On Spandau Ballet and Not Needing to Explain Yourself

I have been a fan of Spandau Ballet since I listened to them for the first time when I was a kid. My Dad, just like any boomer, likes to blast their stereo speakers on a Sunday morning playing some slow rock songs. There’s something about this retro vibe that captured me and my creative soul.

Eventually, I have been occasionally hearing friends and colleagues (including myself) singing ‘Gold’ in karaoke. The song ‘Through the Barricades’ has intrigued me so much and I’d like to believe it has some historical context more than just being about a passionate love story.

Anyway, Round and Round is also good! I like the introductory melody of the song which sounds like a church organ. The lyrics also makes a lot of sense, even if I’m still yet to decipher the context or the story behind it.

However, that brings the question: does art always have to make sense? Or must there always be explanation behind art? We know for a fact that we sometimes come across a painting, a novel, or a song, where we can’t help but say, “What the fuck was that?”. It reminded me of an interview by Steven Yeun, one of the lead actors of the Korean film Burning, saying that “You don’t have to explain yourself” when he commented on the peculiar ending of the movie.

Here’s the lyrics of the song!

I don't have to be so wise
You're just my fantasy
And I will fantasize
Something more or less to make this things started
We're the artisans
And we've been crafted
I wanna be your magical mystery
I wanna be your final history
This is the news
Nothing's ever been so wild
All that I get to do
Is what I give to you
This is all about the circles we've found
And through the ups and downs
It goes round
Oh, I was just beginning to grow strong
She was only eighteen summers long
Oh, we were the news
Round and round it goes
And oh don't you know
This is the game that we came here for
Round and round it goes
And don't you know
I don't have to be so wise
You're just my fantasy
And I will fantasize
Something more or less to make this things started
We're the artisans
And we've been crafted
I wanna be your magical mystery
I wanna be your final history
This is the news
Round and round it goes
And oh don't you know
Ooh, this is the game that we came here for
Round and round it goes
And don't you know
Oh, this is the game that we came here for
Round and round it goes
And don't you know
Ooh, this is the game that we came here for
Round and round it goes
And don't you know
You're just my fantasy
And I will fantasize
I wanna be your magical mystery
I wanna be your final history
This is the news of my life
Oh, I was just beginning to grow strong
She was only eighteen summers long
Oh, we were the news
We were the news
We were the news
Round and round it goes
And oh don't you know
This is the game that we came here for
Round and round it goes
And don't you know
Round and round it goes
Round and round it goes
And oh don't you know
Ooh, this is the game that we came here for
Round and round it goes
And don't you know
Round and round it goes

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