Comments on: Reviewing Tegan & Sara: Sainthood Track-by-Track

By: Megan

Megan — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:58:37 +0000

so this review has been up for a while but i’ve just discovered this site today. i really enjoyed reading the different song interpretations especially because t ‘n s lyrics can be so cryptic at times. the bit that i would like to offer is for on directing/sentimental tune. well first off i do agree with sentimental tune being a continuation of on directing but i don’t feel like in sentimental tune they’ve gotten to the ‘settled down’ part yet. i see it as more in on directing sara is sorta watching the girl from affar, maybe she’s approached and struck up a conversation but of course sara thinks she was “talking like a teen” and basically sounded like an idiot but then on sentimental tune is when she finally comes out with it. she tells the girl how she feels “now you know, you know it now”, she won’t “yield, throw caution into the blaze” until she’s won this girls heart. sara’s ready to “fight” to win this girls heart. she’s told her “with a little bit of friction i’ll be under your clothes, with a bit of focus i’ll be under your skin”, under the girls skin in a good way not like someone is annoying another because they are settled down and revealing their true selves. she’s saying she’s going to do what it takes to get in the girls pants!! finally on obvious reference to sex! also she’s saying the girl is nervous upon hearing such a blunt confession, nervous that sara really will win her over. now after understanding sentimental tune, i see how it ties in with arrow. sara’s taken her aim at the girl she desires! okay so that was my interpretation.

By: jamesh

jamesh — Mon, 10 May 2010 11:45:33 +0000

great review!
very personal response from the fans, i love it
it’s important to recognize first off though, if you can’t get down with the awesome unbelievable truth of ‘back in your head’ you can’t be my friend, or – frankly – exist in my universe
sorry, but that’s just the way that it is
second – i’m loving the new release and esp. the track T&S worked on together – i’m so excited to see what they do next!
great stuff guys, thanks and keep it up

By: AllyOMally

AllyOMally — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:24:07 +0000

I have been LOVING ‘Alligator’!! It’s awesome!
xx

By: Justine

Justine — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:37:46 +0000

Whoa, guys (Lynne, especially!). The expression is “crocodile tears” — NOT alligator. Check it out – http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/104800.html

By: Matthias

Matthias — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:29:30 +0000

I love Sara’s songs!
<3 Arrow, On Directing, Red Belt, Night Watch and Sentimental tune are fantastic
But I think I like Paperback Head the most (:! It's a fantastic song ;D

By: Reedlynn

Reedlynn — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:14:46 +0000

Madonna? Yeah, I can see that or Britney Spears.

Have you seen them in concert?
I have tickets for Milwaukee, WI in March! I’m so excited its my first concert ever.
I’m really crazy about 3 of their really old songs. I’m afraid if I yell it out everyone would turn to me and I’ll turn red in the face (I don’t think that’s possible with my skin tone) with embarrassment.
Whoa, just thinking about it…

By: Emily

Emily — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:23:51 +0000

Yeah, after we published the thing I found out that “alligator tears” is actually an expression. I thought Sara was just being really obscure, but it turns out Alligator Tears might actually be about something!
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I still think Night Watch is her perspective on her parents’ divorce but according to an article somewhere it’s not. It might also have some connection to her common law marriage thing, but who knows. She did separate amicably from Emy though.
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I think Paperback Head is about a) Madonna, or b) a celebrity who has to get her shit fixed while dealing with so much fame and paparazzi. I have no idea what the “who better than you?” part is about, particularly the “sugar and spice” line. Paperback Head remains one of the most enigmatic songs on the album for me,
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Thanks for commenting and reading!

By: Reed

Reed — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:54:13 +0000

So I want to first say this is GREAT! I’m always trying to figure out who wrote what song. The review was great, I love that you both didn’t agree on everything (makes for a better read). So Emily, may I call you Emmy? No, just kidding, you wanted ideas on Sara’s song Alligator. I’m a Sara fan all the way. It’s something about her lyrics, the way it gets you to think.
Well, “Alligator” I think is kind of a play on wording. Have you heard of the expression crocodile tears? They’re fake, so when she says…

Sensitive, its true
Alligator tears cried over you

Maybe, its a play on words, to make you think the tears are fake, when they’re actually real. Cause she used another expression, instead of the one used to describe false tears.

Now the song Night Watch. Maybe it does have something to do with their parents divorce, and her common-law relationship.She needs to get away from everyone, cause it seems familiar. Hence the lyrics…

I’ve got grounds for divorce
It’s in my blood this divorce
I separate everybody
I need distance from your body

And the last one Paperback Head.
I’ve read a book once called Paper Towns,and the song has a similar meaning to it. A girl didn’t want to become part of a “paper life”
meaning following what society wants you to be. So she separated herself from the world.
So the line “must frame up, a material girl” is probably a common-unoriginal-follow the crowd type of girl. And they’re singing against becoming that type.
My favorite part; who better than you? (kinda saying who are you to say what i should be or am? maybe?)

I love to hear what you have to say back about my perspective on the songs.

By: Bill

Bill — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:50:39 +0000

I’ve enjoyed reading all your comments, as I am a huge T&S fan. I am a bit unique, perhaps, after reading this, because I’ve never been interested (so much) in lyrics. Maybe because I am a guitarist, it’s mostly about the music and lyrical melodies for me. Although I must admit that voices can make or break an artist for me. This is what attracted me to T&S in the first place, their unusual voices. But also, their music, more so than others, sticks in my head for days ! (lol) I love both these girls, but feel I probably relate to Tegan more so, in terms of personality and her approach to music. Then again, some of my fav songs are by Sara: Like O, Like H. Want to Bad. Walking with a Ghost.

If I had to pick a fav album, it probably would be ‘The Con’. I thought this was a masterpiece and excellent blend of electronics and acoustics. This was my first impression about ‘Sainthood’, I miss the acoustics. Give me T&S on acoustic guitars and I am content. But after having listened to ‘Sainthood’ several times now, I realize, a change of style may not be all that bad as it brings a fresh sound into their existing mix. My fav songs on the album (so far), have been ‘Hell’, ‘The Cure’, ‘The Ocean’ , ‘On Directing’ and ‘Sentimental Tune’. I thought this album felt a bit more polished and refined (overall). But certain songs do retain that ‘quirkyness’, that I love most about T&S. In other words, that ‘style’ that best characterizes them for me. Its hard to explain, just a feeling.

Anyway, I think T&S are musical geniuses, and this album continues their brilliance.

-Bill

By: Emily

Emily — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:20:58 +0000

Kindred spirits? That sounds like fun. Always good to find those.
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Sentimental Tune is one of my favs on the album! I absolutely love the build up, plus I feel it’s an arrangement they haven’t really done often before.
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Sometimes I feel like Sara is a little teenager inside yearning for love and that’s how she captures my emotions so well, because I’m also a little teenager yearning for love.
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Since listening to the album a whole lot, I can say that my favorites are: Red Belt, Sentimental Tune, The Ocean, Alligator, Paperback Head, Someday.
See, they’ve changed a lot since this review.
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Omg Tegan totally writes so many lyrics that are all super fast. That’s why she always messes up I Know I Know I Know.
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I think that you should yell out really loudly “It’s my birthday!” and maybe they’ll sing you a birthday song.

By: Virginia

Virginia — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:06:05 +0000

Emily, I believe we might be what they call kindred spirits…

Or, we’re equally smitten with Sara.

I, too, was immediately taken in by Alligator and Night Watch. That’s the thing about Sara, not only are her lyrics relatable but her melodies are familiar. I don’t mean to say they’re used or unoriginal. The best way I can explain: Whenever I hear a great Sara-written song for the first time, it feels almost like the song was already one of my favorites, and I’m just enjoying it for the 500th time and still loving it.

On Night Watch, my heart breaks right about here: “I deserve this anguish on my house. [insert dizzying noise] So get away..” Lyrics expressing emotions expressed by sound!

I wasn’t as impressed as you guys were by Sentimental Song. I kind of feel like it might be the song I’d throw away. Maybe I need to give it another listen. (Speaking of throwing away songs, I wish Light Up wasn’t just a bonus track. I could listen to it on repeat for hours.) Hell had to grow on me, so maybe this song does, too. [I heard Hell today on the radio at work, though, and it made my day.]
When I hear The Ocean, I kind of picture someone stuck in the car with their significant other and thinking about how it’s over. I just think about the whole scenario and how it would make me feel like there was an ocean churning inside of me.

On Directing–Uhm, Tegan’s background vocals? *swoon* Her over-lapping “hold on to me” makes me fan myself. And, yes! I love the comparison to BIYH. When I heard BIYH, I totally put that on repeat after thinking, “Oh dear Jesus, Sara Quin is following me around and writing about my awful love-life.” I didn’t have the same reaction when I heard this one, but it’s still a damn good song.

I can say with some certainty that Alligator, The Ocean, and Night Watch are my favorites off the album, in that order…maybe….with Northshore as a close runner-up. Oh, but On Directing is almost perfect…It’s hard to choose with such a solid album!

One thing that I found amusing, and I wonder if anyone else who’s been to their live shows had this thought while listening to the album: Doesn’t it seem odd that Tegan would write so many fast-paced, quickly sung lyrics? I mean, this is definitely within her style, but the first thing I thought after hearing Northshore and The Ocean was,”Oh, she’s totally going to forget the (order of the) lyrics to these when they play them live…”

Now, on a totally separate but semi-related note… I say this at the risk of sounding like a huuuuuge geek, yet somehow I know someone will understand my joy. Tegan and Sara will be playing in Chicago at my favorite venue in the city (Aragon Ballroom) on Friday, March 26, which just so happens to be the day after my 21st birthday. I think I might just pretend they’re singing every song to me as a gift.

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:10:10 +0000

the chorus of arrow reminds me a bit of the song that they did with tiesto, i feel it in my bones.