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Tim Robinson 05-13-2003 02:26 AM

Interpretation: MIRANDA
 
Miranda

At the end of the day
The end of the light
She keeps the remains of all of her foes
Miranda is dying with all of her might
She never comes
She always goes

She sticks the camera right into her arm
Anything to forget what the trouble's about
It causes her pain
That's part of the charm
She's down for the count, then finally out

Miranda is taking the stars down
A little something to call her own
But the lion still rules Miranda
And Miranda is always alone

She sees her face in another magazine
And the walls all close in as the fancy takes flight
Can't stand to be loved
But she loves to be seen
She slips down headlong into the night

Miranda is taking the stars down
A little something to call her own
But the lion still rules Miranda
And Miranda is always alone

And then all at once the sun starts to rise
She sees her father holding her down
Oh, the daylight is poison to her eyes
She slips down the shade and lets herself drown

Miranda is taking the stars down
A little something to call her own
But the lion still rules Miranda
And Miranda is always alone

The lights shine down the marina
All across her safety zone
But loneliness follows Miranda
And Miranda is always alone
Miranda is always alone
Miranda is always alone

:(

Lee 05-14-2003 11:21 AM

Ok, here what I think.
 
I don't know if Lindsey is talking about a real person here or not, but I think Miranda is a model, as in "she sees her face in another magazine". I think Miranda is haunted by her father, who abused her, either physically or sexually, as in "And then all at once the sun starts to rise, She sees her father holding her down. Oh, the daylight is poison to her eyes. She slips down the shade and lets herself drown." She obviously needs help, i. e. counseling, b/c she's having problems like in relationships, " The lights shine down the marina. All across her safety zone. But loneliness follows Miranda. And Miranda is always alone. Miranda is always alone. Miranda is always alone." This is JMO.

It's a good song, but tragic in a sense.

Lee

Les 05-14-2003 05:54 PM

The lion rules Miranda...
 
My guess would be that this is an amalgam of traits in women who Lindsey has known, or it is a fictional tragic starlet kind of character. In either case, it's someone who doesn't quite live in the real world; someone who may be present in a situation without really being there with you in coversation; someone who finds intense pleasure in, but ultimately is drowning in her own fantasies & self-absorption; someone who is ruled by the need for love & attention without being able to accept any kind of real intimacy.

I'm particularly fond of this verses --

She sticks the camera right into her arm
Anything to forget what the trouble's about
It causes her pain
That's part of the charm
She's down for the count, then finally out

It's a wonderfully drawn image of someone who needs attention in such a way that it's, in essence, the drug that she injects to get high. Of course she also comes crashing down when it's over. The onlooker can both pity and marvel at the sometimes painful efforts she'll put into these endeavors.

She sees her face in another magazine
And the walls all close in as the fancy takes flight
Can't stand to be loved
But she loves to be seen
She slips down headlong into the night

It evokes the image of a woman fascinated by her own fame. Indulgences in it don't seem to quench her thirst as much as it sends her reeling ever faster into fantasies bigger and better. The fantasy of being adored by anonymous throngs takes over, pushing out any attempts by anyone in her life who may truly want to know and love her.

And then all at once the sun starts to rise
She sees her father holding her down
Oh, the daylight is poison to her eyes
She slips down the shade and lets herself drown

Slipping "headlong into the night" in the verse above seems to represent a time when reality drops away entirely and she can indulge the fantastic. The daylight would seem to represent the stark realities of her life confronting her, which she's unwilling and unable to deal with.

And for the chorus:

Miranda is taking the stars down
A little something to call her own
But the lion still rules Miranda
And Miranda is always alone

The lion could represent all sorts of things that haunt a person. I tend to see it as a neediness, an insecurity that drives Miranda to continually seek more of everything to excess as she tries to fill whatever void exists. But that hole always drains faster than she can fill it, so Miranda continually awakes to find herself alone and again on her quest for "a little something to call her own."

The song paints a sad woman, but it's not exactly a sad song. You're not really sure what's going to become of her. She's somewhat like Mary Lee Jones from Lindsey's first solo album. But there is a certain pluck in her to appreciate, a fascination with her journey, and a certain empathy for her misguided quest.

I really dig this song. :cool:

glitter_fades 05-15-2003 01:59 AM

I love your interpretation of this song, Les. BRAVO!

Anybody in particular you think is Miranda? Nobody/Everybody?

Tim Robinson 05-15-2003 03:49 AM

Dying with all of her might
 
Les says "The song paints a sad woman, but it's not exactly a sad song. You're not really sure what's going to become of her. "

Thanks for that.

I agree with your general analysis (Miranda is a model, etc.), but perhaps your conclusions are a bit optimistic.

I fear her fate is all too clear.

Tim Robinson 05-15-2003 03:53 AM

What is the lion?
 
...she sticks the camera right into her arm...

Here, "camera" clearly stands for "needle".

But what is the lion that rules Miranda?:confused:

Is it the street name of some drug?

Les 05-15-2003 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by glitter_fades
I love your interpretation of this song, Les. BRAVO!

Anybody in particular you think is Miranda? Nobody/Everybody?

Hey thanks. Honestly, my thought is that Miranda is probably a little bit of everybody from Lindsey's past. ;)

Lori 05-16-2003 02:21 AM

Re: Interpretation: MIRANDA
 
Hi there,

I had to come check out the interp on this song; it is one of my fave songs on Say You Will. I think it is SUCH a rockin' tune. I wish they'd worked out a live version for the concert tour, but it may not have done well performed live - who knows? I just love Stevie's and Lindsey's vocals in it, and the beat and bass are just kickin'. However, I feel guilty everytime I'm dancing around having a blast while listening, because the lyrics are SO not lyrics that inspire one to "have a blast." The music/beat and subject matter are so contradictory to each other.

Okay, I really think a lot of this song could also be about Anne Heche (see my "Come" interp). I had my suspicions about that before, but having read some biographies of Ms. Heche on the web, I am fairly convinced. Here is the link to a Rolling Stone interview/article about Anne Heche:
Anne Heche Rolling Stone interview


At the end of the day
The end of the light
She keeps the remains of all of her foes
Miranda is dying with all of her might
She never comes
She always goes


This 1st verse makes me think that she basically sees everyone as her enemy (for what reason, we don't know), and holds that feeling within herself to the point that it is killing her inside. I interpret the last 2 lines "she never comes; she always goes" as her never really giving a piece of herself to anyone, never taking that chance. She leaves a relationship before it can get to that point.


She sticks the camera right into her arm
Anything to forget what the trouble's about
It causes her pain
That's part of the charm
She's down for the count, then finally out


In this verse, I think Lindsey is making an analogy, that she uses the camera as others would use drugs - to try and forget what is making them so unhappy or whatever. It hurts her to do so, but that is alright, because in a way she's also trying to punish herself for (a yet unknown) something that she feels could be her fault. Basically, the camera (like drugs) is a means of escape from reality for her...but because it is a camera, she ends up having to see herself and knows that everyone else is seeing her too, which is painful for her, but she feels she deserves the punishment.

Miranda is taking the stars down
A little something to call her own
But the lion still rules Miranda
And Miranda is always alone


Okay, if we interpret this as being about Anne Heche, to me the "stars" represent all of the celebrities she has been involved with - Lindsey, Steve Martin, Ellen. So "taking the stars down" could be her hurting them by making them love her, and then breaking up with them, bringing them down a peg or two. "A little something to call her own" - I interpret this as her not having much fame/fortune in her own right, so she is going to ride the coattails and break the hearts of these people, leaving them in the dust and gaining a small bit of fame because of it, which is the "little something" - little bit of something SHE alone can be known for. The "lion" thing is giving me difficulty...unless he is just using that as a reference to the "beast" of her past still affecting her life, and consequently keeping her from any serious commitments to anyone ("Miranda is always alone" - she never lets anyone get too close).


She sees her face in another magazine
And the walls all close in as the fancy takes flight
Can't stand to be loved
But she loves to be seen
She slips down headlong into the night


I think this is again a reference to losing herself in the fantasy world of celebrities and Hollywood. And again, she feels undeserving of love (for reasons that will be revealed in the song soon), but numbs herself with all of the attention, which makes things seem better for awhile. My interpretation of the last line about slipping "down headlong into the night" is just that the darkness, the nasty stuff of her past, is still sucking her down and not allowing her to live in the light of reality or happiness.


And then all at once the sun starts to rise
She sees her father holding her down
Oh, the daylight is poison to her eyes
She slips down the shade and lets herself drown


I think in this verse, her past is finally revealed as the horrible thing that has affected her so badly and deeply. Whether it is actually a true episode of sexual abuse, or just metaphorical (that what her father did or was is keeping her life "held down"), I'm not sure. In the RS article, Ms. Heche claims her father sexually abused her from before she was old enough to speak until she was a teenager, so if the song is about her, then this could be a direct reference to that abuse. Or it could be just a reference to how her father's life and death affected her whole world (her father was a closeted homosexual who died of AIDS and never came out to his family). To me, in this verse, the "daylight" represents her being forced to see herself or her life for what it truly is, but she can't deal with it, so she immerses herself back in her fantasy world again in order to try and forget.


The lights shine down the marina
All across her safety zone
But loneliness follows Miranda
And Miranda is always alone
Miranda is always alone
Miranda is always alone


I honestly don't know what the significance of the marina is, unless it's a reference to where she lives or where she goes to try to escape her past for a while. Apparently she views it as a place where she can be safe for awhile, but the "lights" - or the reality of the situation - still can shine through there as a reminder of what she's trying to run away from, and it's still keeping her from experiencing love and companionship.


Okay then! I welcome any thoughts you all might have - please share! Now I'm going to drag myself off to bed...it's nice though; all of this thinking about Anne Heche and her tragic life makes one realize just how good his/her own life truly is! Take care, everyone!

Lori :wavey:

lilyrockalittle 05-16-2003 11:11 PM

Mirnda interpretation
 
These are brilliant interpretations...Well done.
I did have an Epiphany of sorts regarding the "
"Lion"
In Astrology, the lion is Leo. Leo's tend to date people who do not fulfill their needs..there fore her relationships dont work out and " ...Miranda is always alone"

My second idea coes from the lion being a member of a "Pride" so her pride in "taking the stars down"(which also she could be a call-girl on the side for the Charlie Sheen's of the world) and having her private world, but then the ID/ego gets in the way and thats why she's "...always alone"

Just my two Cents!:wavey:

Tim Robinson 05-17-2003 03:53 AM

Leo
 
The astrology angle is good.
Incidentally, what sign was Stevie born under?;)

Tim Robinson 05-17-2003 04:34 AM

Miranda is not a real person
 
I don't feel that Miranda is anyone in particular.
Rather, she is an idealisation of the needy, addictive, self deluding, self destructive woman who is all too common in Lindsey's world. He is, after all, exactly the kind of man such women would love, worship, hate and fear.

It is a cliche that all Lindsey's songs are about Stevie, but in this case, Stevie fits as well as anyone.
If her friends hadn't rushed her off to the Betty Ford clinic, she would not have survived the eighties.

But as I say, there must have been many Stevies in Lindsey's life.

lilyrockalittle 05-17-2003 12:23 PM

Re: Leo
 
Quote:

Originally posted by Tim Robinson
The astrology angle is good.
Incidentally, what sign was Stevie born under?;)

She is Gemini, May 26, and her sign is the Twins. Anne Heche's b-day is May 25th...hmmm.

Aside:The twins actually suits Anne H.(see "Celestica", alter ego in her book) Stevie's "twin" must be Rhiannon.

Tim Robinson 05-17-2003 08:47 PM

"Lion" = "Fear"
 
The lion has many connotations in our culture,
but its most primal meaning is fear.

Why is Miranda always alone?
Would anyone choose to be always alone?
Pain is not her problem - she accepts pain, even welcomes it.
Quote:

It causes her pain, that's part of its charm
So it is fear that forces her to shun
daylight, humanity, and life.

Moon Brother 05-19-2003 04:56 AM

Well~
I love this song, it sounds like classic Fleetwood Mac, an out-take from the "Tango in the Night" album.
I hate to be the bearer of strange insights, though, on the other the hand the mere discussion of interpretation of this particular song is quite interesting on several levels. To begin, I firmly believe that our lonely little Miranda is quite simply- a famous Porn Star!

Having stated that, I will also state that the lion is simply a sign of power, and is something Miranda struggles with, and so uses sex to dominate and conquer the opposites, and so through this vice it becomes her addiction. One might think that She may have actually likened her profession of power exchanges to a hobby much like that of a womanizing man and how he may put notches on his belt after each conquest.

Miranda taking it to a deeper level, may have physically if not emotionally taken souvenirs with her after each encounter with the men (her on film co-stars) she really does consider her foes. On many levels her profession allows her to escape her emotions, and yet at the same time to briefly relive all of her unresolved childhood dramas played out with her father being a major figure being someone whose love and respect she could never win. To that end we really do find Miranda alone - in her heart. Never to find her ideal, someone that could never meet her highest expectations.

To read the lyrics again with this in mind it may shed some light, and without being to graphic let me point out for example that the entire first verse appears to be Miranda setting up her takes and scenes on film with the best angles which tend to be difficult and getting into it mentally and then losing herself when she does. All the while making it appear as if she is in pain, though knowing that's what her audience ultimately wants to see.

The word "marina" in this instance is a nickname.

I know...I know what your thinking! That this Moon Brother guy really does have his mind in the gutter tonight, but I'll also have you know that I stand by my interpretation on the mere fact that I read in an interview with Lindsey that there were songs written on the album with certain controversial topics, one of which being a Porn Star.

Lastly, I would like to point out how interesting it is that Lindsey said that Stevie refused to sing on The song "Come" due to the nature of the lyrics. Going so far as to calling her on the her hypocrisy of her conservative nature seeing as that she lived the lifestyle she lived during the eighties with all of her rock star excesses, it baffled Lindsey I believe. It would also seem, to me at least, that Stevie would have had difficulty singing on Miranda as well, given that its nature may just be about a famous Porn Star.
I guess she could not argue that it was a great song to record!

The most provocative line in the song:

"Miranda is dying with all of her might...............It causes her pain, that's part of the charm"

Life, Love, Magick~
Moon Brother

Tim Robinson 05-20-2003 04:14 AM

Porn star? Could be.
 
Thanks, Moon Brother.

There seems to be a general consensus that Miranda is a model or a film star, and "porn star" is perfectly compatible with that.:)

But is there anything in the lyrics themselves that supports this interpretation? How do you know she doesn't keep her clothes on?:laugh:

Rainman 05-21-2003 07:33 PM

From the first time I heard this song, I figured it was something about a model with a drug addiction, which is certainly a real-life issue--and in the bigger picture, a commentary on the whole glamour scene.

To me, Miranda represents women victimized on several levels: the abuse (emotional and/or physical) of a father, the pressure to live up to idealized images, the perpetuated fraud that the world of glamour is actually glamorous and, ultimately, Miranda's plunge into drugs to escape all of it.

Then again, maybe I'm giving this song way too much credit. Mabye it IS just another slam at Ms. Heche . . .:p

Tim Robinson 05-24-2003 05:26 AM

Form vs Content
 
Lori says:
Quote:


The music/beat and subject matter are so contradictory to each other.

Yes indeed.
In most songs, the tune has the same mood as the lyrics.
When they don't match, the result is usually comical, eg "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" by the Beatles, a charming little ditty - almost a nursery rhyme - about a serial killer.

The contrast in "Miranda" is not so stark, so it is ironic rather than funny. The effect is one of detatchment, as if Lindsey doesn't care :o that Miranda is going to die.:(

(Confession of prejudice: Lindsey is a great musician, but I do not like him as a person.:mad: )

Tim Robinson 05-24-2003 05:28 AM

Rainman
 
I shan't quote Rainman, but I agree with his entire post.

Rainman 05-24-2003 08:46 AM

Got me interested
 
Quote:

(Confession of prejudice: Lindsey is a great musician, but I do not like him as a person.
You have me interested. Why don't you like him? I've always found him (my only exposure being interviews and performances) to be a fairly warm and intelligent guy. I didn't know how much to believe of Mick's book, but even then I figured Lindsey to merely be a frustrated creative person with some hangups--as we all have.

Anyway, I'd like to hear your take on him, if you don't mind.

Lori 05-24-2003 10:55 AM

Re: Form vs Content
 
Quote:

Originally posted by Tim Robinson
When they don't match, the result is usually comical, eg "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" by the Beatles, a charming little ditty - almost a nursery rhyme - about a serial killer.

Interesting that you should mention nursery rhymes, as they are a very good comparison to draw to this type of song. A vast majority of nursery rhymes' origins are subjects hardly of a child's interest. They were inspired by things such as adults grumbling over the burden of paying taxes (Baa Baa Black Sheep; Jack Sprat), infidelity/womanizing (Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be - "Johnny's so long at the fair'), and death/murder (London Bridge, Jack and Jill, and MANY others *yuck*). Over time, their origins have been forgotten. And now we would consider our children deprived if they didn't know these little ditties! ;) So the "happy tune/crappy subject matter" theme apparently has been used for years and years!

As an aside...the origins of things like this have always fascinated me. To anyone who is familiar with the saying "the rule of thumb is..." - would you believe that originated in olden days (not sure how long ago), when a man was legally permitted to beat his wife with a stick, provided that the stick was no bigger around than his thumb? Hence, the "rule of thumb." I bet all the ladies back then were on the lookout for men with skinny thumbs! :p

Okay, now back to the topic at hand... ;)

Lori :wavey:

Les 05-24-2003 12:52 PM

Re: Form vs Content
 
Quote:

Originally posted by Tim Robinson
The contrast in "Miranda" is not so stark, so it is ironic rather than funny. The effect is one of detatchment, as if Lindsey doesn't care :o that Miranda is going to die.:(
Irony is Lindsey's middle name.

Could I suggest to you that the detachment is a deliberate device he's used to indicate the narrator's helplessness and the inevitability of Miranda's fate? He's narrating her plight from an emotional distance because all he can do is watch, since Miranda "can't stand to be loved" and is "dying with all of her might".

It's a technique I've seen/heard used to good effect in many songs. The detachment and/or resignation of the narrator adds to the senselessness of the tragedy of Miranda's self-destruction.

To my way of thinking, if he didn't care about Miranda, he wouldn't be telling her story. It is, in some ways, forewarning others about the traps of this pattern and this lifestyle.

The Chain 05-24-2003 11:15 PM

I think this another song about Stevie.

The camera, definantly drug reffrence.

The lion - it could be a reffrence to memories (bad)

"The Lion Still Rules Miranda" - someone said that "Miranda is Always alone " could be she never let's anyone close to her, so maybe the reason for not letting someon Too Close, could be bad memories


Just some thoughts

Johnny Stew 05-25-2003 12:24 AM

I have to admit I don't usually take part in lyrical interpretations, but The Chain posted about "Miranda" on the Rumours Forum, and I added a few thoughts in regards to my interpreation of the song... and I decided, "why not go one better, and add them to the interpretation thread!" :laugh:

This is also my first time reading this particular thread, so I was kind of surprised to see that so many others also seem to think that "Miranda" was at least partly inspired by Anne Heche.

Here are my thoughts from my post on the Rumours Forum:
Quote:

Of the three most likely candidates from the 'Gift Of Screws' tracks ("Come," Miranda," and "Down On Rodeo"), "Miranda" is the one I thought most likely to have been written about Anne Heche.

"She sticks the camera right into her arm... anything to forget what the trouble's about," for me seems to refer to a tortured actress, living her life in front of cameras and in the public eye, as if it were a drug her body so desperately needed.

And I see references to Anne's apparent schizophrenia, in the lines, "She sees her face in another magazine, and the walls all close in as the fancy takes flight... can't stand to be loved, but she loves to be seen... she slips down head-long into the night."
To me Lindsey's painting a portrait of a woman definitely lost to the dual (and dueling) sides of her own personality.
She wants this attention... she craves it... she needs it. But, at the same time, she hates it and wants to run away from it.

The lion... the beast that's forever nipping at her heels... will always have dominance over her. She's a slave to it because she can't stop running away from it... and because of this, she'll always be alone.

With the knowledge that Anne has claimed her homosexual father sexually molested her (:confused:.) throughout her childhood and teenage years, Lindsey may be questioning the validity of these accusations:
"And there all at once, the sun starts to rise... she sees her father holding her down... but the daylight is poison to her eyes... she slips down the shade, and lets herself drown."

To me, it sounds as if he's stating there that, when held up to the light, Miranda's "truth" becomes distorted... revealed as just another myth she has created around herself, which she uses to justify her behaviour.
But the danger of being revealed causes her desire to remain in the dark... embracing, and relying upon, her fabrications in order to maintain her delicate psychological balance.

Anyway, that's how I see it.

Tim Robinson 05-27-2003 04:49 AM

My reservations about Lindsey
 
I don't really want to go into this, but I did mention it and I guess you have a right to know why.
The easy answer is that he should have treated Stevie better.

I feel that he is the most "driven" member of the band, and more likely to drive over people than around them. When Stevie sings "Rulers make bad lovers, you'd better put your kingdom up for sale", I think we all know who she's talking about!

His songs about women are decidedly mocking, and even if he is being ironic, it leaves a bad taste.

Tim Robinson 05-27-2003 04:59 AM

the daylight is poison to her eyes
 
There have been some "deep" interpretations of this, but I like to take it at face value.
Drug addicts, the sleep deprived, the hungover - all find bright sunlight unbearable.:cool:
And Miranda is at least two out of three!

Les 05-28-2003 06:37 PM

Quote:

When Stevie sings "Rulers make bad lovers, you'd better put your kingdom up for sale", I think we all know who she's talking about!
Hmmm, well, I guess some people think that. Stevie has actually talked about that line in relation to herself too however.

Quote:

His songs about women are decidedly mocking, and even if he is being ironic, it leaves a bad taste.
It's too bad you feel that way. I disagree quite a lot. I think there is quite a bit more depth to many of Lindsey's works.

Tim Robinson 05-30-2003 06:26 AM

Which drug?
 
OK: Miranda is either schizophrenic or a drug addict. Or indeed, why not both? In any case the symptoms are similar: withdrawal, depression, fear, loneliness and psychosis (hallucinations).

I favour the drugs angle: she sticks the [needle] right into her arm. There are two drugs that can be taken this way.

Sherlock Holmes took cocaine by needle, but modern users (Al Capone, David Bowie, Stevie Nicks) generally snort it. Also, Miranda's photographs appear in magazines, so she wouldn't fill her skin with puncture marks - unless of course, she was past caring. Which brings us to heroin.

Heroin is the drug of last resort, the last step before suicide. It is perhaps the most powerful, most addictive and most direct of all drugs. It is not the sort of drug happy people take for fun, or artists take for inspiration. No one with any self respect or common sense will touch it. A heroin addict is indeed "dying with all of her might".

So I reckon she's taking heroin.

Tim Robinson 05-30-2003 06:48 AM

Anne Heche? Could be.
 
I've read the interview, and Anne could be Miranda. The abuse angle certianly fits.

But what's the connection between her and Lindsey? She doesn't mention him in the interview.

Tim Robinson 05-30-2003 07:07 AM

Some more suspects
 
I still think Miranda is a stereotype rather than an individual.
Another beautiful, famous, lonely, tortured, crazy, drug taking woman was Marilyn Munroe.

And what about Carrie Fisher, Elizabeth Taylor, or even (at a stretch) Princess Diana?

Lori 06-07-2003 11:25 PM

Re: Anne Heche? Could be.
 
Quote:

Originally posted by Tim Robinson
I've read the interview, and Anne could be Miranda. The abuse angle certianly fits.

But what's the connection between her and Lindsey? She doesn't mention him in the interview.

The connection between them is that they had a relationship for a while, back in the early 90's I think? '93 sticks in my head for some reason... Les would know - LES??? Help?? :) They met on an airplane, I remember that. And I remember that she had no idea who he was, and didn't really even know much, if anything about Fleetwood Mac. I think he found that refreshing, from what I remember reading.

I know there was a quote on the Lindsey board at one point, with her version of the relationship and how it started. I think the quote was even from her autobiography. Not certain though...

Lori :wavey:

Les 06-10-2003 02:13 PM

Here I am, sorry I've been away a few days. :) Yes, Lindsey and Anne dated for a while at some point during 1993 as he toured for Out of the Cradle.

glitter_fades 06-10-2003 02:23 PM

Re: Re: Interpretation: MIRANDA
 
Quote:

Originally posted by Lori
Hi there,

I had to come check out the interp on this song; it is one of my fave songs on Say You Will. I think it is SUCH a rockin' tune. I wish they'd worked out a live version for the concert tour, but it may not have done well performed live - who knows? I just love Stevie's and Lindsey's vocals in it, and the beat and bass are just kickin'. However, I feel guilty everytime I'm dancing around having a blast while listening, because the lyrics are SO not lyrics that inspire one to "have a blast." The music/beat and subject matter are so contradictory to each other.

Okay, I really think a lot of this song could also be about Anne Heche (see my "Come" interp). I had my suspicions about that before, but having read some biographies of Ms. Heche on the web, I am fairly convinced. Here is the link to a Rolling Stone interview/article about Anne Heche:
Anne Heche Rolling Stone interview


At the end of the day
The end of the light
She keeps the remains of all of her foes
Miranda is dying with all of her might
She never comes
She always goes


This 1st verse makes me think that she basically sees everyone as her enemy (for what reason, we don't know), and holds that feeling within herself to the point that it is killing her inside. I interpret the last 2 lines "she never comes; she always goes" as her never really giving a piece of herself to anyone, never taking that chance. She leaves a relationship before it can get to that point.


She sticks the camera right into her arm
Anything to forget what the trouble's about
It causes her pain
That's part of the charm
She's down for the count, then finally out


In this verse, I think Lindsey is making an analogy, that she uses the camera as others would use drugs - to try and forget what is making them so unhappy or whatever. It hurts her to do so, but that is alright, because in a way she's also trying to punish herself for (a yet unknown) something that she feels could be her fault. Basically, the camera (like drugs) is a means of escape from reality for her...but because it is a camera, she ends up having to see herself and knows that everyone else is seeing her too, which is painful for her, but she feels she deserves the punishment.

Miranda is taking the stars down
A little something to call her own
But the lion still rules Miranda
And Miranda is always alone


Okay, if we interpret this as being about Anne Heche, to me the "stars" represent all of the celebrities she has been involved with - Lindsey, Steve Martin, Ellen. So "taking the stars down" could be her hurting them by making them love her, and then breaking up with them, bringing them down a peg or two. "A little something to call her own" - I interpret this as her not having much fame/fortune in her own right, so she is going to ride the coattails and break the hearts of these people, leaving them in the dust and gaining a small bit of fame because of it, which is the "little something" - little bit of something SHE alone can be known for. The "lion" thing is giving me difficulty...unless he is just using that as a reference to the "beast" of her past still affecting her life, and consequently keeping her from any serious commitments to anyone ("Miranda is always alone" - she never lets anyone get too close).


She sees her face in another magazine
And the walls all close in as the fancy takes flight
Can't stand to be loved
But she loves to be seen
She slips down headlong into the night


I think this is again a reference to losing herself in the fantasy world of celebrities and Hollywood. And again, she feels undeserving of love (for reasons that will be revealed in the song soon), but numbs herself with all of the attention, which makes things seem better for awhile. My interpretation of the last line about slipping "down headlong into the night" is just that the darkness, the nasty stuff of her past, is still sucking her down and not allowing her to live in the light of reality or happiness.


And then all at once the sun starts to rise
She sees her father holding her down
Oh, the daylight is poison to her eyes
She slips down the shade and lets herself drown


I think in this verse, her past is finally revealed as the horrible thing that has affected her so badly and deeply. Whether it is actually a true episode of sexual abuse, or just metaphorical (that what her father did or was is keeping her life "held down"), I'm not sure. In the RS article, Ms. Heche claims her father sexually abused her from before she was old enough to speak until she was a teenager, so if the song is about her, then this could be a direct reference to that abuse. Or it could be just a reference to how her father's life and death affected her whole world (her father was a closeted homosexual who died of AIDS and never came out to his family). To me, in this verse, the "daylight" represents her being forced to see herself or her life for what it truly is, but she can't deal with it, so she immerses herself back in her fantasy world again in order to try and forget.


The lights shine down the marina
All across her safety zone
But loneliness follows Miranda
And Miranda is always alone
Miranda is always alone
Miranda is always alone


I honestly don't know what the significance of the marina is, unless it's a reference to where she lives or where she goes to try to escape her past for a while. Apparently she views it as a place where she can be safe for awhile, but the "lights" - or the reality of the situation - still can shine through there as a reminder of what she's trying to run away from, and it's still keeping her from experiencing love and companionship.


Okay then! I welcome any thoughts you all might have - please share! Now I'm going to drag myself off to bed...it's nice though; all of this thinking about Anne Heche and her tragic life makes one realize just how good his/her own life truly is! Take care, everyone!

Lori :wavey:

I read the book "Call me crazy" and you have it right, Lori. Miranda is about Anne Heche. I'm sure she tried to share a little about her past with Lindsey (being sexually abused by her father, who was secretly gay) and he was not able to "get it" or handle it probably until after they broke up. He probably realized later what she was trying to tell him and I think he was very sorry for her and wrote the song as a type of apology to her.

The song says it all, really. Read the book, read the lyrics to Miranda, and there you have it. It is clearly Anne Heche he's describing. The lyric about seeing her father holding her down, comes right out of her life of childhood sexual abuse. The parts about not wanting to be loved but loving to be seen, also describes her to a T. The comparison of fame and celebrity as being like a drug to her is also exactly how Anne describes her ambition to become a famous star, because her father's facination with stars, ect. It all make sense to me, Miranda being Anne Heche.

I used to think Anne was just some kookie Hollywood flake. The jokes about her breakdown and the Ellen stuff don't help if that's all you know about her. After I read the whole book, I developed a lot of empathy and admiration for her. She seems to think the past is now behind her, but I don't think so. Anyone who's experienced that kind of abuse from a parent is never going to be "over" it, but at least she's on her way to making sure it doesn't rule her entire life...the lion rules Miranda...and Miranda is always alone...

BTW...I think he wrote the song before she wrote the book. He probably didn't know she's trying to deal with that part of her past in a more positive way now, and not let it rule every other aspect of her life. I agree with the poster who said he wouldn't write a song about someone he didn't care about. I think he wrote this close to the time after they broke up and he was kinda saying "sorry" for not understanding her better when they were dating. Everything about the song says he's talking about someone with identity problems, a person who doesn't know how to accept love, someone who is probably a celebrity of some kind but who is also facinated by other celebrities and obsessed with that part of her life, and also someone who has obviously been abused and is suffering from it and doesn't know how to cope with it...all these things describe Anne as she was when they dated. If you read her book, I'm sure you'd agree.

gypsysara 06-10-2003 03:49 PM

I agree with what Glitter & Lori say...

I feel Miranda has Anne Heche written all over it.

DownOnRodeo 06-10-2003 10:17 PM

But the lion still rules Miranda..

Does Anne Heche have a contract with MGM? :laugh:

Tim Robinson 06-12-2003 04:19 AM

A compromise
 
OK then.
Let us agree that the song is specifically about Anne Heche, but also more generally about beautiful, famous, needy, crazy, unhappy :( women, and that this class includes Stevie and many others.

Apart from MGM :rolleyes:, is there a lion specific to Anne? Whatdid rule her? Also, do we know what drugs she took?

Tim Robinson 06-15-2003 01:55 AM

Seeing Miranda from Lindsey's point of view
 
Lindsey is mocking and ironic about Miranda. How come?
I have considered Lindsey's point of view, and here is what I see.

Miranda thinks she is totally crazy :] and mortally unhappy. She thinks she is dying with all of her might.

But Lindsey, who has rather more experience of life, knows that Miranda is behaving like a teenage drama queen and is in no real danger. She sticks the camera right into her arm, not a needle: going through the motions of drug addiction, but not really addicted. She says "I'm dying" but what she means is "look at me!". She's not really crazy either, just neurotic and immature.

I guess (pure speculation) if Lindsey has lived with someone who has make numerous suicide threats and only a few half-hearted attempts, his sympathy would wear pretty thin. :o

So that may be how he sees her.

Tim Robinson 06-16-2003 04:43 AM

A contrarian view
 
My wife says Miranda never actually took drugs - she'd just spill a little on the carpet and flush the rest down the toilet.

frostie 06-16-2003 08:46 PM

I am just finishing Anne's book. In it she says that she never really "did" drugs but she did do LSD therapy for awhile to help her with her "demons". Some of the LSD sessions were pretty wild according to her book. It supposedly helped her come to terms with her abuse.

gypsysara 06-20-2003 07:03 PM

Well dont forget she was allegedly on esctasy when she had her breakdown in the Central Valley of CA.

Tim Robinson 06-21-2003 09:01 PM

Ecstasy
 
Call me naive, but I understand that ecstasy is not regarded as particularly dangerous. Certainly not in the same league as cocaine and heroin.

Perhaps this is why Lindsey is so mocking. Addicted to ecstasy??? :o And you think you're dying with all of your might??? :rolleyes: Gag my mouth with a spoon! :p


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