Bedhead was a slowcore band from Dallas, Texas active in the 1990s (1991-19… Read Full Bio ↴Bedhead was a slowcore band from Dallas, Texas active in the 1990s (1991-1998). Their first album, WhatFunLifeWas, is often cited on critics' lists as one of the best indie albums of the 1990s. Bedhead's music was generally subdued, with a polyphonic sound based on the interlocking of single-line melodies played by three electric guitars and one electric bass guitar (often played with a capo), nearly always using clean (undistorted) tones. The group's vocals were often delivered in such a low key manner that they were quite difficult to decipher. This unusual sound was dubbed by some critics as "slo-core," referring to the slow tempos of many of the band's songs, a label to which band members objected in interviews. In reality, many of the group's songs do not remain slow and quiet throughout, instead beginning very slowly and quietly and gradually building in intensity and volume.

Forgetting
Bedhead Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If my head's on my shoulders
Then I'm getting older
My face didn't look like this last year
I can't see it clearly
But the change seems
The only thing that makes me look back
Is nostalgia
All your eyes getting wiser

With compliments I know I'm the miser

But the only that makes me look forward
Is forgetting

Overall Meaning

The opening line of the song "If my head's on my shoulders, then I'm getting older" talks about how one realizes their own mortality and that time passes by. It's a sign of growing older and becoming more aware of the world around them. The second line, "My face didn't look like this last year, I can't see it clearly" talks about how time changes everything and how one cannot recognize themselves from the previous years. It might be a reflection of how the artist is feeling or a commentary on how people tend to lose touch with themselves as they get older.

In the lines "All your eyes getting wiser, With compliments I know I'm the miser", the artist is feeling inferior in comparison to others. They know that as time passes, people become wiser and smarter, and he feels like he is left behind, unable to keep up. The artist acknowledges their flaws and shortcomings and feels like they cannot offer anything that others would value. The final line "But the only that makes me look forward, Is forgetting" suggests that the artist wants to forget their past, their failures, and mistakes, and move forward with a new sense of being.

Line by Line Meaning

If my head's on my shoulders
When I have a clear mind and am focused on the present moment

Then I'm getting older
I am becoming more mature with each passing day

My face didn't look like this last year
I have aged and my appearance has changed in a noticeable way

I can't see it clearly
I am unable to fully comprehend or accept the changes in my physical appearance

But the change seems
The transformation in my appearance appears to be real and is difficult to ignore

The only thing that makes me look back
Nostalgia is the only reason I reflect on past events or experiences

Is nostalgia
I have a longing or sentimental affection for the past

All your eyes getting wiser
As you gain more experience and knowledge, your perspective becomes more insightful

With compliments I know I'm the miser
I am aware of my tendency to undervalue or downplay my own strengths and accomplishments, despite receiving praise from others

But the only that makes me look forward
The only thing that motivates me to focus on the future

Is forgetting
Is the act of letting go of the past, moving on, and embracing what's to come.

Writer(s): Edward George Kadane Ii, Matthew Byron Kadane

Contributed by Camden H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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