This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
You've taken this too far
Now it has to stop
You've taken this too far
Once again
The table's turned
And I'm behind
Picking up the pieces from the night
My face is scarred
Sometimes
I feel that I can't trust myself at all
And every time the sky
(every time the sky)
Breaks open with sunshine
As streaming swords collide
(streaming swords collide)
It takes me back in time
I float away
To another place
Where heaven is waiting
Right outside
This is war
Cannot take it anymore (cannot take it anymore)
I'm falling faster and bleeding more
Than I have bled before
Certain death (the pain will cause a purpose)
Lingers on the other hand (and if you feel defeated)
But I will fight you
And victory will be mine in the end
Circumstances mean nothing
When it's over
We will be
Heroes constantly
Pushing forward without any fear
If I erased the line between
Forgotten names and memories
I'd never change
Resolution made in vain
To face
[?] the day
Life is yours to save (save it)
Or take (take it) away
Now it has to stop
You've taken this too far
Once again
The table's turned
And I'm behind
Picking up the pieces from the night
My face is scarred
Sometimes
I feel that I can't trust myself at all
And every time the sky
(every time the sky)
Breaks open with sunshine
As streaming swords collide
(streaming swords collide)
It takes me back in time
I float away
To another place
Where heaven is waiting
Right outside
This is war
Cannot take it anymore (cannot take it anymore)
I'm falling faster and bleeding more
Than I have bled before
Certain death (the pain will cause a purpose)
Lingers on the other hand (and if you feel defeated)
But I will fight you
And victory will be mine in the end
Circumstances mean nothing
When it's over
We will be
Heroes constantly
Pushing forward without any fear
If I erased the line between
Forgotten names and memories
I'd never change
Resolution made in vain
To face
[?] the day
Life is yours to save (save it)
Or take (take it) away
Lyrics submitted by all_is_vanity
Under Serious Attack Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing
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More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
this song is about having trouble in the phsyical department with a girlfriend while trying to remain a pure christian. words straight from the band.
^^yeah seems right. this is a pretty sweet song. resolution made (in vain) to face (play out) the day life is yours to save (save it) or take (take it) away -Rock ON!-
I'm always reminded of Donnie Darko for some reason during this song. I realize it probably has nothing to do with the song meaning, but it's just eerie how well the two fit together.
picking up the pieces from the night -he's always following clues which he knows nothing about
every time the sky breaks open with sunshine and streaming swords collide it takes me back in time -The engine from the plane takes him back to the beginning
resolution made (in vain) to face (play out) the day life is yours to save (save it) or take (take it) away -he saves everyones' lives by sacrificing his own
Just some of my own thoughts on the interesting parrallels, take em or leave em.
Just amazing.
Heh, while Donnie Darko probably doesn't have anything to do with this like you said mtf, I can see how it reminds you of it. But yes, its definantly about how he fails to remain chaste. I like the lyrics so much better in this song than "So Cold I Could See My Breath", which is also about failing to say chaste, just because at the end he writes about how hes going to stop this no matter what.
"But I will fight you and victory will be mine in the end circumstances mean nothing. When it's over we will be heroes, constantly pushing forward without any fear."
I think you guys are right and it probably is about physical temptations. This is one of my favorite songs on the Weak's End. But I think Emery probably wrote the lyrics to the song in a way so that many people could identify with it. When I first heard the song I simply related it to the "battles" I was fighting in my life at the time.
"this is war can I take it anymore i'm falling faster and bleeding more than i have bled before certain death (this blade will carve a purpose) lingers on the other hand (and make you feel defeated) but i will fight you and victory will be mine in the end"
So I agree emery had the idea of sexual temptation when writing the lyrics to this song. I take it a different way though. That's the great thing about art, everyone can interpret it a different way. Just another lyrically superior emery song.
Althought the physical temptation view sounds correct, in MY opinion, try reading the lyrics while playing the song and imagine being Christ during his crucifiction in a first person perspective....it's pretty intense.
every time the sky breaks open with sunshine and streaming swords collide it takes me back in time I float away to another place where heaven is waiting right outside
this is war CAN I TAKE IT ANYMORE I'M FALLING FASTER AND BLEEDING MORE THAN I HAVE BLED BEFORE certain death (this blade will carve a purpose)
lingers on the other hand (and make you feel defeated) but i will fight you and victory will be mine in the end
--I thought the last part was a mental conversation/battle between Christ and Satan--
resolutions made (in vain) to face (play out) the day life is yours to save (save it) or take (take it) away