Existentialism on Prom Night Help?

[ate_teenfourevr]

i have been trying the whole day to figure out the meaning of the lyrics/song. but nolan has stumped me. does anyone know or have any good ideas.

i know what existentialism means haha, but i was wondering if it had something to do with banging ur girl on prom night, or if it was just a vague "carpe diem" vibe....

i know this should be in song lyrics/meanings section but i wanted a quick answer.. thanks.

[Neo Cassady]

No offense, but...

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=existentialism+on+prom+night+son g+meaning

[TravelingBySea]

Songmeanings.net is always a good start.

Here's the story of how it was written from John's blog. If you didn't read on specific Straylight songs, you should, it was really good.

http://johnnolanmusic.tumblr.com/page/7

Existentialism On Prom Night

I wrote the piano part for this song before Straylight Run formed and had it around as an instrumental piece for months. I really liked it but just couldn’t put any melody or lyrics to it that felt right. I felt like there wasn’t any part of the instrumental that seemed like a chorus. I kept trying to add chorus like parts to it but nothing seemed to work. Eventually I decided to just repeat the only two parts that were working and then bring up their intensity and dynamic level for a big finish. This seemed to work and I decided to write the lyrics and melody to it without any regard for giving it a traditional verse/chorus/verse structure. Once I did that the lyrics and melodies came together fairly quickly. When it was done I was very happy with it but figured that it’s lack of a repetitive chorus and it’s quasi classical piano feel would make it more of an obscure album track that the band and a few piano nerds might appreciate. I was pleasantly surprised when the first few people I played it for said that it was their favorite of Straylight’s first batch of songs. I was even more surprised when it was released and the fans seemed to almost unanimously agree. There’s a bittersweet feeling I will always associate with this song because peoples reaction to it was amazing but it was so strange and kind of scary to know that it had happened almost completely by accident.
A somewhat interesting side note about this song: When I originally recorded the piano intro on my four track I turned the tape over so it would play backwards and it sounded pretty cool. I sampled that and looped it and that became the intro and basis for the song It’s For The Best.

[ate_teenfourevr]

really cool link! thanks a bunch!

[andthetruthwill]

It's heavy reading, but I like this explanation of existentialism, in extract :

“Existentialism”, therefore, may be defined as the philosophical theory which holds that a further set of categories, governed by the norm of authenticity, is necessary to grasp human existence. To approach existentialism in this categorial way may seem to conceal what is often taken to be its “heart” (Kaufmann 1968:12), namely, its character as a gesture of protest against academic philosophy, its anti-system sensibility, its flight from the “iron cage” of reason. But while it is true that the major existential philosophers wrote with a passion and urgency rather uncommon in our own time, and while the idea that philosophy cannot be practiced in the disinterested manner of an objective science is indeed central to existentialism, it is equally true that all the themes popularly associated with existentialism—dread, boredom, alienation, the absurd, freedom, commitment, nothingness, and so on—find their philosophical significance in the context of the search for a new categorial framework, together with its governing norm.
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/existentialism/

Just applying that to the song title alone, as well as the feelings that song displays and infers, it's fitting I think.

[xxemo_kittyxx]

I was just about to mention it's a philosophical stream of thought, but that was all I could say because I've never got up to reading my class text on it. I'm a terrible student :(

By the way did anyone notice the chord progression being similar to Taking Back Sunday's "Cute Without the 'e'"?

[xapplexpiex]

I listened to this album today hah.

[foisol]

I love this song. I miss Straylight Run.

[cshadows2887]

This was "the" song among my group of friends as a HS senior. Always brings back pleasant, but bittersweet memories.

[phillipjacob]

every time i hear this song or seven years it brings back memories of high school and all that nostalgic crap about going to shows, etc.

[ninthandash]

I watched an interview with John on Fuse or something and he basically said that they threw existentialism in the title just to make it sound cool. I'm not kidding about this. Sorry for all of you trying to find philosophical meaning.

Existentialism is basically existence preceding essence. You create meaning through art, thought, consciousness, etc.

[kearn1tm]

Jesus, this thread is awful.

[sleepyseanzzz]

No offense, but...

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=existentialism+on+prom+night+son g+meaning

how can you say no offense then use lmgtfy?

[Neo Cassady]

how can you say no offense then use lmgtfy?

I use it as a teaching tool.

[Cuddleworthy]

sing me something soft....

...sad and delicate.....


.....then poop in.......

...my mouth.......

.........actually just--poop anywheeeeeeeeeeeeere.....

[Yellowcard2006]

sing me something soft....

...sad and delicate.....


.....then poop in.......

...my mouth.......

.........actually just--poop anywheeeeeeeeeeeeere.....
Woah! I've been hearing something completely different.

I need to start looking up lyrics.

[kearn1tm]

Existentialism is basically existence preceding essence. You create meaning through art, thought, consciousness, etc.

Let's reduce a very fluid philosophical concept to one very concentrated line from Existentialism is a Humanism. "Basically?"

[Cuddleworthy]

on a more relevant note how ugly is that girl at the end of the video holy crap

[IntoTheSun]

I laff

[kearn1tm]

I laff

Your name included in a thread is usually the kiss of death. For this thread, that's appropriate. Good job.

[IntoTheSun]

Your name included in a thread is usually the kiss of death. For this thread, that's appropriate. Good job.

You're usually an ass in every thread. For this thread, you are no different. Good job.

[kearn1tm]

You're usually an ass in every thread. For this thread, you are no different. Good job.

Thank you. I feel incredibly under-appreciated sometimes.

[IntoTheSun]

Thank you. I feel incredibly under-appreciated sometimes.

Right. I just can't differentiate between jokes, remember?

Smileys are helpful cues.

[kearn1tm]

Right. I just can't differentiate between jokes, remember?

Smileys are helpful cues.

Jokes?

[IntoTheSun]

Jokes?

More evidence of how you and Brian are the same person. I hate you both!!

[kearn1tm]

More evidence of how you and Brian are the same person. I hate you both!!

I guess I'm obligated to mention how much people who like music I don't suck now.

[kearn1tm]

Let's do caricatures of all AP members:

1.) Todd -- angry queer man who is very sarcastic!

2.)...I don't really care about anyone who isn't me though, so I'm already done.

[IntoTheSun]

I was going to try and correct you for the second time. You edit too quickly. Or maybe you're doing this to me on purpose...:squint:

[IntoTheSun]

I guess I'm obligated to mention how much people who like music I don't suck now.

What?

[kearn1tm]

I was going to try and correct you for the second time. You edit too quickly. Or maybe you're doing this to me on purpose...:squint:

People who point out typos are assholes.

[IntoTheSun]

People who point out typos are assholes.

Please, let's continue this pointless conversation some more :-d

Am I still allowed to say you suck balls? Because you do.

[kearn1tm]

Please, let's continue this pointless conversation some more :-d

Am I still allowed to say you suck balls? Because you do.

Smileys are grammatically incorrect. You're wrong. Look at me, making sure you know you're wrong. Look everyone, I'm showing Andrea she's wrong. Ha! I feel good now.

[smiley]

[IntoTheSun]

You make my dreams come true :-)

[wall e]

Existentialism was always a hard idea for me to grasp.

[Debut_Fin]

I love this song so much

[Numero10]

This is one of my favourite songs ever

[mattplayscheap]

ha this