NOW. I know we got new YYY coming out and all that good stuff…hell, I posted about it. BUT this will forever be one of my most favoritestestest songs of all time ever. The song is about Karen O.’s boyfriend at the time, Angus Andrew, front man for the band, Liars. Much like the song, the video for “Maps”, ( which stands for: My Angus Please Stay), is also 100% genuine as the tears in the video are real. Karen O. explains: “They were real tears. My boyfriend at the time was supposed to come to the shoot – he was three hours late and I was just about to leave for tour. I didn’t think he was even going to come and this was the song that was written for him. He eventually showed up and I got myself in a real emotional state.” (“Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Karen O’s Video Crying Was For Real”. contactmusic.com.)
The truth behind the song, the sincerity in the line “wait, they don’t love you like I love you” and the simplicity and innocence in which she sings it makes the song a bazillion times better. I don’t feel like there is a more real love song out there. Sure, there are some smooth lines and maybe better vocalists (let me interrupt myself here by saying I adore Karen O. and think she’s totally, wicked awesome killer amazing…I digress), but I just don’t think there’s the originality and genuine ache that Karen O. not only has, but delivers. Without her, the song isn’t what it is: perfect and true.
I could listen to this song for hours on end, and sometimes I do. Sometimes I wish I could scream that line out loud, I think it’s just brilliant. a
pbandjams 