"Stone Woman" by Bryan Ferry is a song with a rich tapestry of lyrics that paint a picture of urban nightlife, loneliness, and the search for connection. Let's analyze it line by line:
1. **What do you find on the street tonight? Nothing** - This opening line sets a scene of emptiness and possibly disappointment. The street, often bustling with life, offers nothing to the speaker, implying a sense of desolation or unfulfillment.
2. **It's a river of no return** - This metaphor suggests a one-way journey or a path that, once taken, cannot be reversed. It could imply a sense of inevitability or despair in the urban landscape.
3. **Diamonds they're your only friend tonight** - Diamonds here symbolize wealth or materialism, suggesting that in the absence of human connection, only material possessions remain as 'friends'.
4. **Break the mirror and bang the drum** - Breaking a mirror is often associated with bad luck, but it can also symbolize breaking free from vanity or self-obsession. Banging the drum could represent an attempt to make noise or be noticed in a world that feels indifferent.
5. **Let's be cool about it / Oh we're cool about it now** - This refrain suggests a resigned acceptance of the situation, maybe indicating a coping mechanism in a challenging or disappointing environment.
6. **Stone woman - the pain is gone / And the pleasure is yet to come** - 'Stone woman' could be a metaphor for emotional numbness or resilience. The pain being gone might mean overcoming past struggles, and the anticipation of future pleasure suggests hope or looking forward to better times.
7. **What do you see on the street tonight - nothing / But another heartbreak hotel** - This line reinforces the theme of loneliness and disappointment, possibly in the context of romantic endeavors. 'Heartbreak hotel' is a metaphor for places or situations where one experiences emotional pain.
8. **Stranger - you're the only friend tonight / Pick a number and ring the bell** - The speaker finds companionship in a stranger, which could reflect the transient, superficial connections often made in nightlife settings. Picking a number and ringing the bell might refer to calling upon someone randomly or engaging in a fleeting interaction.
9. **Stone woman - the pain is gone / And the pleasure has just begun** - Repeating this line emphasizes the theme of transformation or transition from pain to pleasure, suggesting a newfound strength or optimism.
Overall, "Stone Woman" uses vivid imagery and metaphors to explore themes of urban alienation, the ephemeral nature of material comfort, and the search for meaning or connection in a seemingly indifferent world. The lyrics convey a journey from pain to hope, encapsulated in the enigmatic figure of the 'stone woman'.
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