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 'naivitĂŠ'. 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 naitvetĂŠ, 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.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Ok Iâm very VERY excited about this, this is 5 years in the makingâŚ
Iâm happy to share that Iâm finally completing my Sanders Sides Playlist Breakdowns!
Starting tomorrow (April 5) on Romanâs Playlist 5th anniversary, stay tuned for a long post! â¤ď¸đđđ¤đŠľđđ
This is something that Iâve wanted to do for so long but because itâs so much writing and I have so many thoughts, I havenât been able to find the time to do it. THERE IS SO MUCH IN THESE PLAYLISTS!! Joan and Thomas and Talyn didnât throw these together Willy Nilly đ
I really hope you guys enjoy these! Iâll be releasing the breakdowns on the anniversaries of when the playlists were released. Thank you for your patience reading them, theyâll be worth the wait, I promise!
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 :,)
Idk dude I think he is a fucked up little gay boy and that's very sad.
Based on the Amazon Playlist and Established Patterns in S1 and S2
Iâve been listening to the songs on the official playlist that Amazon released in December, and Iâve been thinking about it non-stop. Itâs 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 â for my sanity â 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
Iâll put the songs in parenthesis as I go.
Between âBefore the Beginningâ and âIn the Beginning,â i.e. Flashback 1:
Weâre going to start the season with Crowleyâs Fall (Midnight Rain). Neil has said that heâs not going to ever tell us Starmakerâs name, so Iâm not expecting that. But we know that each season starts with a prologue, and we also know that these flashback mirror the current events. Crowleyâs 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 (Iâm a Mess). Crowley presents fine to the world, but we, who know him, can see he is struggling. I donât know if heâll actually go to therapy, but I would adore it if we got a glimpse of Crowley trying it and being like âNOPEâ 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 isnât doing well either. The Kiss, and by extension his last conversation with Crowley plays on his mind all the time (Couldâve 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 Crowleyâs dreams and/or imagination wonât play some kind of role in this season (In Dreams, Just My Imagination).
Minisodes
The Titanic
I think the most interesting thing is that weâre going to have at least one minisode about them alone through time. Itâs something that we havenât 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). Hereâs how I see it happening:
Crowley is the one on the ship. Heâs not there to sink it, heâs 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. Heâs there when it sinks. Maybe he even tries to save people or get the other ships to come faster, but he canât save everyone.
Heartbroken, he returns home to his dark flat. He doesnât 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:
âGreat job sinking the Titanic! Downstairs are Very Impressed with your work, as always!â He scoffs and tosses it aside. The second one is from Aziraphale.
Oh great, he thinks, Just what I need, a little âoh how dare you drown all those people you evil demon you.â when Iâm already feeling like shit. He opens it anyway. The first lines read:
âMy Dear Crowley,
I heard that you were aboard the Titanic when it sank. Are you alright?â
Crowley breaks down and cries. ~End Scene~
1941
The playlist has Heart and Soul on it, but not a recent version â itâs specifically one that was recorded in 1939. So weâre almost definitely getting 1941 Part 3.
GIF by mimisempai
Weâre going to find out what happened to cause their huge shift in dynamics from Date Night to 1967, and I think itâs a kiss. Maybe a kiss on the cheek? Iâm 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 â Cry Me a River. It just reeks of Aziraphale coming back and Crowley being (understandably, and rightly) being bitter towards him. Aziraphale will, eventually, Iâm sure, get back in his good books, but heâs 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 theyâre 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 heâs 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 â 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 donât 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 Neilâs choices. It sounds like itâs from Aziraphaleâs 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 weâre going to see The Book of Life, and I think itâs going to basically be The Book of Love. I think this is where weâre going to get the Main Thesis. The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything, if you will. Love. Itâs supposed to be Love.
The Book of Love â another of Neilâs choices.
Epilogue
I predict they get their South Downs cottage (Neil said ânot yet,â which implies itâs coming). And thereâs also a wedding, though Iâm not sure whose it will be (The Book of Love). I REALLY hope that itâs 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 Iâd Rather Go Blind. Thatâs it. Thatâs the last thought I wanted to share that doesnât really fit in anywhere else.
Thanks for going on this journey with me. Letâs make our Bingo cards and see if I managed to get anything right in 3-4 years.
Why do you choose the songs you do for your playlists??
This is going to be extremely long and itâs probably going to become a series of posts đŤ 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!
Weâll Meet Again: a self explanatory one. Itâs a wartime classic and itâs also about the hope meeting loved ones back from the war
My Heart Belongs to Daddy: it was mentioned by the Captain himself in the show
I Donât Want To Set The World On Fire: a classic love song from the Ink Spots about a yearning love with the request of it being reciprocated (haha I used this song for a fic)
Moonlight Serenade: this was surprising to me because I know how popular it is, but the lyrics in itself was already enough of a shock because it was about kissing at the gate in June
A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square: I like to think this song is about the Captainâs feelings towards Havers in the POV of a bird. And also! The song of a nightingale is impossible and unbelievable and such are these thoughts.
I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major General: itâs self explanatory
Our Last Summer (Mamma Mia Version): itâs a gay dad hanging out with his alleged daughter. If that ainât Kitty and the Captain-
ABBA songs: cmon. When Julian said âMoney, Money, Moneyâ he resorted to ABBA. That man is an ABBA gay. Waterloo? Using the battle of Waterloo as a metaphor for being defeated with love? Mamma Mia?? The Captain, even when Havers left, still loved him. How can he resist him? Gimme Gimme Gimme! Already says a lot. Hoe behaviour. Man liker. Lay All Your Love On Me, personally I think the Captain would get jealous of Havers for being so socially adept and good at talking to others. So now heâs just yearning
Canât Take My Eyes Off You: the Captain would definitely not take his eyes off of Havers.
In the Mood: the Captainâs favourite song! Specifically the one about the daddy with the beautiful eyes
Sing Sing Sing: the Captain actually enjoys good morale amongst the men in a war. If that doesnât explain the remain gay poster idk what. Sing Sing Sing is a big band song by Benny Goodman and in the BHA, during the New Years festivities a big band song can be heard in the recording. Not entirely sure what the song is but it had the same vibes as Sing Sing Sing
Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy: he is a good old fashioned lover boy. He would be one.
Itâs a Long Long Way to Tipperary: the Captain did a one man rendition of it in Music Club!
2001: A Space Odyssey Theme: depression.
When I grow too old to dream: the Captain may be dead, but he will remember Havers in his heart and most likely in his dreams.
In the Still of the Night: it reminded me of the Captain at his window spot in the film club room, looking out into the night at the gate.
Cheek to Cheek: specifically the Fred Astaire version because Fred Astaire is notorious for his musical performances and songs like Puttin on the Ritz and Cheek to Cheek are featured in musicals with him in it. This is more leaning on the Captainâs love for musicals and classics.
(Thereâll be Blue Birds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover: hope that the war would finally be over and peace will finally come. Shows how much war is pointless. In BHA he says how the war is wretched and he hopes it will be over soon.
Chiquitita: another Captain and Kitty sentiment song :â)
Heartaches: bro had a heart attack. Call that a heartache. Now all he has is a burning memory of that man. This manâs heart literally ached for him.
Achy Breaky Heart: Carpe Diem.
There Ainât No Sweet Man Thatâs Worth the Salt of my Tears: a song I just thought the Captain may enjoy. (Also crazy how every time itâs a man singing a love song and itâs supposed to be a woman singing, itâs sounds so fucking gay.)
Last Christmas: âit will all be over by Christmas. Iâm sure of it.â
The British Grenadiers to Gibraltar March: I play holdfast nations at war, these are the military songs that plays when youâre a British musician for the army. Heâd love this for real.
I Want to Hold Your Hand: once more with the Captain yearning. Itâs a shit ton of yearning oh my god. (Itâs also in Jojo Rabbit, a satire WWII movie focusing on the last year of War in crumbling NazÄą Germany by Taika Waititi)
Canât Help Falling in Love: bro canât help it idk what else to say. He is a fool and he canât help falling in love
Fernando: oh my god itâs about a man coming back from war AND itâs by ABBA
Itâs Been a Long Long Time: the Captainâs sentiments towards Havers when they finally met again at Button House in 1945 (without the dying)
Goodby Yellow Brick Road: I like to headcannon that the Captain lived in the city and when he was stationed at Button House, itâs this song cuz Button House is in the country side. I can also say that this is about the regrets that the Captain still harbours even in death about what he should have done (itâs the instrumentals that get me. Its just sad Cap)
Holding Out For A Hero: that man needs to be saved. That man is a damsel in distress looking at strong menâs forearms đ
The Day Before You Came: the day in the life of the Captain!
Under Attack: the Captainâs cold heart being thawed and his Captain front coming down in favour of James
Blood on the Dance Floor: he died on the dance floor đ I would also put in Murder on the Dance Floor but I watched Saltburn- (itâs also in the same album as ghosts)
Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow: When Havers told the Captain that he was leaving for the front. Cap's thoughts when that happened is this song. The urgency to love and to be loved. Also, in a historical context, Freddie Mercury wrote this song for his partner, Jim Hutton, who he had a long term relationship with. Same thing with.
Stand By Me: a song about enduring love through tough and difficult times!
Boys Don't Cry: Emotional repression!! Come back to me pls
Jukebox Saturday Night: One of Glenn Miller's greatest hits! He'd love it
Great Balls of Fire: Romantic repression but whops he's yearning. He'd hear this song at one point in his purgatory at Button House it he couldn't help but tap his foot
Super Freaky Girl: so my friend sent me a tiktok of feliz navidad x super freaky girl and said the captain would vibe to it and im sat here like, he's a butt hoe. yeah. i see it. he'd vibe to it. his favourite food is dick and balls, im not surprised
That is my first playlist explanation! Essentially saying how this WWII Captain would fight for love or essentially be a secret romantic who likes war things named James under that soldier facade. This is incredibly long surprisingly oh my god, I'll make more analysis' of the rest of my ghosts playlists!!
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
ok so for the two people that wanted my locklyle playlist analysis, its in the works i did not forget about you!! (sorry for the tag just wanted to let yall know) ( @rosethevoid @thespektorspectator )
also just so yall know its. very long. like its at part 8 right now and i still might have 2-4 more parts to make so. uh. i went a little overboard dhfjgdhfg but i hope you have fun reading my incoherent babbling!!
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!
fire - kimya dawson
so this song just really vibes with the themes i have planned for kennedy, centering around like. forcing down your depression and pain in the face of all the darkness in the world. kennedy is the kind of person who wants to spread light and joy, but he very much struggles to accept any of that for himself. half the reason he runs an advice blog is because he wants to help others more than anything else, but he doesn't think he deserves the same in kind.
this is further exacerbated by the problems mounting in kennedy's hometown, which are just a small snapshot of much larger issues. i also think this song works well with kennedy's growing bitterness and anger, especially towards those in power who are abandoning the people under their care! something something direct comparisons between kennedy fighting to care for their younger brother vs politicians abandoning their people! it's a lot.
the lyrics i want to highlight:
My heart will stop if I put out the fire
As long as I'm burning
I'll keep on yearning
To save the world
Not sure how but I'm learning
my mom - kimya dawson
this song i take a bit less literally in terms of what it's actually meant to be about, but i relate this song so so much to kennedy's family. the first verse is literally just kennedy's terror at losing owen, the only family he has left and the one person he would die to protect.
i also actually still haven't decided what happened to their parents, but their parents are gone. kennedy is the only adult left in this household and they never processed their grief. and they're going to do everything they can for their brother. owen won't go through the same pain kennedy is. not if they have anything to say about it.
also the imagery just vibes with some plans i have for later.
the lyrics i want to highlight:
All the people's mouths are moving
All you hear are car alarms
And you wake up and start to cry
I will lose my shit if even one more person I know dies
So please don't die
runs in the family - amanda palmer
this one i don't have a lot in mind for deep analysis for, but yeah kennedy has a lot of mental health issues they are straight up not receiving any care or support for. it's killing them, but they won't take care of themself the way they take care of others if it means they have to *stop* taking care of those around them.
not to say that no one is trying, but kennedy is determinedly like "no i'm fine, other people have it worse, and there are bigger issues than me."
the lyrics i want to highlight:
My friend's depressed, she's a wreck, she's a mess
They've done all sorts of tests and they guess it has something to do
With her grandmother's grandfather's grandmother
Civil war soldiers who prob'ly infected her
the daughter of the fish and the ram - the scary jokes
so this is kind of a funky weird song, but i relate it to kennedy's self-image issues. this isn't something that's going to be obvious b/c kennedy doesn't dwell on it, but yeah. they do not like themself. like i think in a different story, kennedy's arc would center a lot around learning to accept and love himself. unfortunately, though, that's not the world he lives in.
i actually was thinking about like. writing a different/au story with kennedy going on that arc. we'll see though! but yeah for a variety of reasons, kennedy feels like a fundamentally broken person and that's just. how it is.
the lyrics i want to highlight:
"Sadly, you were doomed from the start
There's an incurable longing in your heart
And not even magic
Can fix that"
the spine song - cake bake betty
i would explain this one in a bit more depth, but uh. well. you see. it's mostly vibes. and a little bit Spoilers. but this relates very much to kennedy towards the end of his arc, when he's hopeless and anguished.
the lyrics i want to highlight (b/c i know they'll make at least bat scream):
On your birthday you woke up
The snow was on the ground
You opened books and peeked inside
They kissed you on your crown
a deer mistaking candles for headlights - crywank
so i relate this song a lot to kennedy's relationship to some of his friends. i have a whole list of them and little blurbs about their relationships saved in my personal server. i think this especially relates to his friend franklin, who he'll refer to as 'turtle' at first on his blog. (kennedy uses fake names for everyone to protect their privacy.)
so i'll say right now. romance is not the endgame for kennedy's canon storyline. BUT i do love the tragedy of "maybe in another time, in another place, we could've been beautiful." and that's kinda how i sum up franklin and kennedy in my mind.
i won't go into it more than that rn though <3
the lyrics i want to highlight:
Does the blank stare scare you more than the frown?
Am I the reason that you feel down?
Distant but rational, bringer of rage
To get to a level where I will engage
ghost story - charming disaster
franklin and kennedy <3 i won't say anything else because if i do i'm gonna start tearing up.
i'm just gonna highlight these lyrics:
Since the day they told me he was gone
Haunts me faithfully from dusk till dawn
Hear him whisper sweetly in my ear
Canât you see we got a good thing here
a complete list of fears ages 5-28 - the yellow dress
this one's pretty straightforward. kennedy has been through a Lot they don't talk about, and they've had a lot to be afraid of in their life. at heart, kennedy is an anxious, stressed person, struggling to keep a tight lid on that anxiety. however. lately, most of kennedy's fears relate to owen.
will owen be safe? will owen be happy? will owen have enough to eat? if anything happens to kennedy, what happens to owen?
kennedy is terrified he won't be able to protect and care for his brother, and that impacts everything he does. he'd do anything for owen, and that's a big driving force for him.
also yeah i know this song is more about romance but it's my house and this is about someone providing for and being terrified that something might happen to their younger sibling <3
the lyrics i wanna highlight:
And here's a picture of the house I'd like to build for us someday
This may seem unrealistic, I'm not very good with my hands
If we had to we could buy it, or keep renting like we do
Borrow money from our parents, pool our money me and you
never love an anchor - the crane wives
well if i explain this one in any depth i'll be spoiling the climax for kennedy's arc won't i-
i'll just say. kennedy would never willingly leave owen behind or abandon him. that's just not in the cards. but uh. well. sometimes you don't always get a choice.
anyway highlighting these lyrics:
There are times where I still wonder about you
You are someone I have loved but never known
And youâll never see the reasons I had
For keeping my claws away when they were close enough to hurt you
we will commit wolf murder - of montreal
so i relate this song a lot to like. kennedy's outlook and attitude towards humanity as a whole and the people around him. because kennedy sees the darkness in the world, all the pain and suffering people are forced through. and it kills him, because at heart he believes humanity *is* inherently good.
i heard a quote once, idk where it's from, but it was like. "you love humanity so much that you hate them for what they do to each other." that's a big vibe with kennedy as a character. i do want there to be a lot of hope in this story, even amid the hopelessness. because, yes, the world has terrible people in it, but it also has so so many good people. that's something kennedy wholeheartedly believes in.
anyway <3 highlighting these lyrics:
I tried to understand his logic
But there's just no pattern there
No sympathetic voices anywhere
There's blood in my hair
angel eyes and basketball - foot ox
once again i relate this song a lot to kennedy's hope for the world around him, and his belief that things can and will get better--we just need to work for them to happen. the same goes for people--people can and will get better, but that requires effort. it also requires community: no one person can change things for the better without help or without cooperation. and that's what kennedy strives for.
also the imagery in the first few lines makes me think so much of [redacted for spoilers].
lyrics to highlight:
And you have to believe me when I say I understand that no one around here seems to understand
But you have got to make an effort
Yeah you have got to make an effort
community gardens - the scary jokes & louie zong
so apparently this song may be part of a larger storyline? i'm taking it out of context, though.
but anyway <3 this relates pretty directly to the themes in kennedy's story relating to the environment and the local politics of that. like the lines i'm highlighting i relate very directly to how things get worse and worse due to [redacted] [redacted] [redacted]
highlighting thees lyrics:
The culmination of man's mistakes came the day
The sun ran so hot, it turned the desert to glass
If there's something to be learned from all these losers
It's that the price that you pay
For arrogance and a false sense of immunity
Is to face the wrath of a dying star
es - crying
i relate this song a lot to kennedy feeling like an outcast among people, even among those he's closest to. he has friends and he has people he loves, but is he *really* part of the group? also this feels like a very trans song to me for reasons that idk how to explain rn, so i associate it with a lot of trans characters. kennedy is certainly Trans Of Gender. do i have anything to back that up? not off the top of my head. but here we go.
i do also wanna go ahead and say that i very much recognize that this song draws on at least the lead singer's experiences as an east asian person (tentatively saying person b/c i'm not actually sure on their gender and finding conflicting sources), and kennedy as a white character is not going to reflect a lot of those experiences. however, i think this song still vibes with him in a lot of ways.
anyway the lyrics i want to highlight:
Mom doesn't think I fit into the darling archetype
But that's an ancient pair of jeans
And my thighs are crafted holy rolling thunder
Forget the numbers, forget the numbers please
my r - specifically the lollia cover
SO HERE WE ARE. THIS SONG. god this song. big big cw for suicide if you're not familiar with it.
so this song is essentially about a suicidal girl trying to talk other people out of suicide. and y'know what. that vibes with kennedy. he is suffering but has devoted himself entirely to helping others who are suffering, while not accepting any of that help for himself. and WELL if i keep going i'll get into spoilers <3
so anyway here's the lyrics i'm highlighting:
And like that, there was someone every day
I listened to their tale
I made them turn away
And yet there was no one who would do this for me
No way I could let out all this pain
st bernard - lincoln
i mean this is truly the angsty blorbo song of all time. very multipurpose.
so i tie this song a little bit into some of the more. for lack of a better term. the bummer themes in kennedy's storyline. because while i want this story to be very hopeful in a lot of ways, it's also a bummer. specifically the idea that like... kennedy is full of love and hope and light, but ultimately he's just one person, and one person can't stop all the problems in the world. this is something that weighs on them quite a bit.
and yeah i also think a lot about like. ghgh i wanna talk about The Ending but i can't </3 spoilers </3 but i will say the ending is going to intentionally be very ambiguous. and i'm just gonna... highlight some lyrics for it.
Saint Calvin told me not to worry about you
But he's got his own things to deal with
There's really just one thing that we have in common:
Neither of us will be missed
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 âwall of soundâ style to it.
1. All I Want by LCD Soundsystem
In this song the narrator realizes theyâve been neglecting their lover and wanting to fix it but at the same time feeling like all they deserve is pity.
âYou learn in your bed
Youâve been gone for too long
To put in the time
But itâs too late to make it strong
Now all I want is your pity
Or all I want is your bitter tearsâ
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 memberâs multiple sleeping disorders and how they affected him. This song uses a lot imagery to convey that this âpost sleep-paralysisâ state they feel trapped in.
âI try to keep awake
But I, I can feel this narcolepsy slide
Into another nightmareâ
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 âthe best gay anthemâ of the year. In this song the narrative shows that he isnât afraid if others see him as âcrackedâ and âpeelingâ because he is confident in who he is as a gay man.
âDonât you know your queen?
Cracked, peeling
Riddled with disease
Donât you know me?â
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 isnât 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.
ââTil every room in my house
Is filled with shit I canât love withoutâ
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 isnât the biggest fan of using social media often as heâd 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:
âA house thatâs full of everything we wanted
But itâs an empty home, empty homeâ
5. Like Eating Glass by Bloc Party
Like Eating Glass is about a âcompletely disoriented couple.â A couple whoâs love seems to be dying out. For one reason or another the narratorâs relationship is failing and they feel hopeless because of this.
âItâs so cold in this house
I canât eat, I canât sleep
I canât sleep, I canât dreamâ
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:
âFor richer, for poorer, for better, for worseâ
This songs lyrics says to me that Luke and Ashton had at time were they really werenât 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 thatâs taboo.
âWhat are you holding out for?
Whatâs 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 isnât 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 isnât necessarily a fan of marriage but he likes the commitment of it.
Also in the outro of this song is the line âDo you wanna come over and kill some time?â repeated three times which immediately reminded me of Kill My Time by 5 Seconds Of Summer.
âDo 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 meâ
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:
âBanging on a drumâ
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 doesnât come home to not give up on their relationship.
âOh when, that itâs coming, keep the car running
If some nights i donât come home
Please donât think Iâve left you aloneâ
This songs also refers to a group as âtheyâ and how this âtheyâ only knows the narratorâs name because he told them. It also tells us that this âtheyâ doesnât know it but âitâs coming,â which to mean screams something big is coming that we arenât ready for. Something that previously isnât widely known about Luke, something like he is gay &/or dating his band mate for 10 years now.
âThey know my name cause I told it to them
But they donât know where
They donât know when, itâs coming
Oh when, itâs coming, keep the car runningâ
The song finishes out with the line âKeep the car runningâ two more times. This is significant after the lines about [them] not knowing when or where âitâsâ because this is Lukeâs way of asking Ashton to not give up on them when whatever âitâ 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 âcreature comfortsâ to combat self-loathing and suicidal thoughts.
âSome 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 painlessâ
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 havenât 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, âLies.â 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.
âPeople 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!)â
I also think that those lines - âCome on baby, in our dreams / We can live our misbehaviorâ - are super loud. If dreams are a escape from our harsh realities, then living your âmisbehaviorâ in your dreams could be a reference to a gay relationship. Think about it the âmisbehaviorâ is them being together because itâs seen as wrong in the eyes of many people but Luke would gladly live âin [his] dreamsâ 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.