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True meaning of the song BU2B?


Texas King
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How did you get the lyrics of this song?

 

I was brought up to believe

The universe has a plan

We are only human

It's not ours to understand

 

The universe has a plan

All is for the best

Some will be rewarded

And the devil will take the rest

 

All is for the best

Believe in what we're told

Blind man in the market

Buying what we're sold

Believe in what we're told

Until our final breath

While our loving Watchmaker

Loves us all to death

 

In a world of cut and thrust

I was always taught to trust

In a world where all must fail

Heaven's justice will prevail

 

The joy and pain that we receive

Each comes with its own cost

The price of what we're winning

Is the same as what we've lost

 

Until our final breath

The joy and pain that we receive

Must be what we deserve

I was brought up to believe.

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I think it's a long winded way of saying your mind shouldn't be for rent to any god or government, long after he stopped believing the last part.
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In part I think it's sort of an updated Freewill - contrasting the notion that people are just pawns in a cosmic plan with the idea that you can choose your own path. Here it's written into the Clockwork Angels story to give insight into the character's background. Everything is fore-ordained, which is a handy philosophy for the powers-that-be (mostly the Watchmaker, representing rigidity and efficiency) to promote so they can control people and keep order. It is true that much of religious doctrine concerns prohibitions, with the fear of punishment for breaking divine law.
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Very straightforward meaning and that is "f**k you religion". There's really no deep analysis with this one.

 

I think that was the song's original title.

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It's more interesting in context of the novel, but overall the meaning is pretty dull. I'm not gonna say they aren't well written lyrics from an aesthetic standpoint, they sound very cool in the song, but looking any deeper just leads to disappointment,
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It's more interesting in context of the novel, but overall the meaning is pretty dull. I'm not gonna say they aren't well written lyrics from an aesthetic standpoint, they sound very cool in the song, but looking any deeper just leads to disappointment,

 

Never been disappointed by a Tim Horton's egg bagel and donut special

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Each human has their own interpretation of this song! It's quite simple for me and it's on my license plate!

 

 

BU2BYYZ!

 

While everyone on the planet back in 1981 was falling in love with "Tom Sawyer" as a very young drummer I fell in love instantly with YYZ!

 

So decades later here is sit. Typing the same old lovely shit.

 

I truly was Brought up to believe YYZ!

 

It's part of my Universal Plan.

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There is the Fear four part trilogy. Then there is the series of songs with the underlying theme of thinking for yourself against the norm of religious authority or societal default. BU2B is the latest realization.

 

Freewill -- nothing is pre-ordained

Roll the Bones -- sh*t happens, immortal powers need not apply

Ghost of a Chance -- no superstition, but love is real

Totem -- you're a thought victim in a pantheon

The Stars Look Down -- cosmic reality cares not for anthropomorphism

Faithless -- I've got my own moral compass to steer by

BU2B -- your belief is a product of how you were raised

 

Actually, the whole album Clockwork Angels is the magnus opus on this series. This life is a story within a man-made story... there were self-defined good times and bad times... things to wonder at and things to regret... rationality struggles against irrationality... the morbid realization at one's own mortality... the legacy of love and enlightenment... the indifference of the universe...

 

The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect

I wish that I could live it all again

 

Hope that helps!

Edited by psionic11
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There is the Fear four part trilogy. Then there is the series of songs with the underlying theme of thinking for yourself against the norm of religious authority or societal default. BU2B is the latest realization.

 

Freewill -- nothing is pre-ordained

Roll the Bones -- sh*t happens, immortal powers need not apply

Ghost of a Chance -- no superstition, but love is real

Totem -- you're a thought victim in a pantheon

The Stars Look Down -- cosmic reality cares not for anthropomorphism

Faithless -- I've got my own moral compass to steer by

BU2B -- your belief is a product of how you were raised

 

Actually, the whole album Clockwork Angels is the magnus opus on this series. This life is a story within a man-made story... there were self-defined good times and bad times... things to wonder at and things to regret... rationality struggles against irrationality... the morbid realization at one's own mortality... the legacy of love and enlightenment... the indifference of the universe...

 

The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect

I wish that I could live it all again

 

Hope that helps!

 

WOW!

 

You just blew my mind!

 

You are brighter than the North Star.

 

Yes!

 

I agree with your intellectual post!

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I knew Voltaire was a philosopher, but was not familiar with Candide. After a quick once-over of thefreedictionary.com article on Candide, I can see a lot of Clockwork Angels in it for sure. Reality smashes optimism and glossy sayings like "it's all for the best" or "it's God's will"...

 

Not sure where you get the idea of karma in Neil's work. If there is no divine hand in all this, why would one believe that what comes around goes around?

 

Why are little ones born only to suffer

For the want of immunity

Or a bowl of rice?

Edited by psionic11
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it's another boring Neil attack on religion and conformity.

 

Mick

That about sums it up. :popcorn:

 

that's why i don't consider Neil a great lyricist. maybe in the early days........and that's a BIG maybe. but when Vapor trails hit. He shifted into cynical asshole mode and got stuck. now we kinda know why but still. and i'm Cynical myself but hearing it over and over. get's on my nerves,

 

Mick

Edited by bluefox4000
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I just realized last night that the song "BU2B" was not part of the set on the Clockwork Angels DVD. I thought that they played the whole thing!
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S&A lyrics were a bit didactic at times but ovetall Neil's lyrics ansolutely just right for this band, including those for BU2B which is just a fantastic real cutting-edge track in every way
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I knew Voltaire was a philosopher, but was not familiar with Candide. After a quick once-over of thefreedictionary.com article on Candide, I can see a lot of Clockwork Angels in it for sure. Reality smashes optimism and glossy sayings like "it's all for the best" or "it's God's will"...

 

Not sure where you get the idea of karma in Neil's work. If there is no divine hand in all this, why would one believe that what comes around goes around?

 

Why are little ones born only to suffer

For the want of immunity

Or a bowl of rice?

 

re: karma - just my half-assed interpretation of these particular lyrics, not NP's entire oeuvre. Although Buddhism can be interpreted as nihilistic so it would be right up his sour old alley.

btw, Candide is a very approachable book, neither long or needlessly complex, and is much better for eyes and mind than CA: The Novel.

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