I leapt across three or four beds into your arms
Where I had hidden myself somewhere in your charm
Our golden handshake has been smashed into this shape
It's taken magic to a primitive new place
Watch them run
Although it's
The minimum
Heroic

We hunched together in one chair out on the deck
In snow that froze and fell down on the modern set
It looked as if I picked your name out of a hat
Next thing you know you are asleep in someone's lap
Watch them run
Although it's
The minimum
Heroic

We quit the room
Quit so our thoughts could rest
Rest them, I'll never move
That's when we grab a hold
Of whatever it is we fell into

Lousy with your content
With what the majestic cannot find
In business of your lives
The perception, it is wrong, mile after mile
The phantom taste drinking wine from your heels

We have arrived too late to play
The bleeding heart show
We have arrived too late to play
The bleeding heart show
We have arrived too late to play
The bleeding heart show
We have arrived too late to play
The bleeding heart show
We have arrived too late to play
The bleeding heart show
We have arrived
The bleeding heart


Lyrics submitted by Little Timmy

The Bleeding Heart Show Lyrics as written by Carl Allan Newman

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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The Bleeding Heart Show song meanings
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  • +8
    General Comment

    This song is obviously about the ending of a relationship. More subtly, it appears to be about the end of a relationship that begun either as a friendship, or as a transitional or rebound love affair, that in turn was the product of previous heartbreak, and that temporarily evolved into something more serious. Nonetheless, the lovers eventually realize that they are not well suited, and one of them takes the apparently easy, but in fact difficult, decision to end the relationship.

    I leapt across three or four beds into your arms

    The relationship arose out of heartbreak over past relationships. There was a leap, perhaps signifying the differences (and incompatibilities) between the lovers. Or perhaps he is leaping across working through the pain over the "three or four beds" to comfort in her arms.

    Where I had hidden myself somewhere in your charm

    The singer was hiding in her charm. His personality was lost in their (magical, primitive) chemistry, in her charisma. He's also hiding his pain in the relationship.

    Our golden handshake has been smashed into this shape. It's taken magic to a primitive new place

    The original understanding was that the relationship would take a certain form: a friendship or transitional love affair, but it has since changed dramatically, due to their chemistry.

    Watch 'em run, although it's the minimum, heroic

    This relationship is ended abruptly (at running pace, even at the glorious liberated pace we hear in the climax). Although walking away seems easy -- it is the minimum -- it is also a heroic decision because it means walking away from the chemistry.

    The second stanza tells us they found each other at a time when both of them needed comfort against the cold (a bitter breakup). Lyrical choices like "picked your name out of a hat" and the impersonal "someone's" lap imply that anyone could've been a comfort or company. They are basically good-intentioned, but not a good fit.

    We hunched together in one chair out on the deck In snow that froze and fell down on the modern set

    This hints at the relationship beginning out of adversity

    It looked as if I picked your name out of a hat

    They were apparently incompatible to those looking on.

    Both singers sing the third stanza / buildup to climax, which seems to say that they are both experiencing what's contained in these words. They need to quit each other and grab hold of something that is more true for themselves individually. The perception - twisting themselves into loyalty to the relationship despite how it doesn't fit - it is wrong.. it doesn't hold up against the miles. A.C. sings the last line alone .. he will miss her taste, and how she made him feel tipsy like wine. Still - she's running away, and there's no point in putting on a big breakup "bleeding heart show" - best to understand they're not right for each other and move on.. the celebration of this hard realization is beautifully, exultantly realized in the climax of this song.

    npfanaticson March 09, 2006   Link

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