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"
I'm a man of reason, and they say
'Tis the season to be jolly
But it's folly when you volley for position
Never in existence has there been such a resistance
To ideas meant to free us
If you could see us, then you'd listen
Toiling through the ages, making toys on garnished wages
There's no union
We're only through when we outdo the competition
I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise, use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf
A full indentured servitude can reflect on one's attitude
But that silly red hat just makes the fat man look outrageous
Absurd though it may seem, you know
I've heard there's even been illegal doping
And though we're coping, I just hope it's not contagious
You try to start a movement, and you think you see improvement
But when thrown into the moment, we just don't seem so courageous
I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise, use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf
You look at yourself, you're an elf
And the shelf is just filled with disappointing memories
Trends come and go, and your friends wanna know
Why you aren't just happy making crappy little gizmos
Every kid knows they'll just throw this stuff away
We're used to repetition, so we drew up a petition
We, the undersigned, feel undermined
Let's redefine "employment"
We know that we've got leverage, so we'll hand the fat man a beverage
And sit back while we attack the utter lack of our enjoyment
It may be tough to swallow, but our threats are far from hollow
He may thunder, but if he blunders, he may wonder where the toys went
I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise, use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf
'Tis the season to be jolly
But it's folly when you volley for position
Never in existence has there been such a resistance
To ideas meant to free us
If you could see us, then you'd listen
Toiling through the ages, making toys on garnished wages
There's no union
We're only through when we outdo the competition
I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise, use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf
A full indentured servitude can reflect on one's attitude
But that silly red hat just makes the fat man look outrageous
Absurd though it may seem, you know
I've heard there's even been illegal doping
And though we're coping, I just hope it's not contagious
You try to start a movement, and you think you see improvement
But when thrown into the moment, we just don't seem so courageous
I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise, use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf
You look at yourself, you're an elf
And the shelf is just filled with disappointing memories
Trends come and go, and your friends wanna know
Why you aren't just happy making crappy little gizmos
Every kid knows they'll just throw this stuff away
We're used to repetition, so we drew up a petition
We, the undersigned, feel undermined
Let's redefine "employment"
We know that we've got leverage, so we'll hand the fat man a beverage
And sit back while we attack the utter lack of our enjoyment
It may be tough to swallow, but our threats are far from hollow
He may thunder, but if he blunders, he may wonder where the toys went
I make toys, but I've got aspirations
Make some noise, use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There's a list for who's been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf
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The Night We Met
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No Surprises
Radiohead
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Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Wow...Apparently Elf's are depressed and opressed by Santa and are tired of doing so much work for little. THey also mention how all teh gifts they give are just put onto shelves and are dissapointing, and are upset that no one appreciates their work. And they just get tired of giving things to people who just want. People who are so un-XMAS like. GIve people!
I think I am seriously over-thinking this whole album (and seriously depressing myself in the process).
But this song makes me think about the real people who are really making most of the stuff we give at Christmas: most of it is probably made in sweatshops, by people who are treated badly and can't organize a union and can't improve their situation.
And "consider the price to an elf" is something to think about when you're shopping. :( (ie, for those of you who have issues with subtlety, boycott sweatshop-made products!)
Totally agreeable. I mean, Elfs may just be a term used to state the situation better for those like them that aren't really given anything for their hard work. They don't get appreciated for their work. And we just don't give a damn about the product they worked so hard on to live. So...I guess we're all big giant a-holes in the end. Go figure. There's nothing wrong with overthinking the album. It may be just one big holiday message that tells us to be in the TRUE Christmas spirit. Well...aside from the chanakuh songs which...Well...I'm not JEwish so I won't go into that in fear I know nothing about it. Most of the new and original songs to the album are all about the same thing really. Snowman could be that we should get involved in XMAS, Elf's Lament is that we should appreciate the gifts that we buy or get, XMAS Pics may be that we should focus on our family. Then there's Deck the Stills...which...that's just fun.
This song really reminds me of the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon, in which Calvin writes a letter to Santa stating that he's operating in the North Pole to avoid tax and human rights and keeping the pay of his elves low.
If you think about it, Santa is a pretty bad fellow. Sure, he says his elves are happy, but how can we be sure?
This song basically makes people see the "other side" of things, like how PETA laughably claimed that Pokemon was supporting animal cruelty.
Who's the third singer in this song? you know, he starts with "a full indentured servitude..." Is he a guest singer? sorry, i'm new to the band and I really can't tell.
I Believe That The Third Singer is Micheal Buble, Graustein.
Love this song. Makes me laugh. I try not to go too deep into a holiday album.
It's about the Working Class Heroes who are still ambitious.
I can relate to this song personally, high school drop out, working full-time + overtime on garnished wages... I do have a union, but I can imagine that there are far and far worse cases than me. I should not complain.
I believe this person is singing to a girl, feeling too low or less to be with her because he earns not enough to support her...
I believe the Red Hat points out to the socialist aspect which is ofcourse abandoned on the North Pole.
"It may be tough to swallow, but our threats are far from hollow He may thunder, but if he blunders, he may wonder where the toys went"
ELVES ON STRIKE!
Amusement on the workplace may also be a motive for this song... Lack of our enjoyment...
Definitely more to it than the happy HO HO HO Merry Christmas boys and girls message.