London Beckoned Songs about Money Written by Machines

One day I was walking home from school listening to London Beckoned Songs and I had this strange epiphany/theory thing which I desperately have to expand on.

Basically, I know the actual meaning of the song is about the band’s response to critics and having to step up to the plate to ‘prove yourself’ to them and fans, but I came up with an alternate interpretation which (probably) wasn’t intentional but is kind of eerily accurate.

Overall, I think this can also be interpreted as a narrative song about like 1950’s gang crime HEAR ME OUT. Most of this is pretty easy to understand once I outline it so I’m not gonna sit and mansplain to you.

Stop stalling, make a name for yourself

Boy, you better put that pen to paper, charm your way out

If you talk, you better walk, you better back your shit up

With more than good hooks while you're all under the gun

I think this one could be like gang leaders emphasising how their lifestyle is a dog-eat-dog world you know? Especially with the double meaning of ‘hooks’ and ‘gun’!

Start talking, “a sensationalist”

Oh, he's slightly clever to just a certain extent

If you talk, you better walk, you better keep your mouth shut

With more than good hooks while you're all under the gun

Now I think that the first two lines could be about the sensationalism of the MEDIA in response to the crimes

Panic! Meet the press

It's time for us to take a chance

It's time for us to take a chance

GOD THIS FIRST LINE… such a double meaning. Obviously it refers to panic (their band) but ALSO it could refer to the actual experience of panic plaguing the press in the light of this gang crime. Actually screaming.

Well, we're just a wet dream for the webzine

Make us it, make us hip, make a scene

Or shrug us off your shoulders, don't approve a single word that we wrote

Again I think this COULD be referring to the sensationalism of the media ! Their activities become a source of profit for them, something to be made desirable and popular - they’re immortalised. 

Alternatively, some sources will denounce it and these ‘words’ are like a metaphor for their actions and I guess the statement they leave behind.

I'm burning and I'm blacking my lungs

Boy, you know it feels good with fire back on your tongue

If you talk, you better walk, you better back your shit up

With more than good hooks while you're all under the gun

The first two lines I see as like the physical reaction to the thrill of being in a gang, while what they’re doing is definitely immoral, it ‘feels good’.

Start talking, a sensationalist

Oh, he's slightly clever to just a certain extent

Whoa, keep quiet, let us sing like the doves

Then decide if it's done with purpose or lack thereof

The last two lines again could be this gang’s response to the media - will they refuse to acknowledge them, thus allowing them to ‘sing like the doves’ (continue to run rampant) or will they use it to question the morality of their actions - is gang crime a valid excuse for murder?

Just for the record

The weather today is slightly sarcastic with a good chance of A, indIfference

Or B, disinterest in what the critics say

Again I think this could succinctly summarise the attitudes of these gangs toward the press. 

And that is pretty much it for my watered down analysis of this song. AM I BEING CRAZY HERE??? This seems like a pretty valid interpretation to me… I’m sure it wasn’t actually intended when Ryan Ross was writing the song but I hope it was interesting anyway.

And that is pretty much it for my watered down analysis of this song. AM I BEING CRAZY HERE??? This seems like a pretty valid interpretation to me… I’m sure it wasn’t actually intended when Ryan Ross was writing the song but I hope it was interesting anyway.

Also if anyone has actually read Shampoo Planet by Douglas Coupland (where the title comes from!), let me know if any of these themes are actually prevalent in the novel,, maybe it could give some insight lol