Once upon a time in pop

There was a time when the lyrics of pop music were involved, or at least, they would let no-one indifferent. I mean, the lyrics had something to say; they weren't there just to get public attention with vague plain language such as "baby baby", "you're my world" or "it's like that".

I hadn't been born when Kim Wilde's first single came out, and I was too young when she had her first hits in the 80s but I've always had an enormous curiosity to know how audiences and critics responded to her work. Behind those catchy tunes, there laid intricate lyrics and dark stories.

Child come away

Honestly, I'm not sure about the meaning of this song but I think it's about a rape in a small community.



Child come away
It's the girl with the deputy walking by
Child go and play
No I won't give you reasons so don't ask why

I read the story about a week ago
They found her on the beach that night
They thought the light had gone out of her eyes
and no-one thinks she'll ever be right
She was so full of her life
Happy with the people she knew
But then no-one can tell

Child come away
It's the girl with the deputy walking by
Child go and play
No I won't give you reasons so don't ask why

Guess all they found were some marks in the sand
A message saying 'She is mine'
Nobody touched her as she got in the car
Well nobody dares to anytime
She was so full of her life
The girl that everybody once knew
But now no-one can tell

Child come away
It's the girl with the deputy walking by
Child go and play
No I won't give you reasons so don't ask why

And when they read a story out to the judge
I heard they had to turn away
It's all over town

I saw her face in the back of a car
As they were speeding out of town
She's got a mark on the side of her face
that no-one's ever seen around
And what she is or what she's become
I guess the town will never know

Child come away
It's the girl with the deputy walking by
Child go and play
No I won't give you reasons so don't ask why


Cambodia

A mysterious open-ended story.



Well he was Thailand based
She was an airforce wife
He used to fly weekends
It was the easy life
But then it turned around
And he began to change
She didn't wonder then
She didn't think it strange
But then he got a call
He had to leave that night
He couldn't say too much
But it would be alright
He didn't need to pack
They'd meet the next night
He had a job to do
Flying to Cambodia

And as the nights passed by
She tried to trace the past
The way he used to look
The way he used to laugh
I guess she'll never know
What got inside his soul
She couldn't make it out
Just couldn't take it all
He had the saddest eyes
The girl had ever seen
He used to cry some nights
As though he lived a dream
Ans as she held him close
He used to search her face
As though she knew the truth
Lost inside Cambodia

But then a call came through
They said he'd soon be home
She had to pack a case
And they would make a rendez-vous
But now a year has passed
And not a single word
And all the love she knew
Has disappeared out in the haze
Cambodia - Don't cry now - No tears now

And now the years have passed
With not a single word
But there is only one thing left
I know for sure
She won't see his face again



View from a bridge

Could it be about a girl who throws herself off a bridge after witnessing her lover's infidelity or is my mind too crooked?

It was funny for me to learn that, when the song came out, 80s teens would sing along to "beer from the fridge / can't drink anymore" LOL




View from a bridge, can't take anymore
View from a bridge, can't take anymore
I guess it all began about a year ago
Like a cheap love magazine
You know the kind you read about
And have to laugh
At the pages in between
Now I can't believe that fool inside is me
'Cos I just can't face the world
I've grown to see
View from a bridge, can't take anymore
View from a bridge, can't take anymore
I saw you kissing her
I saw you making her
In the soft sheets in between
But when you turned around
I saw your eyes were fire
And you crashed out all my dreams
And like a fool I just stood there
And let it go
I should have fought right back
And let my feelings show
View from a bridge, can't take anymore
View from a bridge, can't take anymore
You sure as hell knew how
To make a fool out of me
Well you cut me down
For the things you want
And now it's killing me
I'll lay it on the line now
You're running out of time now
But then a voice said jump
And I just let go
And I'm floating out in space
But then I feel your arms
And I turn around
To a ghost without a face
And I just don't know
What's fact or fantasy
'Cos when I look below the bridge




So, what do you think these songs are about?