Meanings and Notions behind the Songs

[Rekky]

I prefer angels, that verse inspired me to write a tale.

[ryan9315]

In "London", what exactly is she referring to when she says "heavenly creatures"?

Heavenly creatures = angels, gods. The like.

Ok, cool, I thought so, but I kept doubting it for some reason.

[ryan9315]

Why is White Houses in they Key of C in the music video? But it's B when she plays it live..

[[sobriquet]]

It was originally written in B Maj. but recorded to C Maj. The reason, I don't know.

[Patricius]

Presumably, it's easier for her to sing in B than in C.  Of course, a recording studio can tweak anyone's voice to make it sound "better," but since she pretty much sounds the same live or on CD, B is most likely a comfort zone for her.

[[sobriquet]]

Yes, maybe that's it. But I also think that maybe it's because the quality of her voice had changed over the years.

[Fred_Saboya]

1.White Houses - a song about rites of passage.

i think white houses is about things you do at teenage. it's all "white" and pure before you hit that age. i'm kinda going through it right now hahah.
sometimes it's hard, but i really love every minute of it. we start to walk with the wrong people and do wrong stuff. omg, we get so fucked up. i can really relate every single verse of the song to a part of my life. well, not the bridge, cuz i'm a boy, and you know... no blood and no pain for me. hahahah.

so, seriously, i fall in love with this song more and more everyday. this song is really helping me out. it tells me things that i can't tell anyone. what i love the most about it, is that it is all true. listening to it makes me feel sad in a beautiful way.

thanks for reading. i just had to let it out.

[ryan9315]

Presumably, it's easier for her to sing in B than in C.  Of course, a recording studio can tweak anyone's voice to make it sound "better," but since she pretty much sounds the same live or on CD, B is most likely a comfort zone for her.

Oh, alright, that's what I had figured. When she sings it in B, it seems more lively. Especially when she does the second chorus. Those E's sound so great on the left hand. C major is so "perfect" sounding. Either way, it sounds great.

[Patricius]

Yes, maybe that's it. But I also think that maybe it's because the quality of her voice had changed over the years.

She's performed it in B since she released it.  It's only on the CD where it's in C.  I have a feeling she was forced to record it in C.

Oh, alright, that's what I had figured. When she sings it in B, it seems more lively. Especially when she does the second chorus. Those E's sound so great on the left hand. C major is so "perfect" sounding. Either way, it sounds great.

Agreed. Instead of reaching for notes a half-step higher, I think she puts more energy into her singing.

[WhiteRabbit]

I think paradise is about being in this unhealthy kind of zone but it being comfortable there, like not wanting to change anything about it cause it's a comfortable but still wrong.
"one more day in paradise, one last chance to feel alright.."

[mysticalmists]

I love "White Houses", and can play it all the way in C Major..but damn, B major?! Those sharps kill me, especially with all the octave movement in the song..

I guess there are a lot of things that V had to change from live performance-recorded version - like "Ordinary Day", she usually sings "if we walk now we will divide and conquer this land" rather than "don't you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand"...I'm pretty sure that change was deliberate, but for "White Houses", I don't know if it was forced...I remember watching an interview and V said that everything on the album was deliberately made, like every single note and everything~

[Martin.]

I thought it was written in C originally and she just plays it in B because it's easier for her to sing?

"White Houses" in B isn't too bad to play. I actually prefer playing it in that than I do in C.

[joey]

In "London", what exactly is she referring to when she says "heavenly creatures"?

Heavenly creatures = angels, gods. The like.

For some reason (I think I've mentioned this before) I kinda imagine her talking about Gargoyles. There's something about London and Gargoyles and I keep imagining them whenever I hear the song.

Just being overtly poetic about the line... I know. But it's Gargoyles

[Patricius]

Bmaj doesn't stand out as hard as a key to play in. There doesn't seem much of a change between C and B for White Houses: it's mostly comprised of octaves and power chords. If there were some obscure runs or arpeggios, I'd be a little wary of it then.

On topic though:

For some reason (I think I've mentioned this before) I kinda imagine her talking about Gargoyles. There's something about London and Gargoyles and I keep imagining them whenever I hear the song.

Just being overtly poetic about the line... I know. But it's Gargoyles

I still like to think of it as agnosticism. I suppose it's more relative for a religious-to-secular themed...society.

[sarab]

Bmaj doesn't stand out as hard as a key to play in. There doesn't seem much of a change between C and B for White Houses: it's mostly comprised of octaves and power chords. If there were some obscure runs or arpeggios, I'd be a little wary of it then.

On topic though:

For some reason (I think I've mentioned this before) I kinda imagine her talking about Gargoyles. There's something about London and Gargoyles and I keep imagining them whenever I hear the song.

Just being overtly poetic about the line... I know. But it's Gargoyles

I still like to think of it as agnosticism. I suppose it's more relative for a religious-to-secular themed...society.

yes, especially because she says, 'they never answer back'  could be a questioning of faith, rather than agnosticism.  The whole song is kind of about (to me) what ifs and things she may have done wrong, growing older and maturing.  As we grow older we question things more and try to find answers.  we question these heavenly creatures and whatever god we were taught to believe it, and when they don't answer back, we must look into ourselves for answers. 
Sorry, just a tangent, maybe not exactly what the song is about..