Through crooked teeth and mouthed up ties
They spit you up river just like all those lions
That walked the banks

They said, "Paint me that river
And would you use only blues?
Brilliant big black mouth
Lengths of pines that route the river through
Through and through"

Fashion, fashion ballrooms of dead leaves
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance

"Paint me that arm that lies directly over mountains
Where the glaciers climb so tall
One absent of the scars, passing boats and ships and oars
Tend to leave, the veins will be the tributaries
With all the sounds of the ocean, the ocean"

Fashion, fashion ballrooms of dead leaves
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance

Fashion, fashion ballrooms of dead leaves
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance
We'd like to watch the ghosts dance

I am but a man
But a proud, proud man
But a proud, proud man
Silver bells that line the way
Baited trails
We'll find you there

Silver bells (silver bells)
That line the way (that line the way)
Baited trails (baited trails)
We'll find you there

I am but a man (but a man)
But a proud, proud man
But a proud, proud man


Lyrics submitted by constant

AKA M80 the Wolf Lyrics as written by John Baldwin Gourley

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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AKA M80 The Wolf song meanings
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25 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    you need to look at the title, its pretty much explaining itself: the song is about the helicopter hunting on wolves in Alaska. M80's are personal helicopters from whom rich people shoot the wolves. it's the bands complaint about this awful destruction of the beautiful nature.

    FruitFlyon December 12, 2008   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    i love this song so much, it's on of my favorite portugal. the man songs because of it's beauty and truth, i don't think it's about the music business though to me, it's about how a person is being told how to live their life and being restricted to "only use blues" it's an absolutely beautiful song that i just can't stop listening to

    YourEmoHeroon December 21, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    i agree totally. the whole thing of watching the ghosts dance could relate to how people let their creativity die and just conform to whatever will make them more money.

    borderlineparanoiaon September 04, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Yeah I agree with all of you guys and this song is awsome!!!

    Howcome no one else seems to be posting....awel

    they'll see, they'll all see one day these guys will be bigger than a whole country like porugal but small like one man......Portugal, the man.....

    humble_024on March 01, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I dont think this song represents the relationship between record execs and artists. "Would you only use Blues" doesnt seem to be a demand, and rivers usually are blue. "Paint me that arm That lies directly over mountains" seems to be talking about the sky and theres no demand or suggestion on how to paint it. The way he delivers the lyrics give me the feeling hes asking someone to paint him a picture. but i cant detect the meaning. While i think most of you are wrong it is what you want it to be. To each his own.

    CaseyWildroseon November 08, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    For me, this song was always about environmentalism, about nature.

    sweatersdotcomon May 03, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Actually I'm almost posotive this song is about a Ghost Ship from the early 1900s, There were ony about 6 survivors, & over 500 people on board. I don't remember the name of it it though. "They said, "Paint me that river And would you only use blues" - well all the passangers on that ship were blue bloods (people with old money), & most of the bodies were thrown over board & were found on the banks of a river, also "Fashion, fashion ballrooms of the leaves, We’d like to watch the ghosts dance" well I think that line is pretty self explainitory...

    loudsilence123on September 22, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    could be yes i agree with above. i like this project better than the other one. way more actually.

    Drew1185on February 28, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "paint me that river, and would you only use blues?"

    Not only are they telling you what to create, but how to create it.

    sin mi caraon September 07, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    THe first verse i think is about the suits of the music businaz turning bands into all the other bands that have sold out their music before

    Thedamagewecauseon March 02, 2007   Link

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