Pompeii
Bastille’s number-one single ‘’Pompeii’’ can simply be analyzed as two frozen citizens of the city of Pompeii after the whole city was destroyed by a volcano eruption. The inhabitants discuss the events of the tragedy. However, when further inspecting the lyrics of the song, there is another message –far more powerful than the once glancing the surface. It is an interesting song to me because the events of Pompeii could be a metaphor for the changes in life. This relates to anyone, especially myself. The songs theme –that change is hard and takes a lot of will to move on—is relevant to changes that have occurred in my life.
‘’Pompeii’’ starts with the characterization of a man who didn’t have a lot going for him. He was ‘’left to his own devices’’ and ‘’many days fell away with nothing to show.’’ These lyrics mean that as the days went by, there was no positive result or satisfaction for the man. He might not have had a job, friends, or goals. It is almost like his life is falling to pieces. All of a sudden, ‘’the walls kept tumbling down.’’ His world – ‘’the city that we loved’’ – was coming to an end, and change was coming. This feeling of being crushed can be compared to my life. In elementary school, I went to New Hyde Park and one day I got hit by my parents with the news that I would be moving to Great Neck. It really did feel like the walls were tumbling down. However, change is inevitable and sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with life’s consequences. After I moved, I still missed New Hyde Park a lot – my old friends, teachers, and even neighbors. In ‘’Pompeii,’’ there is a bit of a nostalgic connotation that goes along with the chorus. The main character says ‘’if you close your eyes, does it feel like nothing changed it all?’’ This question might contain multiple meanings inside of it. It could mean the dwelling of ones past, for that if they close their eyes and try to relive the past, it will somehow make it all better. A more literal meaning is that when the lava spread through the town, it trapped the people frozen in time under the ash. It might feel like nothing’s different, however nothing is the same. The artist uses repetition in asking ‘’How am I going to be an optimist about this?’’ This poses the question how are you going to look toward the future and try to make the best of the situation? When I moved to Great Neck, I felt pretty isolated and excluded from things, and I would always think of the happy days. However, I needed to be ‘’an optimist’’ and try to make the best out of my new situation. In the bridge, the artist brings up a very daunting question for both the characters and our society. He asks: ‘’Where do we begin, the rubble or our sins?’’ This means that you have two decisions, you can look on how to make things better, or you can keep dwelling on the sins that got you there in the first place. These lyrics are a great comparison to some situations in real life. After trying to recover after a big change (a divorce, breakup), where should you start to reconcile? Do you either just clean up the trash or do you try to learn from your mistakes? It is important to consider this question because there can be proper arguments made from both sides. When in a sticky situation like this, one should choose one and try to work out their differences.
Presently, I have moved on from New Hyde Park and have learned to embrace Great Neck with open arms. Even when I close my eyes and reminisce, I now realize that things have changed and that I will have to continue to accept life’s challenges. The city that I’ve loved might be gone, but it will never be forgotten.
Bastille’s number-one single ‘’Pompeii’’ can simply be analyzed as two frozen citizens of the city of Pompeii after the whole city was destroyed by a volcano eruption. The inhabitants discuss the events of the tragedy. However, when further inspecting the lyrics of the song, there is another message –far more powerful than the once glancing the surface. It is an interesting song to me because the events of Pompeii could be a metaphor for the changes in life. This relates to anyone, especially myself. The songs theme –that change is hard and takes a lot of will to move on—is relevant to changes that have occurred in my life.
‘’Pompeii’’ starts with the characterization of a man who didn’t have a lot going for him. He was ‘’left to his own devices’’ and ‘’many days fell away with nothing to show.’’ These lyrics mean that as the days went by, there was no positive result or satisfaction for the man. He might not have had a job, friends, or goals. It is almost like his life is falling to pieces. All of a sudden, ‘’the walls kept tumbling down.’’ His world – ‘’the city that we loved’’ – was coming to an end, and change was coming. This feeling of being crushed can be compared to my life. In elementary school, I went to New Hyde Park and one day I got hit by my parents with the news that I would be moving to Great Neck. It really did feel like the walls were tumbling down. However, change is inevitable and sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with life’s consequences. After I moved, I still missed New Hyde Park a lot – my old friends, teachers, and even neighbors. In ‘’Pompeii,’’ there is a bit of a nostalgic connotation that goes along with the chorus. The main character says ‘’if you close your eyes, does it feel like nothing changed it all?’’ This question might contain multiple meanings inside of it. It could mean the dwelling of ones past, for that if they close their eyes and try to relive the past, it will somehow make it all better. A more literal meaning is that when the lava spread through the town, it trapped the people frozen in time under the ash. It might feel like nothing’s different, however nothing is the same. The artist uses repetition in asking ‘’How am I going to be an optimist about this?’’ This poses the question how are you going to look toward the future and try to make the best of the situation? When I moved to Great Neck, I felt pretty isolated and excluded from things, and I would always think of the happy days. However, I needed to be ‘’an optimist’’ and try to make the best out of my new situation. In the bridge, the artist brings up a very daunting question for both the characters and our society. He asks: ‘’Where do we begin, the rubble or our sins?’’ This means that you have two decisions, you can look on how to make things better, or you can keep dwelling on the sins that got you there in the first place. These lyrics are a great comparison to some situations in real life. After trying to recover after a big change (a divorce, breakup), where should you start to reconcile? Do you either just clean up the trash or do you try to learn from your mistakes? It is important to consider this question because there can be proper arguments made from both sides. When in a sticky situation like this, one should choose one and try to work out their differences.
Presently, I have moved on from New Hyde Park and have learned to embrace Great Neck with open arms. Even when I close my eyes and reminisce, I now realize that things have changed and that I will have to continue to accept life’s challenges. The city that I’ve loved might be gone, but it will never be forgotten.
