they don't love you like i love you
One Song: Perfect Songs for an Imperfect World
download: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
I remember reading an interview with Yeah Yeah Yeahs lead singer, Karen O, where she said that when the band put out their first full length, Fever to Tell, they wouldn't have cared if the record flopped, as long as people got to hear "Maps." Which is an odd thing, when you think about the fact that it's the one song in the band's repetoire that seems to stick out like a sore thumb. For one thing, Karen actually sings, her combination yelp/growl, nowhere to be found. "Modern Romance" may come close with the softened vocals, but the plodding guitar is nothing like the swirling notes that Nick Zinner coaxes out of his guitar on "Maps." At the same time, the drums - thundering toms - keep all those guitar lines from flying too far.
Then there's the lyrics. Simple, somewhat nonsensical during the verses. Just what the hell is she trying to say? There's some vague sense of loss, of longing, of regrets. It's only obstuse sounding til the chorus. "Wait. They don't love you like I love you." There's nothing subtle there.
"Maps" is near perfect in its own right. But there's also the juxtiposition that it creates with the rest of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs catalogue. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are rough sounding: just guitar, drums, and often primal sounding vocals. On the other hand, those qualities - those abrasive sounds - are the kind you can hide behind. By contrast, the drums on "Maps" are big and epic, the guitars delayed and layered all over eachother, and the vocals are soft and restrained. And, ironically, it's the band at its most raw. Songs like "Art Star" and "Date With A Night" can pummel you into submission, but not "Maps." "Maps" is the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at their most vulnerable, and arguably that vulnerability puts them at their very best.
now playing: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
Labels: one song, yeah yeah yeahs
6 Comments:
Cool post and a great song.
By 
, at
5:02 a.m.
i've just sent an acoustic version of maps to your gmail account, hopefully you got it. without the drums, it's even more subdued, but still a great song.
By , at
9:25 a.m.
please share said accoustic version.
By , at
11:40 a.m.
sonar is upgrading. even building a real stage.
http://www.straight.com/content.cfm?id=13890
By 
firmdragon, at
3:40 p.m.
okay, try this.
http://s22.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=29P1T1FX4PYK91JOAQHMY8CNPA
By , at
4:26 p.m.
this blog just writes itself some days.
