By Danielle Bulhoes

This song makes me feel like a little girl again. It could be because of the piano, the haunting sound reminding me of a music box I had that my grandmother gave me, or it could be how Amos’ lyrics conjured up memories of friends that were found and lost through the years since I was in elementary school.

It makes me ache. It makes me want to travel back in time and confront the people who didn’t give me the choice of whether or not they got to stay in my life. Maybe if I had said something then, they’d still be around. Maybe not.

Amos prophecizes that neither she or I “can stop what’s coming, can’t stop what is on its way”. It definitely feels like that sometimes, doesn’t it? Looking back, could I have done something different? Could I have saved someone the pain their choices would cause? Could I have saved myself? How much control did I really have over my relationships?

The narrative that Amos shares through “Bells for Her” is that of two childhood friends who grow apart. Amos grieves the loss of the relationship and the change that her friend goes through, sad to see them less than they were. Ground down “to be sand under his shoes.” And the friend is not the only one who changes. Amos is changed too. But even though their relationship isn’t what it was and that their both different people, Amos says that she “can’t stop loving”.

This song is so personal. Whether it’s a friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, parent, sister, brother, etc., sometimes you can’t stop a relationship ending. And that’s ok. “Bells for Her” tells you that when you leave someone behind or get left behind yourself, you don’t always get a clean resolution. You don’t get closure. And that can trouble someone for a long time. But I think the main focus of the song is, even if you can’t say goodbye, you’ll still have those memories to remind yourself that it wasn’t all bad. And if you felt as happy as you did then, there’s a chance of you feeling like that again.

By Danielle Bulhoes

This song is pretty genius. No, really!

The lyrics are an in-your-face critique on popular songs that don’t offer much except for a catchy “hook”. The singer expresses their frustration with songs like this, as well as the consumer that continues to listen to them.

“It doesn’t matter what I say as long as I sing with inflection”, is a bold choice of opening words. You can almost feel John Popper, lead singer and harmonica player, grabbing you by your shirt collar and trying to shake some sense into you. He continues to berate the lazy listener for not wanting something more from their music, something more meaningful.

In proud defiance, Popper rages that;

“Could be financial suicide but I’ve got too much pride inside

To hide or slide

I’ll do as I’ll decide and let it ride till until I’ve died

And only then shall I abide by this tide

Of catchy little tunes

Of hip three minute diddies”

Finally losing his cool, sick of the gluttonous apathy of the music industry and the dull minded people who never ask for better, Popper threatens to “burn all your cities to the ground”.

Because only through the awesome cleansing power of fire can the world be remade! The unworthy are left to despair as a new world order comes to power, rebuilding the industry of music to a standard that NO ONE BUT GOD CAN TEAR DOWN!!!!!

Whoa.

Sorry, I think I got a little carried away there. Hahaha.

Where did these matches come from?

Anyways, after this moment of homicidal rage, Popper resigns himself and basically says, “Hey, it’s ok if you’re too lazy to care about what you’re listening to. It just means I don’t have to try as hard to take your money.”

Do yourself a favour. Get off your ass and listen to Hook by Blues Traveler.