Oxygen

Discuss any aspect of Soul Asylum, their music, and the band's members.
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Heather1983
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Oxygen

Post by Heather1983 »

I don't know about anyone else, but this song really hits close to home. If you've known someone who has gone through shock therapy, or you've been through it yourself, then you might know what I am talking about. I love this song, don't get me wrong. This song is amazing and it is one of my favorites. I just would like to know how Dave can write these songs, including this one, and it totally makes sense to so many others. I don't know if this song was intended to be about shock therapy or if he's used it as a metaphor for something else, but I love this song and it does reflect on people who has witnessed someone go through that. To me, it sounds as if the song can be viewed from the stand point of someone watching another person deal with something, or you've gone through it yourself and you see another person going down the same exact road you are. Insane, I know.

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desirae
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Re: Oxygen

Post by desirae »

I dont thnk its insane at all, i think it makes sense :D , oxygen is actually my favorite song!!!

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triumph3434
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Re: Oxygen

Post by triumph3434 »

I know ive mentioned before how amazing Oxygen is, but I think it might be appropriate to mention it again.

I wonder if we redid the Favorite SA song Poll if Oxygen might get more votes now. I think it would get my vote now, but I voted for another back then.

But what is oxygen about?

I think Shock treatment is a metaphor at first glance as well... but to what? I quickly think of love or some common topic, but maybe it is medical... "its a couple more bills and a couple more pills, and a couple more 'why do you do those things you do'"

Why do you do those things you do = therapy?

Bills, Pills, therapy, Shock treatment?

Sounds like a bunch of people trying to solve a medical problem and getting nowhere.

However, "Always there to remind you.... Follows you Everywhere you go" Whats this? A disease? A mental condition?

"They may say your crazy"

Its all about a crazy person huh? Is it really just that straight forward?

Lets here yalls Thoughts?


By the way, regardless of the meaning, "All this oxygens for you" is an amazing line and thought.

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philipgar
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Re: Oxygen

Post by philipgar »

I've always kind of seen Oxygen as a song about confidence, and having it. I see it as looking upon life and trying to better yourself, or pull yourself up, and the ways to go about it. Handful of pills, the therapy, and everything else that you've tried, but in the end what really helps is having someone there for you "walk you home when you're wasted/ I can almost taste it", "Always there to remind you/before and behind you", "But it’s a couple more volts of shock treatment for you/When a couple more votes of confidence will do".

I've used this song during rough times to help get through them, and I think there's a lot to it. All these things people supposedly need, but in the end they need to believe in themselves, and need someone to believe in them. "They may say you’re crazy/But it don’t even phase me/Cause you’re the sanest one I know". I think it's about coping, and open for interpretation.

I remember first hearing this song back in '01, and it was one of my favorites of the "new material". It was just such a powerful and strong song that really spoke to me. I'm quite glad it made the cut (although why Freak Accident didn't still pisses me off, but on the plus side it looks like Dave's been dusting off Black Star again realizing it's a great song). I imagine like most of dave's songs, the song is about what you think it should be about, and best left at that...

Phil

Heather1983
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Re: Oxygen

Post by Heather1983 »

philipgar wrote:I've always kind of seen Oxygen as a song about confidence, and having it. I see it as looking upon life and trying to better yourself, or pull yourself up, and the ways to go about it. Handful of pills, the therapy, and everything else that you've tried, but in the end what really helps is having someone there for you "walk you home when you're wasted/ I can almost taste it", "Always there to remind you/before and behind you", "But it’s a couple more volts of shock treatment for you/When a couple more votes of confidence will do".

I've used this song during rough times to help get through them, and I think there's a lot to it. All these things people supposedly need, but in the end they need to believe in themselves, and need someone to believe in them. "They may say you’re crazy/But it don’t even phase me/Cause you’re the sanest one I know". I think it's about coping, and open for interpretation.

I remember first hearing this song back in '01, and it was one of my favorites of the "new material". It was just such a powerful and strong song that really spoke to me. I'm quite glad it made the cut (although why Freak Accident didn't still pisses me off, but on the plus side it looks like Dave's been dusting off Black Star again realizing it's a great song). I imagine like most of dave's songs, the song is about what you think it should be about, and best left at that...

Phil

This is exactly what I am thinking! However, I have known someone who has suffered from Depression and other disorders in which Shock Therapy was the last resort. I also experienced shock therapy as a research project so, a lot of what this song talks about can easily mirror that. I just think it is such a great song!!! One of my all time SA favorites.
Plus, I am a strong supporter for mental health treatments because I feel that society is quick to judge someone as being a bad seed when some of their actions could not be helped due to undiagnosed medical conditions.

Oh what can I say. I totally dig this song!!!!!

ghettogold
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Re: Oxygen

Post by ghettogold »

because i was a bit out of the Soul Asylum loop for a few years around the time of their last couple studio albums, this song was new o me when I saw them play it live in 2009. i was blown away, since then, i have listened to the album version, demo and as many live performances as i have been able to find via YouTube. This song is great. We all know Dave is an amazing story teller in song and this is another fine example of that. it's a really empowering walking song, when i am trying to block out the world i throw this on and it leaves me giddy and full of energy. i don't know what i would do if i saw them live now and this wasn't played, it just has such great atmosphere.

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