s coming,” which to mean screams something big is coming that we aren’t ready for. Something that previously isn’t widely known about Luke, something like he is gay &/or dating his band mate for 10 years now.

“They know my name cause I told it to them

But they don’t know where

They don’t know when, it’s coming

Oh when, it’s coming, keep the car running”

The song finishes out with the line “Keep the car running” two more times. This is significant after the lines about [them] not knowing when or where “it’s” because this is Luke’s way of asking Ashton to not give up on them when whatever “it” is comes.

9. Creature Comfort by Arcade Fire

TW: Self Hate, OD-ing, SH, Starvation, & Suicide

Creature Comfort is a song about feeling the need to find “creature comforts” to combat self-loathing and suicidal thoughts.

“Some girls hate themselves

Hide under the covers with sleeping pills and

Some girls cut themselves

Some boys get too much, too much love, too much touch

Some boys starve themselves

Stand in the mirror and wait for the feedback

Creature comfort makes it painless”

In the past Luke has talked about struggling with his self image and how he used to be made fun of for being a bigger kid in school. These insecurities haven’t gone away completely for him, as he has said, but I think he is getting better. This song reminds me of Repeat by Luke Hemmings and Skinny Skinny by Ashton Irwin. In Repeat we also see some self loathing and also have the mirror image. In Skinny Skinny, Ashton talks about body dysmorphia. Body dysmorphia is not being comfortable in your own body due to (a) specific area(s).

10. Rebellion (Lies) by Arcade Fire

In the song Rebellion sleeping is a metaphor for complacency and conforming to society. This song also suggests that when we sleep we dream and those dreams are our escapes from our harsh and callous realities. Also there is an interesting call and response in this song where the narrator tells us freedom is achievable but in order to have freedom we have to rebel and stop conforming to society. This is the call in the song and the backing vocals provide the response, “Lies.” This is the band telling us that freedom is real we just have to fight for it while society at large tells us freedom is all a lie.

“People say that your dreams

Are the only things that save you

Come on baby, in our dreams

We can live our misbehavior

Every time you close your eyes (lies, lies!)”

I also think that those lines - “Come on baby, in our dreams / We can live our misbehavior” - are super loud. If dreams are a escape from our harsh realities, then living your “misbehavior” in your dreams could be a reference to a gay relationship. Think about it the “misbehavior” is them being together because it’s seen as wrong in the eyes of many people but Luke would gladly live “in [his] dreams” in order to be with Ashton.

*A separate post will be made covering the Lashton Wedding Theory so be on the look out for it.

Another that will be going more in-depth on the song Queen by Perfume Genius and other queer lyrics from this playlist will also be coming soon.

Luke did end up taking the playlist down/made it private after it was up for about 30-40mins but here is a link to a fan made version.