Amanda Palmer - Strength Through Music

[jackthecb]

One of the saddest songs out there. The prologue fits so incredibly well with the idea of a teenage shooting. A person who is misinformed, attempting to understand something, going over it again and again in his head, trying to make sense of the world; no-one listens; no-one helps; it's a fruitless endeavour. In an attempt to be heard, to be understood and to be acknowledged, the teenager commits an atrocity. A brilliantly moving and tragic look on people that are branded savages in the media.

[Dadagnos]

@Mintzik I was just thinking, after reading your comment and realizing the song was adressing a highschool shooting: the classical alchemists where trying to turn lead into gold...

[Mintzik]

To all the comments speculating about this: It was written shortly after the Columbine shootings, and the day Palmer went to officially record the song turned out to be the day of Virginia Tech shootings. First time I saw this performed, the violinist read out the list of the dead and wounded from Columbine in place of the Strindberg quote.

[praisemyusername]

I feel like I've heard that intro somewhere... else. Anybody?

[LadyPantera127]

isn't it awosome to see ur song on smb's iPod?!

[blackholenebula1]

Do you enjoy working in the basement of the Sea Org? Amanda Palmer now feeds millions into the gaping hole of Scientology via Neil Gaiman. Palmer is a sell out and a traitor and will clearly do anything for her fifteen minutes, even fund a dangerous cult.

[Hollenvaen]

@blackholenebula1 He's not a scientologist though...

[Jiffykittie]

@Hollenvaen did u just say scientologist?

[bridgetbennett02]

WHY CANT THESE SONGS BE HOURS LONG I CANT KEEP REPLAYING

[blackholenebula1]

Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman belong to a cult that opposes free speech and free movement. Scientology runs prison camps for its members, litigates enemies into silence and is responsible for suicides and suspicious deaths worldwide. Gaiman grew up being audited and intimidated himself and is used to lying. He may not even realize he’s a hypocrite. Scientology persecutes gay men and woman, by supporting Prop 8 in CA along with so many crazy scams and crimes I can’t list here.

[Lyco499499]

@blackholenebula1 Riiiiiight, Amanda Palmer, advocate of free speech who writes and sings songs about things everyone else avoids is actually what now? A Scientologist? An Illuminatus? Grow up.

[rubius0]

@blackholenebula1 From someone who has actually spent time with Neil and has read and seen Amanda's work for years, you are sincerely wrong in your opinion of Neil and Amanda. Both of them have done high profile pro-gay supporting projects I cannot comment on their personal beliefs but it is usually easy to see people's beliefs by what they do and neither Neil or Amanda have ever done anything publicly promoting anti-gay or anti-freedom. Do some research.

[Satankitteh]

Its sad how some can only think about a pair of boots while listening to a song about massacre. Its not difficult to see how those with sense could lose themselves to insanity... We are, after all, children at of a new age.

[Lyco499499]

@Satankitteh They are nice boots though...

[spectraljew]

i hate getting high-rated comments on youtube videos when people reply to my 7-month old comments trying to explain it.

it's a joke. you can stop replying.

[JRPythons]

@spectraljew sup.

[spectraljew]

@JRPythons oi oi

[TheCarmillaShow]

I want her boots.....

[agquarx]

Kingdom for her boots!

[jjoyce73]

Iron and sulfur only make gold for fools.

[JenniferCuppett]

and packed his bag he hung his walkman around his neck tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick it's so simple the way they fall no cry, no whimper no sound at all tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick boom

[JenniferCuppett]

locked in his bedroom he saw the world a web of answers and cumshot girls tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick don't bother blaming his games and guns he's only playing and boys just want to have fun he picked a soundtrack

[Jiffykittie]

So I'm a painter and i have had "painters block" as my friends call it, for the past two months. I listened to this song and was inspired. Thanks Amanda Palmer for helping out with more than one art <3!

[multimonoprint]

8 people couldn't make gold from Iron and Sulphur

[DannieIsDead]

I think the meaning of the song is about the Virginia Tech shootings. She's singing about a boy who locked himself in his bedroom with his computer, a lonely boy. "Don't bother blaming his games and guns.." The students are running around because they were mean to him and he wanted to get revenge. Amanda says "tick tick tick tick tick" because it was only a matter of time before he cracked. He falls down last because after he shot the students, he committed suicide.

[alexjayinchains]

@DannieIsDead it's also written about 'columbine' as well.

[CassieSingz]

@DannieIsDead

I thought it was about Columbine..? Because the two students brought bombs and the song was mentioning both their mental state on the verge of "exploding" and the fact that they created so many bombs to blow the school to pieces. That was what I read anyway. But that would also make sense lol...

[Krystalker666]

@CassieSingz Originally it was about Columbine, but I don't think it's meant to be specific. It's really more about the tragedy of the situation rather than fine details, so it can be taken to be about the Virginia Tech massacre as well.

[lynch03]

@DannieIsDead it's about columbine

[JenniferCuppett]

what are the lyrics? i can barely hear her

[LCxCZ]

@JenniferCuppett Stop being lazy and use google.

[JenniferCuppett]

@LCxCZ  its not laziness

[AmehSweet]

Anyone else have a massive urge to buy flat lace up boots now?

[bmxshitt]

This is legit.

[murasakidragonspirit]

tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick

boom

[horimonobaby]

The beginning is a poem, an excerpt from a fruitful play writer, and a surrealist essayist august stridberg.

[XxMimIxX18]

I wonder why she only wrote about one of the murderers? Maybe because he was the real mastermind behind everything...

[kulang90]

Her.... Boots.... So.... GOOD

[KoyukisWings]

I don't understand whats supposed to be happening... o.o someone explain plz.

[X3crazyidiot]

@KoyukisWings Amanda Palmer wrote this song just after and about the Columbine school massacre, if I'm not mistaken.

[DarkShadowMegadeth]

I get this.

[PotassiumAcetate]

The "F and S Helium, F... and... S" is from Strindberg and Helium... An amazing series of videos.

[louass36]

where is the quote from? F and S are latin letters not greek, turns out this person knows no chemistry or classics.

really moving song, if a little slow for my liking.

[AvaDisarm]

@louass36 If you'd seen the video that clip is from you'd know that he translates the greek letters to English to read them out, it does show the greek letters on the screen as he says F and S

[SirrBrave]

I love this "ding.....dong"

[mutinyinheav3n]

oh yeaaah, ~strength through music~ u guyz. how inspirational and shit. hahaha. fucking garbage

[ToxicScars666]

@mutinyinheav3n Don't like it? Don't watch it & keep negativity to yourself & just dislike it, kinda like i disliked ur comment :)

[SirRiehl]

@mutinyinheav3n

Attention whore.

[grizzwaldo]

I am in love. :-( :-)

[CharmyTanguera10]

This is a fantastic song.. and amazing video!!!

[AlinaGFL]

que tipa mas fiera



[spectraljew]

F isn't the chemical symbol for Iron. Fe is.

It's a good thing that Palmer isn't a scientist, she would accidentally put Fluorine in formulas that need Iron lolol.

[dusty668]

@spectraljew  It's a quote. And the song is lovely.

[AvaDisarm]

@spectraljew It's a sample from Strindberg and Helium, so while it is wrong, it's not her mistake :P

[MyCommentsRMaturelol]

@spectraljew How did I not catch that the first thousand times I listened to this song? I've WORKED with flourine for god's sake.

[LCxCZ]

@MyCommentsRMaturelol Flourine? O'really, what kind of flour?

[mangaollie]

@spectraljew if she were a scientist she wouldn't share this beautiful music with us, so yes... i am happy she chose to be what she is today.

[infocus]

@spectraljew It's actually from a Strindberg piece, and it goes well with the song. First, the guy observes things that he completely misunderstands and misinterprets. The symbol for iron is Fe, and there is no Greek letter F, just Ph. In any case, hard to imagine finding sticks in the shape of phi and sigma, hehe. Second, he then decides to do something completely incongruous to what he has found (making gold out of iron and sulfur). Now, think about the kid in the song!

[noisenik]

@infocus Absolutely, and it is significant to realise that AFP is also playing off the fact that he was one of Nietzsche's 1st public advocates, and a self-concious ideological misogynist as well as a fascinating artistic intellectual polymath. Difficult as it maybe to accept, he is a cultural fore-runner of elements of Nazism - hence the title. Along with Guitar Hero this a sympathetic but devastating critique of psychotic alienated masculinity. So "Whose afraid of AFP?" I am FAB

[efernalgumby]

@infocus HOLY CRAP. I finally get why that is in the song. Thank you!

[chinashopjada]

@spectraljew she didn't write the intro part it is from a Strindberg and Helium cartoon.

So Amanda isn't a scientist, but she also isn't an idiot.

[spectraljew]

@chinashopjada I can tell you that in the four months between me writing that comment and you replying that you are not the first to fail to take a joke.

[nikkirbee]

@spectraljew

I really see it as a reference as to the history of Alchemy that happened from the 1400's (the practice of alchemy was recorded in ancient China as well) all the way into the Renaissance, where people were trying to create gold and silver from basic elements for medical and wealth reasons. This practice was not only idealistic, but also never fruitful...a simple metaphor for anyone trying to make something out of nothing.

[AlphaDivxMovies]

@spectraljew you are nerdy....;-)

[thereisnoorangespoon]

So... today, here in Brazil, we had this awful act against the life of many children... and the first thing that I remembered, was this song. I'm totally choked and speechless.

[waltzinmatilda63]

Chilling.

[SamuelEllmer]

UH-OH, NO ALBUM ART.

[momochankb]

I really think this song should be played at schools, during violence awareness assemblies and the like. If kids really listened to the lyrics, and watched the video it might help with the alienation and anger that causes these sort of things...

[PatjeBree]

Seeing this live almost made me cry...so much emotion in this song...I love Amanda ! :) in everythong she does ...

[EnchantedMagickLove]

Okay powerful lyrics for sure!

[EnchantedMagickLove]

WTF???!!!!!

[HRGROCK]

i guess it just "runs in the family" cus ive met three "backstabbers" but i gain "strengh through music" i feel like im floating right now so i must be an "astronaut".

[AgentBeryllium]

HELIUM!!!!

[propertyofranger]

This is just the most amazing song. I love that this was filmed at her old high school, and that she actually walks past her old locker.

AFP is love <3

[Biverix]

I am sorry but WHAT? F is not the symbol for iron and especially not the Greek F.

*adjusts tie*

Good night.

[HowPutDownWeAre]

I am not hating on Amanda Palmer, because she is just ridiculously awesome... but the symbol for iron is not 'F', it's 'Fe'. I don't think you really get gold if you combine sulfur and fluorine...

[sian1927]

@HowPutDownWeAre That's an extract from something else that they decided would sound cool at the start of the song, they didn't actually make it. Although i can't remember exactly what it's from, sorry.

[mynamjo]

@HowPutDownWeAre i tink thats the pont its like trying for somthing thats pointless when you dont even understand what your trying to do

[jesusff10]

@HowPutDownWeAre

I think its talking about gunpowder (explosives i think)

[noodlegirl55]

Check out "Strindberg and Helium with Sulfur and Iron". that's the intro for you right there.

[PlagueRat7]

t’s so simple

The way they fall

The final impact

No sound at all <3

[spunkalicous96]

This video is a fucking masterpiece.

[Titanstower]

This song gives me a sort of... thoughtful moment. It's really enticing

[sunchilde68]

I am so incredibly moved in a very strange way . .I Love this beyond any rational explanation ..It is now and FOREVER a part of my life on this 3rd stone from the sun in the lonely space we occupy in the universe..

[nataliethebrilliant]

SUGAR, SPICE, AND EVERYTHING NICE. THESE ARE THE INGREDIENTS TO CREATE THREE PERFECT LITTLE GIRLS!

[Powerfulllestkid]

T..T..T...T

[mezNyouzX3]

this kinda reminds me of what a highschool would look like if there was a announcement that a meteirite just entered our atmosphere. Aw--shit.

[mezNyouzX3]

I love her.

I love those boots.

I want those boots O_O

[shockisallinyourhead]

Amanda Palmer is alpha as fuck

[mightymouse666]

I could fall in love with her.

[ubiquitousssloveee]

i love amanda

but

i feel like that whole video was an ipod touch commercial...

[VMLslayer]

what is the man saying in the introduction? can someone give me the "lyrics" of the part, please?

[thebeatlesinhelp]

i love you amanda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!

[latestranger]

Yep... Florine and Sulfur, not Iron, doll. Fe S is Iron and Sulfur.

[Fauxsuede1]

@latestranger greek letters, not english letters.

[actorboy59]

But iron is Fe :(

But its okay! I still love you Amanda!



[glittergrrl1313]

I absolutely adore this song, but I just don't get how the intro fits with the meaning behind the song. How are alchemy and school shootings related? Is the intro supposed to be symbolic of the highschool shooters misunderstanding the "signs" they've used to rationalize their actions? It's a stretch, at best, unless I'm missing something...

[KateBushFan88]

@glittergrrl1313 I've always thought it meant that the high school shooters were like the olden day alchemists: wasting their lives trying to acheive something impossible since killing people cant aleviate the alienation or anger at society which most of them feel. They have the 'tools' or the talents but they waste them on senseless violence instead of doing something worthwhile. Amazing song anyway!

[larissamgas]

No you can't :p

hihihi jojo

[VMLslayer]

can we have lyrics?:$

[larissamgas]

@VMLslayer No you can't :p

hihihi jojo

[BananaButterPickles]

@larissamgas XD Lmfao.

[VMLslayer]

@larissamgas

ahaha como o mundoeé pequeno, acabamos a ver os mesmo videos no youtube sem fazermos por isso xD bem podias saber as letras da introduçao:p se reparares qd o gajo diz os simbolos quimicos no inicio penso que se engana !

[RayexBoi]

Boom

[TheCarrieeKellyy]

she is wonderful. (:

[morskapjena]

I LOVE her videos!

[livingvampyre666]

@xxJynxiexx yes and other school shootings

[xmisogyny]

The intro is too fuckin epic

[Athanatizein]

I... hate it when serendipity shows me myself in ways like this. I really... really hate it. Tears and thumbs, Amanda. Damn you.

[WhiteRoseNamine]

I saw her in LA at the Fonda in 08 and I'll never forget this performance. The whole venue was dead silent, the emotion and meaning of this song really penetrated the silence through the chords. It was a mesmerizing show.

Amanda Palmer is a true artist<3

[ThePriceis979]

What is this song about?

[livingvampyre666]

@ThePriceis979 Columbine

[LozzyTheOracle]

Oh, how I've missed her.

[NettanMuffin306]

she's so amazing!! :D

[fatman13x]

wtf was that about

[ylraMx]

this is so sad..

[NeaeraNeaeraNeaera]

Heeeeeeeeelium!

[eyeofthecrow]

who is doing the thing at the beginning, and is it a quotation, or something come up with for the song/video?

[gedwolfe]

THUMBS UP IF YOU CRIED!

[ohioasp]

This video and song gives me chills.

[AvaDisarm]

I would go gay for Amanda Palmer <3

[xGreenFurx]

Will someone explain to me about the video? Please? :S

[catvamp13mishka]

@xGreenFurx i sent you a comment on your page anymore questions send me a message

[ikomplex]

@catvamp13mishka

would you explain me too, pleasE?

[catvamp13mishka]

@ikomplex if you subcribe to me :P

[98lulus]

I wanna cry! This makes me look at the shooting in a whole other way.

[pavielle83]

Pavielle williamson loves this video

[pavielle83]

i got it school shootings happened and they blamed the music. the tick tick tick is slow motion bullet rounds, and the kids fall. Running in panic. i think :P

[plummad]

@pavielle83 | I wouldn't say that.I'd have thought that it's describing hat no-one wanted to talk about how the guy himself was a victim in this too -how no-one stopped to think about how screwed up he was himself; because he could do some things normally hence criticising modern attitudes to mental differences with inevitable outcomes such as this; the 'tick tick tick' perhaps ref. to the fact the kid was a walking bomb, to go off - also representing, with "no sound at all" how he'd kill himelf

[Poggylot]

@pavielle83 Unless the tick tick tick ending in the boom is meant to be like a bomb, a ticking time bomb, which is the boy, the killer.

[pavielle83]

This Gives me chills

[Chels1836]

beautiful

[PalmerAMark]

I haven't met a Palmer without Talent.

[insertafeckingname]

Am I the only one who has resolved to never ever in my life purchase a herbal essences product due to fucking annoying youtube ads?

[BD8DXD]

i dont get it

[craziistuchii]

i love her boots ;)

[Arconeus]

I can't believe anyone has not done this yet...but check out Strindberg & Helium.(episode can be found at strindbergandhelium(dot)com/ir­on.html)

also

Q: Did you know that Strindberg uses the wrong pronunciation of the word sou?

A: Uh…yeah. It was a mistake we know it should sound like SOO, not SOW.

[stfugtfofgt]

Haha OMG I never noticed the girl going crazy before?

[VTRAddict]

It's a reference/tribute to the Columbine shootings, and was apparently filmed at Amanda's own High School. Amazingly powerful. She is incredible!

[rumginny]

Drives me crazy that the man narrating the beginning doesn't know how to pronounce "sou." He say "sow" which make no sense. (He's reaching into his pocket -- surely he isn't expecting to find a pig.) And Amanda speaks French, so why didn't she correct him? Otherwise, it's very cool. But still . . . .

[Surisan12]

@rumginny You're probably right. Granted, I'm no expert on French. But, in my opinion, I think it probably symbolizes something. And that something I am unsure of...

[stfugtfofgt]

@rumginny Because she sampled it from somewhere. It wasn't recorded specifically for the song.

[Arconeus]

@rumginny because that's how it is in the flash video that this is from. It's sorta a toss out to Strindberg & Helium

[bronlokis]

wow.... tick tick tick tick tick tick boom

how powerful was that?!?!?!?

[NeverEverFaceTheDark]

...Is this about a schoolshooting...? :(

It's really beautiful...

I don't get the Nicholas Flamel monologue-thingie at the beginning though xD

[jimmymougeot]

@NeverEverFaceTheDark The thing about iron and sulfer is about the creation of guns.

[SmileenKlasp]

beautifull

[emmetallica]

I heard this live and it made me cry :'( Powerful stuff.

[TheLOLfish]

From what I heard in an interview some time ago I believe the song is about the Columbine massacre, or some high school shooting. I make sense, but my memory is a bit frazzled. By the way is that the same set used in the guitar hero video?

[Sn0wboi]

@TheLOLfish Yes, the 2 are certainly linked because both reference videogames.

[Thewisedaz]

@TheLOLfish Yeah, the guitar hero video follows on from this

[unbornserenity]

tel me what do you think the meaning is

[sqb0]

how this only has 3000 views i dont know

[corbeau4]

this song makes me tingly

=]

[iampervysage]

Amanda Palmer is life.

[RavenAmongDoves]

This song makes me cry, for some reason. So simple, but so heartbreaking.

[CarsitoPyg]

Fuck Yeah, AP.

[aimingtosing123]

hehehee

[RbkCiRuela]

OMHG!!!

I love herrr!!! +_+