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Isolation
William Topley Lyrics
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You say you've wracked your mind
For words to convince me
Suspended me in disbelief
You never tire of finding ways to forgive me
I know they'll come in force at dawn
To find flowers of fury fresh from Kingston
To tell us we don't know we're born
But could you go back to living on California wine
And BC Nugs Book matches and Turner classics,
Re-fried beans and the ceaseless search for love
It isn't that I can't be strong
I've just been left alone too long to begin with
You tell me that I got it wrong
I only see one side and my eyes have been blinkered
You're forcing all my friends to leave
You finally colonized my suite with your pass key
You got me on a new regime
But the lawless road seems loathe to release me
Could you go back to living on California wine
And BC Nugs Book matches and Turner classics,
Re-fried beans and the thankless search for love
That's when my enemy's enemy becomes my friend
I have travelled almost half the world
To leave me more confused than I was to begin with
You think you've finally found your girl
But the Siren's song proves hard to compete with
I know they'll come in force at dawn
To find flowers of fury fresh from Kingston
To tell us we don't know we are born
100 years ago we would all have been history
But could you go back to living on California wine
And BC Nugs Book matches and Turner classics,
Re-fried beans and the ceaseless search for love
That's when my enemy's enemy becomes my friend
That's when my enemy's enemy becomes my friend
You could have anybody waltzing your time
On the tarmac trailing silk
Now renting at the gardens of Allah
Take to your bed with codeine and pangs of guilt
That's when my enemy's enemy becomes my friend
That's when my enemy's enemy becomes my friend
The lyrics of William Topley's "Isolation" depict a troubled relationship full of distrust, misunderstanding, and a sense of stagnation. The song addresses the conflict between wanting to escape a situation and being fearful of change. The opening lines speak of the singer's lover trying to convince them to stay. It appears as if the singer has a history of making mistakes, and their partner is always forgiving them. The next line refers to the looming presence of outside forces threatening to ruin their relationship.
The lyrics then turn to the idea of going back to simpler times. They refer to a life lived on "California wine... Turner classics... and re-fried beans." It's unclear whether these memories are real or imagined as the next line likens it to a "thankless search for love." The chorus repeats this idea that when things seem unbearable, one can always return to the basics.
The second half of the song shifts to the idea of being lost in the world. The singer has traveled the world, but it's only left them more confused than when they started. They then mention that someone appears to have found their "girl," but the promise of something better always lingers. The song ends with the idea that even your enemy can become your friend when you're in need.
Overall, "Isolation" seems to be a song about coping with the difficulties and complexities of life. It suggests that even when we feel lost, we can always retreat to the familiar, and our enemies may just become our friends when we're feeling vulnerable.
Line by Line Meaning
You promise that you'll never leave
You assure me that you will never abandon me
You say you've wracked your mind
For words to convince me
You claim that you have spent a lot of effort thinking of ways to persuade me
Suspended me in disbelief
You have kept me in a state of shock and disbelief
You never tire of finding ways to forgive me
You always find new methods to forgive me
I know they'll come in force at dawn
To find flowers of fury fresh from Kingston
To tell us we don't know we're born
Another night of this and we'd all have been history
I anticipate that a group of people will come at dawn to criticize us for our ignorance and lack of experience. If we continue this situation, we will not survive
But could you go back to living on California wine
And BC Nugs Book matches and Turner classics,
Re-fried beans and the ceaseless search for love
However, could you adapt to living an alternative lifestyle with only a limited budget to spend? A life with inexpensive wine, books from thrift stores, and the continuous quest for love
It isn't that I can't be strong
I've just been left alone too long to begin with
It's not that I'm incapable of enduring this situation on my own, I'm just worried that I've been lonely for too long to heal properly
You tell me that I got it wrong
I only see one side and my eyes have been blinkered
You instruct me that I have misunderstood the situation as I am only seeing one perspective and not looking at the bigger picture
You're forcing all my friends to leave
You finally colonized my suite with your pass key
You got me on a new regime
But the lawless road seems loathe to release me
You are driving away all my companions, you have taken over my residence and deprived me of my privacy. Although you have put me on a new program, it seems like I am still trapped in this directionless path
Could you go back to living on California wine
And BC Nugs Book matches and Turner classics,
Re-fried beans and the thankless search for love
Again, I question whether you would be happy with a lifestyle that involves minimal expenditure and just trying to find love
That's when my enemy's enemy becomes my friend
At times, my opponent's adversary becomes my friend
I have travelled almost half the world
To leave me more confused than I was to begin with
I have been to many places and travelled long distances, but I am now even more perplexed than when I began
You think you've finally found your girl
But the Siren's song proves hard to compete with
You believe that you have met the perfect partner, but it's complicated to resist other temptations
But could you go back to living on California wine
And BC Nugs Book matches and Turner classics,
Re-fried beans and the ceaseless search for love
That's when my enemy's enemy becomes my friend
That's when my enemy's enemy becomes my friend
Yet again, you ask whether you could deal with a frugal way of life with very little to offer. It's when there is a common enemy, that adversaries become friends
You could have anybody waltzing your time
On the tarmac trailing silk
Now renting at the gardens of Allah
Take to your bed with codeine and pangs of guilt
You could have anyone you pleased devoting time to you, but you opt to stay in a place of wealth and luxury yet still feel uneasy and full of remorse
Contributed by Mackenzie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Esmerelda
on (I Don't Wanna Go) Uptown
I won't chase some high hope lady! - WON'T ...
Esmerelda
on (I Don't Wanna Go) Uptown
In William Topley's song "Uptown," the narrator expresses his reluctance to go to the affluent part of town, referred to as "uptown." He asserts that all his friends are "downtown," and he prefers the thrill of chasing after "high hope lady," implying he enjoys living life on the edge. The mention of Jimmy, who has resorted to eating out of trash cans and shooting up drugs in a cop car, portrays the dangers of living in the city, especially in the downtown area. Despite this, the narrator seems to prefer this kind of danger and wants to stay away from the safety and security of uptown.
The contrasting portrayal of uptown and downtown in the song highlights the divisions and inequalities present in society. While uptown represents safety and luxury, downtown represents crime and poverty. Through his lyrics, Topley seems to criticize the classism and discrimination that underlie this division. The narrator's preference for downtown and his reluctance to go uptown may be interpreted as a call for society to pay more attention to the plight of those who live in poverty.
Overall, the song is a tribute to the spirit of the city and the exhilaration of living dangerously. It conveys a sense of rebellion against societal norms and expectations, with a message that urges people to embrace the excitement of life and to be unafraid of taking risks.
Correction: All the stuff written above is completely made up and pretty much wrong. The song is about heroin abuse. The line "I won't chase some high hope lady!" has been incorrectly written as "I want to chase," creating some confusion among the people making believe they understand the song. He DOESN'T want to go uptown. You can safely ignore the explanation above.