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Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 17:36:02 -0400
From: Adam Klein
Subject: s/savage_garden/santa_monica.crd
Song: Santa Monica
By: Savage Garden
>From The Album: Savage Garden
Chorded By: Adam Klein
E-Mail: Adam_Klein@compuserve.com
Web Page: The Ultimate Amanda Marshall Homepage
URL: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Adam_Klein
If you want the words to be aligned with the guitar chords, you must view
it in a non-fixed-width font, such as Times New Roman or Arial.
Verse 1:
A C#m
In Santa Monica, in the wintertime
F#m E A
The la - zy streets so undemanding
C#m F#m E
I walk into the crowd
A
In Santa Monica
C#m F#m D A
You get your coffee from the coolest places on the promenade
C#m F#m D E
Where people dress just so
C#m7 D
Beauty so unavoidable, everywhere you turn it's there
C#m7 D
I sit and wonder what am I doing here?
Chorus:
A E D
E
But on the telephone line I am anyone, I am anything I want to be
F#m E
I can be a supermodel or Norman Mailer
D
And you wouldn't know the difference
Or would you?
A C#m F#m E
Ooh......
Verse 2:
In Santa Monica, all the people got modern names like Jake or Mandy
And modern bodies too
In Santa Monica, on the boulevard
You'll have to dodge those in-line skaters
Or they'll knock you down
I never felt so lonely
Never felt so out of place
I never wanted something more than this
Chorus #2:
But on the telephone line I am anyone, I am anything I want to be
I could be a super model or Norman Mailer
And you wouldn't know the difference
On the telephone line I am any height, I am any age I want to be
I could be a caped crusader, or space invader
And you wouldn't know the difference
Or would you?
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Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques
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Gabe Average |
#1 by Gabe Hawkins at Nov 3, 1971 at 9:54 AM EST |
| What about a blind date? This could be the subject of the song.... I mean, he's obviously observing the people around him ("inline skaters"), almost as if he's waiting for something... and then- he sings "Beauty so unavoidable, everywhere you turn it's there. I sit and wonder what am I doing here?" Could this hint at feeling of anxiety? That feeling of 'oh, so-and-so's not gonna like me... i'm so ugly'? Or, 'gee, i feel so out of place here...' And then the chorus... Maybe the "couple" met each other over the internet (i know that's pushing it as this song is a few yrs old..... but hey? why not?!), or thru letters, thru a friend, i don't know. just obviously not face-to-face. and have only talked on the phone, as if to imply 'hey, look it- i sound one way on the phone, i could be this, this, and this. and u wouldn't know the truth, would u?'' Its like he likes the concept of being "anonymous" or faceless even. no one can truly judge him this way. I know chances are that this is not at all what this song was written for or about... but i luv how song interpretation is open. I luv how so many lyrics can take on 'double-meanings'. | |
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eddy Lead Player |
#2 by eddy blade at Dec 6, 1972 at 1:43 PM EST |
| Yup that's right, he's writing about someone who's envious of all the good looking and athletic people, and probably socially inept due to his physical appearance. The guy/girl however performs fine otherwise over the phone when identity is inconscequential. Lyrics aside, this song has a wondeful melody and melancholic tone to it. Nice. | |
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Jason Rhythm Player |
#3 by Jason ...... at Mar 30, 1976 at 11:27 PM EST |
| This song has a a lot more meaning to me now that I've read the lyrics word for word.. this reminds me of how my Asian friend described how she felt when she went to Croatia (sp?). She said she felt like everyone stared at her and that she was an alien and she felt insecure and kind of depressed. It's an interesting song and kind of relatable. I'd say there's a lot of people out there who feel like they wonder what they are doing "here"... like in their town or whatever, and how easy it is to cover up your real identity and make people think whatever you want about yourself when you don't know them well. I guess you can trick people into thinking you fit in. But not for long. | |
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Daniel Average |
#4 by Daniel Gordon at Oct 9, 1979 at 11:40 PM EST |
| AHH lol sorry...i keep screwing up with the Fing back button..i already typed this but its gone :o( Uhh...yeh like no comments at all for any song by them...dunno why though. I guess it's a little old but whatever...he's got a sweet voice. This song is pretty cool.. | |
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Mike Average |
#5 by Mike Fraguglia at Mar 17, 1980 at 2:36 AM EST |
| I don't think the lyrics have been fully interpreted here. It's not about a blind date, or only about physical appearance, it's much deeper than that. I read Darren saying that he wrote it being in the U.S. for the first time, after living all his life in a humble way back there in Australia. He suddenly finds out how different things are at the other side of the world, where all he sees is beautiful people, and he does feel an outsider, since looks don't mean "that" much to him...he's used to something else...He feels lonely and he's still surrounded by a lot of people. He finds out that internet is a great escape -it was a discovery back then in 95/96, being able to be whoever he wants to be in there, a huge writer, a supermodel...and you wouldn't ever know it. His voice sound just beautiful and reminds me that pain of feeling all alone in the world...and somehow out of place. | |
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Rich Average |
#6 by Rich Frazer at Mar 15, 1984 at 11:57 PM EST |
| well this song is awesome . I love it so much , although there people might say they're faggot . i don't give a shit about it . just listening good songs from whom ! | |
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Jimmy "Hoffa" Average |
#7 by Jimmy "Hoffa" at Jun 8, 1985 at 4:31 AM EST |
| This song sounds like someone who is very insecure with himself, or his looks. He's sitting in Santa Monica, where apparently all the "beautiful people" are, and they're so athletic and incredibly fit... he wishes to be one of them, to fit it and be one of the beautiful people. But on the "telephone line" (actual phone/internet) he can be whoever he wants to be. He can be a good-looking, well-liked guy. And this is where I start thinking this guy is like a phone/net stalker. It's a little creepy. Maybe he keeps setting up blind dates from the phone (probably not the internet, this song *is* a few years old) but wusses out before he meets them. Kind of a sad song, if you think about it. | |
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Jimmy Average |
#8 by Jimmy Dresbach at Jul 15, 1986 at 3:33 AM EST |
| I love this song, it's so cute! He's right!!! On the telephone line you can be anything. I think it's really cute because he's like a little kid when he sings this, and he has a little lisp while singing it. His voice goes high as it does, in a childish way this time, but it's an Acoustic song, and that's so un-Savage Garden. I get the feeling that he wrote this, sitting on a park bench at the park, during the winter, when the Sakura trees are in full bloom, and for some reason in his To The Moon And Back outfit, and a scarf, with all these skateboarders, inline skaters, and beautiful people, all on their expensive cellphones, and he goes to get some Coffee, walks along the Boulevard, gets knocked down by the skaters, and no-one pays him any attention. So, he gathers up his papers, throws his now-empty coffee cup in the bin and walks back to his hotel, dodging the skaters wisely this time. He gets to his hotel and rings the operator so he can talk to his family back home. He realises, 'This person doesn't know me! For all they know, I am Norman Mailer, or a Caped Crusdaer. I could even be a supermodel!' this cheers him up. The operator takes AGES and AGES to connect him, forever telling him to "hold, please." so he just hangs up. I love the fact that he has a little lisp in this song, IDK if he has it other songs, but it isn't edited out in here, which just makes this song so cute to me. | |
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Joe Average |
#9 by Joe Blurton at Jul 18, 1994 at 6:20 PM EST |
| I can't believe no one has commented on this song yet...it is such an amazing and heartfelt song. To me it is about anonymity and being alone in a place full of people. Now that I think about it, it reminds me of the video for Darren's Insatiable...being outside the loop, on the outside looking in. Just thoughts. | |
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Badass |
#10 by Nirvana at Oct 31, 1994 at 2:14 PM EST |
| Yeh..savage garden doesnt have many comments at all..maybe it was one of those one hit wonder bands. Well, anyways..eh the cd is a little old but whatever. I like this song a lot....he's got a sweet ass voice. | |
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Eric Average |
#11 by Eric Boozer at Dec 14, 1994 at 2:36 AM EST |
| I think it means that his feeling as an outsider and is meating this person there. A person his met but not face to face and in the phone talking to this person he can pretend to be anyone really. It kinda reminds me of those telephone dating lines that show up on tv. So anyways i think he is meeting this person and his wondering if they will be able to tell 'em apart from the others. I think it means this i could be wrong anyhow. | |
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The Random Rock Average |
#12 by The Random Rocker at Jun 21, 2000 at 6:52 AM EST |
| Or amybe. Its about a person who doesnt like being themself, and feels so out of it. so alone. But on the telephone line, or internet. they can pretend to be whoever they want just to feel better, because they really hate them self. And in the city, santa monica, no one knows how the person feels, and they just have to egt out of the way, "or theyll knock you down" | |
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The Random Rock Average |
#13 by The Random Rocker at May 19, 2002 at 2:32 PM EST |
| Yah, I don't care what other people say about them. I just love their music- it's not like all that meaningless, disfunctional stuff that's out there now. | |
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Michael Average |
#14 by Michael Vanderveen at Feb 25, 2003 at 8:14 AM EST |
| this song is so beautiful! I love savage garden and i dont care what anyone says! They were a great band and Truely Madly Deeply was their best album - people just think that they've done boring slushy songs with a high pitched voice but of corse their wrong, surprisingly a lot of their songs are kinda rocky lol, and the best thing is all the songs are deep and meaningful, something that many modern bands lack! | |
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Zane Rhythm Player |
#15 by Zane Haight at May 7, 2003 at 3:31 PM EST |
| hmmm thanks, gabigs, for that insight! well, i've been listening to this song for YEARS but i've never thought to comment on it. until this song was played on my player on shuffle. and ohmy did it hit me hard.. i found another way of intepreting it.. not so much as a stranger in a new place but someone who is already familiar with a place but yet finds him/herself feeling alienated all of a sudden because of the lines "In Santa Monica, in the wintertime, the lazy streets so undemanding, I walk into the crowd". it gives off a feeling wherethe person is already familiar with Santa Monica, no? just walking into the crowd like any other day. oh well, just my 2cents worth. in a way i am so familiar with my environment having lived here for 20 years but sometimes, i do sit and wonder what am i still doing here and why havent i changed.. | |
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