TBG have released five full length albums: Learn Yourself, We're Already Gone, Ziggurats, Spooks and Dancehall Days; as well as one EP, Morning Sun, TBG have an eclectic style of their own, with smatterings of rock, acoustic, reggae, pop and folk all through their music. Many people find elements of artists such as Ben Harper, Jack Johnson and The Police, but their most recent album Spooks has, among others, Bob Marley influences.
TBG have been nominated for Best Music Video: I Thought About You, at the Inside Film Awards 2007; Best Blues & Roots Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2005
And for the J Award 2005
They have also made it into the Triple J Hottest 100 four times: twice in 2003 at #41 ("Blackbird") and #62 ("Music") and twice again in 2005 at #68 ("...And We'll Dance on the Ashes of What's Left") and #81 ("Let's Take the Long Way Home").
http://c.statcounter.com/6692394/0/d8abc03f/1/
Generals
The Beautiful Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
expecting you to not look bored.
keep running forward,
they'll fall straight through you.
never know what we're fighting for.
and when i'm without you,
i see you.
i see you.
i see you.
i see you.
and when the conversation slips,
there is no returning to this.
without a reason, i forget.
without a reason to be good to you.
to be good to you.
exploding bombs on television,
they never do look quite the same.
there's riots on down by the prison.
we were dead and gone before we came.
and i don't see how i could be you.
(could be you)
and i don't see why you would want for me to.
(for me to)
and when the conversation folds,
there may be nowhere left to go.
only the silent, they get old.
only, the silent don't get no control.
they get no control.
the generals give their orders to you.
The lyrics to The Beautiful Girls' song "Generals" discuss the idea of blindly following orders given by authority figures without knowing the reasoning behind them. The song opens with the line "generals give their orders to you, expecting you to not look bored," which sets the tone for the theme of blindly following orders. The song suggests that this blind obedience can lead to a lack of purpose or direction, with the line "never know what we're fighting for."
The second verse shifts to discuss societal issues, such as explosions on television and riots near prisons. These events are presented as disconnected from reality and the lyrics seem to suggest that society has lost touch with its own moral compass. The chorus repeats the line "and when I'm without you, I see you" which could be interpreted as the singer acknowledging the importance of connection and relationships in a world that has lost touch with its own motivations.
The final verse discusses the limitations of communication, with the line "without a reason, I forget." The song suggests that without a clear purpose or motivation, the singer struggles to remember or care about the conversation at hand or the person they're speaking to. The song ends with the idea that only the silent have no control, implying that speaking up and questioning authority can be a powerful form of resistance.
Line by Line Meaning
generals give their orders to you,
You are expected to follow orders from generals, without showing any signs of boredom or disinterest.
expecting you to not look bored.
The generals anticipate that you will not look passive or unenthusiastic while following their orders.
keep running forward,
You have to keep moving ahead and continue following orders from the generals.
they'll fall straight through you.
The generals may not realize the impact of their orders on you, and it may not affect you in a way that they expect.
never know what we're fighting for.
It is unclear what the reason for the fight is, and the whole situation seems uncertain.
and when i'm without you,
When I don't have you with me physically or emotionally, I still see you in my thoughts and imagination.
i see you.
You are still present in my mind even when you are not here with me.
and with or without you,
Regardless of whether you are present or not, I still think about you.
i see you.
You are still present in my mind, whether you are physically/mentally present or not.
and when the conversation slips,
When the conversation goes awry or becomes disoriented, I feel a sense of unease.
there is no returning to this.
After the conversation goes off-track or gets disrupted, it is difficult or impossible to recapture the previous level of comfort or consistency.
without a reason, i forget.
If there is no logic, purpose, or motivation driving our conversation, I tend to lose my memory of what's being discussed.
without a reason to be good to you.
If there's no valid explanation or justification to show kindness or being compassionate, I may not extend the same to you.
exploding bombs on television,
Watching bombs explode on TV feels different, detached, or insensitive compared to experiencing or witnessing them in real life.
they never do look quite the same.
The reality of witnessing and experiencing violent events is different from their portrayal in the media.
there's riots on down by the prison.
There are violent protests or uprisings happening near the jail, and the situation seems tense and alarming.
we were dead and gone before we came.
It feels like we are going through life in a monotonous or uneventful way, as if we have already seen or experienced everything there is to offer.
and i don't see how i could be you.
I cannot comprehend how it feels to be you or experience your emotions, problems, or situation.
(could be you)
The song suggests that the listener can relate to this feeling of detachment or isolation, but the lyrics do not provide much detail or context about it.
and i don't see why you would want for me to.
I do not understand why you would want me to understand your perspective or relate to your feelings.
(for me to)
This line implies that there is a communication gap or miscommunication between the artist and the person they are addressing.
and when the conversation folds,
When the conversation disintegrates or falls apart, the situation becomes uncomfortable or difficult to navigate.
there may be nowhere left to go.
If the conversation breaks down, there may be no other topics or avenues to explore or discuss.
only the silent, they get old.
If we choose to remain quiet, we may feel stagnant or unproductive, as if our life is not moving forwards or progressing in any way.
only, the silent don't get no control.
If we stay silent, we may feel like we have no power or influence over our choices, actions, or the outcome of the situation.
Writer(s): Matthew Mchugh Copyright: Die Boredom Music
Contributed by Kaylee G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.