Genius | Song Lyrics & Knowledge

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Rose Quartz Gemstone meaning:

Your marriage can have more sparkle and fire when you keep a rose quartz under your pillow. You will look younger too.

Rose quartz is known as the love stone. It helps the user feel a strong sense of self-worth, therefore being worth love. Rose quartz is the stone of universal love. It is also the stone of love in marriage. When worn in jewelry the wearer feels a sense of self-worth.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse

Say That Toro y Moi – Say That

Song Bio 3 Contributors ?

What is this?

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

“Say That” is the second track and video off Toro Y Moi’s third studio album, Anything in Return. The video, directed by creative agency Partizan, was also nominated for the “Innovation of the Year” award at The First Annual YouTube Awards – some may find this strange, considering the extreme simplicity, and at times monotony of the video.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse

Six cylinders underneath the hood crashing and kicking
Ahaha! Listen to the engine whine The Mountain Goats – This Year

Genius Annotation 2 Contributors ?

What is this?

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Referring to a V6 engine (a V engine with six cylinders), which gets good pickup.

Rather than “purring” or even “roaring”, the engine is “crashing and kicking”. The violent, belligerent description reflects Darnielle’s desperate and frantic attempt to escape the suffering behind him.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse

Schoobywap

2 years

It’s not for sure a V6, it could be flat 6 or straight 6

Upvote +0 Downvote

198

5 years

Could also be an (Straight) Inline 6.

Upvote +2 Downvote

Show all improvement suggestions

I am going to make it through this year if it kills me
I am going to make it through this year if it kills me The Mountain Goats – This Year

Genius Annotation 6 Contributors ?

What is this?

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

This is a version of the expression of doing something “if it kills you” or “if it’s the last thing you do”, which means that you’re very determined to do that thing. The irony of the phrasing here, is that making it through the year is a meager reward if you don’t live to see the next.

On season 2, episode 3 of I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats, John Darnielle reveals that this was actually meant as a placeholder chorus at first:

“This Year” has a placeholder chorus. That was just “okay this is where I’ll put the chorus and it will have an ABAB rhyme scheme.” And Peter was the guy who said to me,: “No, you are done. That’s all there is to that.” He wasn’t forceful about it, because he knows that if you tell me what to do lyrically I will go “no, I’m the guy who writes the lyrics,” but he was like – I remember him being “you know, I think it’s fine the way it is,” you know, because I was gonna make it rhyme. But actually, would that song be anywhere near as effective, without the fact that it’s just one line that everyone can remember?

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

This is a version of the expression of doing something ["if it kills you"](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/if%20it%20kills%20one) or ["if it's the last thing you do"](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/if%20it's%20the%20last%20thing%20someone%20does), which means that you're very determined to do that thing. The irony of the phrasing here, is that making it through the year is a meager reward if you don't live to see the next.

On season 2, [episode 3](https://beta.prx.org/stories/273303) of [*I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats*](/albums/The-mountain-goats/I-only-listen-to-the-mountain-goats-in-league-with-dragons), [John Darnielle](/artists/John-darnielle) reveals that this was actually meant as a placeholder chorus at first:

>"This Year" has a placeholder chorus. That was just "okay this is where I'll put the chorus and it will have an ABAB rhyme scheme." And [Peter](/artists/Peter-hughes) was the guy who said to me,: "No, you are done. That's all there is to that." He wasn't forceful about it, because he knows that if you tell me what to do lyrically I will go "no, I'm the guy who writes the lyrics," but he was like -- I remember him being "you know, I think it's fine the way it is," you know, because I was gonna make it rhyme. But actually, would that song be anywhere near as effective, without the fact that it's just one line that everyone can remember?

report abuse

Marked this as missing something ?

1 month

The use of “if it kills me” might be slightly less literal. It shows a determination to survive no matter what, albeit in an ironic manner. The singer will survive this year no matter what.

Upvote +0 Downvote

kelsey

Marked this as missing something ?

4 years

it could also be that all he has to do is survive one more year before he turns 18 and can legally escape his stepfather

Upvote +6 Downvote

Show all improvement suggestions

I broke free on a Saturday morning
I put the pedal to the floor
Headed north on Mills Avenue
And listened to the engine roar The Mountain Goats – This Year

Genius Annotation 6 Contributors ?

What is this?

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

For a significant portion of his youth, John Darnielle was living in Claremont, California. At the time “This Year” takes place (John being “17 years young”), he is attending Claremont High School. Later, he would graduate from Pitzer College. Both are near Mills Avenue.

Mills Avenue forms the boundary between Claremont and Montclair – a typically dumpy suburban SoCal strip lined with pizza parlors, nail salons, auto repair shops, and the like.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse

Marked this as missing something ?

3 years

Mills avenue is not (quite) the Claremont/Montcliar boundary. Going North on Mills leads up to Mount Baldy and the San Gabriel Mountains. ‘Heading North on Mills Avenue" involves escaping the confines of the city and heading out into the wild.

Upvote +7 Downvote

Show all improvement suggestions

I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day KISS – Rock and Roll All Nite

Genius Annotation 1 Contributor ?

What is this?

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

While writing back at the hotel, Stanley came up with the line “I want to rock and roll all night, and party every day.” After showing the new line to Simmons, he added parts from an older song, reportedly titled “Drive Me Wild.”

While it had a great singalong chorus, when the song was issued a single a few months later, it did not storm up the charts. With record label Casablanca in deep financial trouble, Kiss was thinking of leaving for another label, but on the insistence of the others, decided to issue a live album later in 1975 Alive!. The excitement and energy of a Kiss show was captured perfectly by rock producer Eddie Kramer, and the song that benefited perhaps the most from the live setting was “Rock and Roll All Nite.” The version was a bit longer than the studio take (including an Ace Frehley guitar solo that was absent from the original), but as Bogart hoped, it became an instant rallying cry and a hard rock classic, becoming a number 12 hit and pushing the album it was taken from straight up the charts. Since 1975, there hasn’t been a single Kiss concert that did not feature “Rock and Roll All Nite” as an encore and is the band’s most instantly identifiable song.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

While writing back at the hotel, Stanley came up with the line "I want to rock and roll all night, and party every day." After showing the new line to Simmons, he added parts from an older song, reportedly titled "Drive Me Wild."

While it had a great singalong chorus, when the song was issued a single a few months later, it did not storm up the charts. With record label Casablanca in deep financial trouble, Kiss was thinking of leaving for another label, but on the insistence of the others, decided to issue a live album later in 1975 Alive!. The excitement and energy of a Kiss show was captured perfectly by rock producer Eddie Kramer, and the song that benefited perhaps the most from the live setting was "Rock and Roll All Nite." The version was a bit longer than the studio take (including an Ace Frehley guitar solo that was absent from the original), but as Bogart hoped, it became an instant rallying cry and a hard rock classic, becoming a number 12 hit and pushing the album it was taken from straight up the charts. Since 1975, there hasn't been a single Kiss concert that did not feature "Rock and Roll All Nite" as an encore and is the band's most instantly identifiable song.

report abuse

Rock and Roll All Nite KISS – Rock and Roll All Nite

Song Bio 3 Contributors ?

What is this?

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

The signature song and usual show closer by Kiss, an ode to the rock and roll lifestyle!

Above: The German issue of the single, showing the artwork from Dressed to Kill.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse

Under a blood red sky
A crowd has gathered in black and white U2 – New Year's Day

Genius Annotation 2 Contributors ?

What is this?

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

“Under a blood red sky” is a reference to the fact that this part of the war was primarily fought in the USSR…a communist country under Joseph Stalin.

“A crowd has gathered in black in white” refers to the fact that in 1941, when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union, they were unprepared for winter fighting and wore primarily grey and black uniforms whereas the Soviets who were fighting on their home turf wore white snow camouflage.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse

Marked this as a stretch ?

1 year

Upvote +1 Downvote

Show all improvement suggestions

All is quiet on New Year's Day
A world in white gets underway U2 – New Year's Day

Genius Annotation 1 Contributor ?

What is this?

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

“New Year’s Day” is about the Eastern Front in WWII written from the perspective of a Soviet Red Army soldier writing to a loved one.

The opening lines refer to the fact that the Russian Winter e.g. “A world in white” is synonymous with the Eastern Front.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

report abuse

Marked this as a stretch ?

1 year

Upvote +0 Downvote

Marked this as missing something ?

1 year

I believe that Bono later said after writing this song that though many thought it was another tribute to his wife, he decided it was about the Polish Solidarity Movement. The ironic part about it was that martial law was lifted in Poland on December 31st, New Year’s Eve. Bono stated that this was entirely unrelated to the song and unintentional.

Upvote +2 Downvote

1,259

5 years

According to the band, the song’s protagonist is Polish Solidarity Leader Lech Walesa, it has nothing to do with World War 2.

Upvote +5 Downvote

Brendan

Marked this as missing something ?

6 years

The song refers to the Movement for Solidarity in the 1980’s. Poland abolished Martial Law on New Years Day of 1983.

Upvote +10 Downvote

Show all improvement suggestions

New Year's Day U2 – New Year's Day

Song Bio 2 Contributors ?

What is this?

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

The lyric had its origins in a love song from Bono to his wife, but was subsequently reshaped and inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement. The bass part stemmed from bassist Adam Clayton trying to figure out what the chords to the Visage song “Fade to Grey” were.

In 1983, Bono said of the song, “It would be stupid to start drawing up battle lines, but I think the fact that ‘New Year’s Day’ made the Top Ten indicated a disillusionment among record buyers. I don’t think ‘New Year’s Day’ was a pop single, certainly not in the way that Mickie Most might define a pop single as something that lasts three minutes and three weeks in the chart. I don’t think we could have written that kind of song.”