A Musical Interlude: 6/9/01

    Hmm... I know they have sections on other sites about songs that remind you of various people or couplings in Trigun, and I know full-well I could submit this to those sites. However, I feel the need to elaborate on these songs because they do a good job representing Vash. There are just two, so I'll put up the lyrics in italics, then talk about them for awhile. Yea, I know this is really, REALLY random, but I didn't know where else to put it, and if I can't use my essay section for something like this, I don't know what else it's good for ^_^; You must also know my taste in music is classic rock American style, so I really, REALLY liked these songs even before I saw Trigun. They just relate nicely.

Paint it Black
-Rolling Stones
I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a newborn baby it just happens everyday
I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door and it has been painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facing up when you're whole world is black
No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
I could not forsee this thing happening to you
If I look hard enough into the setting sun
My love will laugh with me until the morning comes
I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I want to see it painted, paint it black
Black as night, black as coal
I want to see the sun blotted out amongst the sky
I wanna see it painted, painted, paint it black

Ok, at its heart, this is a guy singing about his lost love. So is Last Kiss, but I can't relate that to Trigun. Some of the things this guy (well... Mick Jagger, but the hypothetical guy) says sound like Vash things. Specifically, Rem-Vash things. Yes, many of these essays will be about Rem and Vash, but I promise the next song is just Vash. Anyway, painting the door black is probably just a sign of mourning. Ok. The next two lines about the girls strike me as Vash, because although he chases skirts, I don't think he'd ever seriously persue one just for the looks; Rem taught him better than that. So he looks away when it comes to serious relationships, holding himself back from hurting someone, warding off the temptation. The line of cars all painted black are things that remind him of his dead lover, Vash sees similar things in death and killing and really when anyone violates his principles. "With flowers and my love both never to come back" is self-explanatory, Rem is dead. Flowers are fleeting beauty that die, and so was the lover, Rem. Red geraniums tie into that nicely ^_^. The next two lines, people of course turn their heads and quickly look away everyday with Vash, because he's the infamous $$60 billion man. Identify him, but don't stare. If he thinks you know who he is, he'll blow your head off, of course. Riiight... Next, he looks inside himself and sees his heart is black. Sure, he tries to do the right thing, but he's still marked as the humanoid typhoon, and is marked for July and August. He destroyed so many lives at those places, and he probably feels that sin everyday. Thus, he sees himself as black-hearted, and so does nearly everyone else. Hmm... more door painting, but then "Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts, it's not easy facing up when your whole world is black." Vash DOES try to do this, that is, dissappear from existence. He becomes Ericks and tries to avoid the confrontation with Legato/Knives and all the violence and death that would accompany it, but that doesn't work for him because towns clear out in his absence. The whole world is black is very true as well; for someone who keeps high moral standards such as Vash's, the world must look very black and corrupted to him. The green sea turning a deeper blue I could never figure out... it could refer to a clarifying or beautifying that doesn't exist without hypothetical lover/Rem. The next line is something Vash tries to prevent by saving everyone's lives so they will not have to experience the death of a loved one right away. What a sweet guy ^_^ I wish he could do something about them just up and moving, though ;_; *ahem* Anyway, I do enjoy the next couplet, "If I look hard enough into the setting sun, my love will laugh with me before the morning comes," it's actually what got me relating the song to Trigun. When I heard it, I thought of all those Rem hallucinations he has, and also about that scene where he's looking up into the sky, wishing he could share it with Rem. So yes, if he sits out from sunset to sunrise thinking about Rem, they will eventually talk, if only in Vash's mind. Ok, then the rest of the song just repeats. So I really, REALLY think this relates to Vash and his motives and actions. Hopefully, even if you can't, you can see my point though -_-; The next one is very self-explanatory, so it won't have very much commentary, and I promise I won't make it long and painful and reeking of Rem like this one.

Renegade
- Styx
Oh Mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Law man has put an end to my running and I'm so far from my home
Oh Mama I can hear you cryin', you're so scared and all alone
Hangman is comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out
They finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
This'll be the end today
Of the wanted man
Oh Mama, I've been years on the lam and had a high price on my head
Lawman said 'Get him dead or alive' and it's for sure he'll see me dead
Dear Mama I can hear you cryin', you're so scared and all alone
Hangman is comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out
They finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
The judge'll have revenge today
On the wanted man
Oh Mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Hangman is comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very long
The jig is up, the news is out
They finally found me
The renegade who had it made
Retrieved for a bounty
Never more to go astray
This'll be the end today
Of the wanted man

Ok, this one is more easily related to Vash because it's about catching an outlaw with a bounty on his head. Replace Mamma with whoever you wish, since I promised not to mention who I think again -_^ Obviously Vash hasn't been caught, but I still think of him whenever I hear this on the radio, it has a very mournful, regretful quality at the beginning... you just kinda have to hear it.

Yea, I know that was long-winded, but you know... The first song is actually my favorite song... ever. It's just coincidental (or forced, perhaps) that it happens to fit in with my favorite anime series. Anyway, this is way too long as it is, so I'm just gonna stop now.