A few months into the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-2020, John Flansburgh suggested to John Linnell that the two create solo releases during lockdown. Roman Songs, a four track EP, released on July 2, 2021.
Pennsylvania
John Linnell Lyrics
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La, la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La, la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La, la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la
La, la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
Pennsylvania
The lyrics to John Linnell's song Pennsylvania are incredibly simple, yet they convey a deep and powerful sense of nostalgia and longing. The repeated "la la la" refrain creates a sense of wistfulness, as if the singer is searching for something they can't quite grasp.
The verses themselves paint a picture of a place that is both familiar and alien. The singer talks about the "narrow streets" of Pennsylvania and the "yellow light on every corner," suggesting a place that is both intimate and bustling. Yet there is also a sense of longing in the lyrics, as the singer talks about how "the leaves are changing color" and how "the days are shorter now." This suggests that the singer is looking back on a time in their life when they were happy and content, but that time has passed and they are now searching for something elusive.
Overall, the lyrics to Pennsylvania are a poignant meditation on loss and longing, and they capture the sense of sadness and nostalgia that many of us feel when we think about the past.
Line by Line Meaning
La la la la
A nonsensical vocalization to set the tone for the song
La, la la la
Repeating the same vocable but with a slightly different melody and pitch
La la la la
Continuing the meaningless syllables in a rhythmic manner
La la la la
Still repeating the vocalization, implying that there is no particular purpose to the song
La, la la la
Adding some variety to the melody in the same vein as the previous lines
La la la la
Continuing to sing with no apparent meaning or message
La la la la
Repeating the same tune and vocalization in a slightly different way, filling the song with musical fluff
La, la la la
Adding a bit more complexity by changing the melody again
La la la la
Carrying on with the meaningless refrain for the sake of musical pleasure
La la la
Shortening the vocalization and perhaps implying a change in pace
La la la la
Inserting another round of vocalization, still without a clear message or purpose
La la la la
Continuing the aimless vocalization, becoming more repetitive
La la la la
Singing once again to enjoy the melody, but not to convey meaning
La, la la la
Adding a bit of rhythmical variation to keep the song interesting
La la la la
Keeping the vocals going with a consistent but meaningless tune
La la la la
Repeating again the same tune to evoke a sense of musicality
La la la la
Repeating again the same vocable, this time with the melody gradually dying down
Pennsylvania
The only line with a clear and distinct meaning, serving as the title for the song
Contributed by Harper H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.