By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
‘West End Girls’ was the breakthrough single for the Pet Shop Boys, hitting the number one spot in the UK in early 1986. But the song has its origins several years before this. Just what is the meaning of this mid-80s classic, and which classic poem was an important influence on it?
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
Few recent songs have attracted more speculation and debate without really justifying such attention than Zach Bryan’s ‘Something in the Orange’. Although the song’s meaning has been the subject of some discussion, the central meaning of the song is anything but complex or ambiguous.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
‘Cotton Eye Joe’ is a song whose title has a long history, taking us back to the Deep South in the nineteenth century. However, it was in the 1990s that the song became a worldwide smash hit, and its chorus remains instantly recognisable.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
Of all of the tracks on Taylor Swift’s 2020 album Evermore, ‘Marjorie’ is perhaps the most tenderly personal. The lyrics honour someone very dear to the singer: someone who was a singer herself. But the ‘Marjorie’ of the song’s title also has another important link with Swift.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
A paean to drugs? Or alcohol? Or sex? Or the heady sensory experience of falling in love? Just what is the meaning behind ‘Diamonds’, one of Rihanna’s catchiest songs?
‘Diamonds’ is from Rihanna’s seventh studio album, Unapologetic (2012). If the song reminds you of another anthemic ballad from around the same time, namely ‘Chandelier’ by Sia, that’s because ‘Diamonds’ was written by Sia, along with the song’s producers, Benny Blanco and Stargate. Sia provided the lyrics (discussed below), reportedly writing them in just 14 minutes.