(In Search of) Penny Century

The song '(In Search of) Penny Century' by Cassandra Complex is a poignant exploration of longing and idealized love. The repeated invocation of 'Penny Century' suggests a deep infatuation or obsession with a person or an ideal that the narrator desperately wants to hold onto. The lyrics 'I love you, I love you / Don't go away, don't go away' emphasize a fear of loss and a desire for permanence in a relationship that seems almost unattainable.

The name 'Penny Century' itself could be a metaphor for something precious and timeless, combining the everyday value of a penny with the grand expanse of a century. This duality reflects the narrator's wish to elevate a mundane reality into something extraordinary. The lines 'I want to conquer you / I'll lift you off the page' suggest a desire to transform this ideal into a tangible reality, to bring a fantasy to life. The imagery of waves crashing and binding them together further underscores the intensity and inevitability of this quest for union.

The song also touches on themes of escapism and romantic idealism. The idea of living 'beside the sea' with 'a handful of cliches' speaks to a longing for a simple, idyllic life that is often romanticized but rarely achieved. The narrator's vow to search for Penny Century 'all my life / Till the day I die' highlights the eternal nature of this quest, suggesting that the pursuit of such an ideal is a lifelong endeavor, filled with both hope and melancholy. The song captures the essence of an unending search for love and meaning, wrapped in a blend of yearning and poetic imagery.