What in the hell is “true”? This much? Of what? What in the hell is true?
Uh … “Rio” by Duran Duran?
Lyrics written while on drugs and when you believe you’re some kind of poet during the new wave 80s should not be paid attention to.
Compare with Duran Duran and the Human League. It’s all incomprehensible pseudo-intellectual gibberish.
I will never understand what “The Reflex” is about.
It’s in charge of finding treasure in the dark.
It’s right there in the song.
“My nose itches, my butt itches, it’s true.”
80’s music brings up so many questions …
Does the Safety Dance really keep us safe?
Why does the chick at the dance hall have an amethyst in her mouth and why did I not even learn that that was the line until this year?
And why do we have to shock the monkey? What did it ever do to us?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.
I think it’s one of those slightly philosophical things a bit like “I think therefore I am”. What is true is the line itself. Everything else is suspect. Like, wow, man.
Either that or its a load of vaguely deep sounding garbage which even the author himself admitted he had trouble writing.
According to its wiki
So, it’s about platonic love/friendship. Somewhat.
Henh? Human League’s two biggest hits are very straightforward.
And I’ll take pseudo-intellectual, synth driven garbage any day over modern Crunk in da club YOLO mid-song guest rap gotta get that MO-NAY drivel.
Your quote actually mostly just gives the context of the song’s authorship. You quote contains only one single reference to what it is about namely “Kemp’s platonic relationship with Altered Images singer Clare Grogan” but firstly I defy you to interpret the actual words in a manner that shows this to be correct and secondly it doesn’t answer the OP’s question.
I think Fascination is a bit weird. I suppose you could apply a meaning to it, though.
I don’t deny that. I am an 80s kid.
That’s a little harsh. The Human League wrote plenty of songs about stuff. “Don’t you want me?” is clear, “Louise” also (and rather beautiful). “The Lebanon” is self-explanatory and “Being Boiled” is about silk manufacturing.
They shouldn’t be written off as mere 80’s fluff. They, and their Heaven 17 offshoot were as cutting-edge experimental as any at the time. “Dare” and “Penthouse and Pavement” are still fresh and challenging three decades on.
A lot of Human League fans on the Dope, it seems. I wasn’t classing them as fluff, just incomprehensible lyrics. One man’s poetry is another man’s juvenile nonsense. But I will concede that maybe I shouldn’t have plucked Human League out of the air, and should have chosen more carefully.
Everybody must get stoned.
The Reflex is alot of things but it mostly… it leaves you answered with a question mark.
The lyrics to “True” are mostly about songwriter’s block, searching for inspiration and struggling to find the right “next line”
“I know this much is true” refers the the line “I want the truth to be said (be known)”
It’s the old “I can’t come up with the words to express my true feelings” approach stretched into a 6 minute Marvin Gaye tribute.
Wang Chung FTW!
And those three tunes are high on my list of favorite 80s songs. Being in college from 1982-1986 (and working at the 10-watt college powerhouse radio station), I have a lot of fond musical memories from that era.
While we’re giving (well-deserved) grief to “The Reflex,” what the hell was “Union of the Snake” about? Or “New Moon On Monday”? Duran Duran did have more than a few puzzling lyrics there.
I always sing the lyrics “I know this much is true” as “I notice Munchkin’s shoes” but will file this version away for future use.