By Heidi
Heavens, this is a sublime song.
There is something celestial about Give It All Up. Not only does the lyrics point to this with its many
references to the universe, but the instruments also refer to space. These I believe we are to understand metaphorically. The beginning sounds like static noise which makes me think of the universe, this is followed by drums which built up a kind of suspense while the rocket takes off in the background. And we’re off into a world of breathtaking metaphors which connect one relationship on one planet on the outskirts of an inferior galaxy with the magnitude of the universe.
‘Standing on the edge of something greater than us all/Down into the heart of universes we fall/ Falling with the fires trailing glory on their way/ Know that we are heading for tomorrow to day’. This is poetry. It’s almost too grandiose, but then comes the mundane. ‘Anyway, lover/ What ya think I’m gonna do?’ I’m thrown off balance and I like it. The lyrics play with us, just as the instruments play with each other. They take turns being prominent like when the violins are indistinct at first only to take centerstage during the bridge. And then there are all the strange little bleeps that pop up. They are a counterweight to the rest of the instrumentation and they make me sit on the edge of my chair waiting for the next one.
There are so many things going on but I feel they fit together beautifully to create the celestial atmosphere I feel this song has. Most pop songs have a boring pattern of verse – chorus – verse etc. Duran Duran play with this concept. This means that unexpected things happen. It keeps us alert as listeners, like when I’m taken aback when Tove Lo starts her raplike chorus. (Good thing
they didn’t let Simon do that…)
I might be overinterpretating the space theme here but the way the song fades reminds me of a spaceship disappearing in space.