In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Take a little dive into the shallow and spy; what do you see?
You see the tortoise and the hare in a rat-race
And it fits like a glove under my sleeve; just wait till then
Their heads are the heaviest in operation
He's still not lost imagination
You can hear him mouth the whole ending; just wait till then
We Marys had ourselves a ball
Oh yes, we did
We Marys had ourselves a ball
I must admit
Hang us those limbs; hold no virtue
Those told to hold: project on my cue
Till we fall
Whether a he or a she, put your mouth where your money is
And are the birds of a feather that clever?
If I knew, I'd keep flocks, that's a given; just wait till then
Their heads cast shadows like skyscrapers
Still small enough to fit up their asses
To put it all into perspective with definition
We Marys had ourselves a ball
Oh yes, we did
We Marys had ourselves a ball
I must admit
Hang us those limbs; hold no virtue
Those told to hold: project on my cue
Oh, take a gander; the bigger they are, the harder they fall
Oh, take a gander; the bigger they are, the harder they fall
Not needy you'll see, not needy
And I close with open arms over trees
Not needy you'll see
Not needy you'll see, not needy
And I close with open arms over trees
Not needy you'll see
Not needy you'll see, not needy
And I close with open arms over trees
Not needy you'll see
Not needy you'll see, not needy
And I close with open arms over trees
Listen to proven guarantees while you're rolling up the sleeves, beatin' on the chest
But we can keep it in a jar when it's comin' cats and dogs for days
And we Marys had ourselves a ball
And I guarantee that what they've done for you they've done for me, they've done for me
Hang us those limbs; hold no virtue
Those told to hold: project on my cue
Hang us those limbs; hold no virtue
Those told to hold: project on my cue
You see the tortoise and the hare in a rat-race
And it fits like a glove under my sleeve; just wait till then
Their heads are the heaviest in operation
He's still not lost imagination
You can hear him mouth the whole ending; just wait till then
We Marys had ourselves a ball
Oh yes, we did
We Marys had ourselves a ball
I must admit
Hang us those limbs; hold no virtue
Those told to hold: project on my cue
Till we fall
Whether a he or a she, put your mouth where your money is
And are the birds of a feather that clever?
If I knew, I'd keep flocks, that's a given; just wait till then
Their heads cast shadows like skyscrapers
Still small enough to fit up their asses
To put it all into perspective with definition
We Marys had ourselves a ball
Oh yes, we did
We Marys had ourselves a ball
I must admit
Hang us those limbs; hold no virtue
Those told to hold: project on my cue
Oh, take a gander; the bigger they are, the harder they fall
Oh, take a gander; the bigger they are, the harder they fall
Not needy you'll see, not needy
And I close with open arms over trees
Not needy you'll see
Not needy you'll see, not needy
And I close with open arms over trees
Not needy you'll see
Not needy you'll see, not needy
And I close with open arms over trees
Not needy you'll see
Not needy you'll see, not needy
And I close with open arms over trees
Listen to proven guarantees while you're rolling up the sleeves, beatin' on the chest
But we can keep it in a jar when it's comin' cats and dogs for days
And we Marys had ourselves a ball
And I guarantee that what they've done for you they've done for me, they've done for me
Hang us those limbs; hold no virtue
Those told to hold: project on my cue
Hang us those limbs; hold no virtue
Those told to hold: project on my cue
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live, this song is amazing.
live, this band is amazing.
they've never disappointed.
i'm not gonna lie though - no matter what anyone else thinks, instead of saying "skyscrapers small enough to feed off the lesses," i'm still gonna sing it "skyscrapers small enough to fit up their asses."
why? because it just sounds cooler.
hahahahah i totally agree that is sounds like "skyscrapers small enough to fit up their asses"<br /> <br /> and yes.. it does sound cooler
honestly I think that is what they are saying! I've tried both of them in my head when listening to it, and it's quite clear. Plus it makes sense, and it's funny. <br /> <br /> There's quite a few posted FTM lyrics that I suspect might be off; I don't know if they are official releases (in which case who am I to judge?) but they just don't seem right (either in the context or just sound-wise).
Actually, that makes a lot more sense. If you take the whole verse together, you could make the comparison to Darroh talking about someone who's "big-headed" (Their heads cast shadows like skyscrapers), but isn't beyond humiliation (with the head in question still being able to be shoved right up there). That's just my interpretaton, though.
I LOVE this song. I don't know why. I heard it one night while I was really stoned and it sounded so weird.
I had no idea what they were saying though, and so I couldn't look it up to see who it was. But then I heard them say it on the radio.
Now I'm happy.
it really sounds like in some parts he records each word individually and then puts them together without editing them
To me, the song is about corrupt capitalism practices. The song starts off asking us to dive into the shallow, or into a superficial world with low morals (hence, "shallow"). The song goes on to describe the tortoise and the hair in the rat-race, which is a sort of cliqued social darwinism that "fits like a glove," referring to how these corporate bureaucrats are a good fit for the economic environment (again, that social Darwinism). Their heads hang heaviest tells us how these corrupt business men may feel ashamed and or guilty about what they're doing, but that does not damper their "imagination" on how to continue their actions. The second verse follows in the same grain. It points out that women are guilty as well as men, telling both to put their mouth where their money is, or to literally vocalize where all their money has come from. The song then asks whether these "birds of a feather" are smart enough to cover up and/or justify what they've done. "Heads cast shadows like skyscrapers" alludes to big egos and delusions of grandeur like the skyscrapers they preside in, but are still small enough to fit up their asses, which means there is always someone to answer to when it comes to operating a free market corporation, which could help keep these delusions in "perspective with definition." (feeding off the lesses also works in this theoretical interpretation, as the rich often prey upon the poor). "Take a gander, the bigger they are the harder they fall" I only have one word to say...Enron. "Not needy you'll see" = living in excess and "come with open arms over trees" = pretending to be a man of the people. The guarantees speak of empty promises while the beating of the chest alludes to the primitive nature of seeking power (Linking social Darwinism with evolution, very nice). But we can't "keep it in a jar" since everybody is trying to make a quick buck these days. I then asks the listener to look around and see with this situation has done for everyone...not a pretty sight. I know everybody wants to link this song to prostitution, what with the "Marys" strewn about, but to me that just means these figurehead are whores to the system, doing whatever they can to get by and paid at the same time. As far as the chorus, "hang us those limbs" talks yet about doing anything to get ahead, though it holds no virtue, but only vice for the power-mungers. I like another interpretation I read about "those told to Hold," alluding to the bible how "he who is without sin cast the first stone," goes to "project on my cue," which to me sounds like its talking about the hypocrisy throughout the business world and how they justify their actions. that's all what I think anyway...
I'm sure all of that is totally not true.<br /> <br /> Not every one of their songs have this message behind them.<br /> <br /> Maybe they just wanted to write a song with intricate lyrics that can't be interpreted?<br /> <br /> Ever think they just wanted to have fun with a song?
I for one, totally agree with what havoc23 is saying about the meaning of this song. Very well said!!
That's a very good take on the song, I'd have to agree with you. And Kastelorizo, no, every song has a meaning....go listen to pop music, I'm sure you'd love their blatant messages.
I agree with clubsandwich. Even thugh a lot of of evidence seems to be against me, I stagnantly refuse to believe that this band is a System spin off. A lot of evidence actually points with me too. Even the song title seems to point that way. A manatee, if everyone can recall, is an animal that is endangered, thus, whose condition is "fragile," just like our outer shells (i.e. personalities). "Dance" has several common allusions (battles, songs, stalemate-inducing and complex fights), but I think that it simply means a ballad, thus, it's a ballad of the fragile. Once again, my interpretation.
this song is pure awesome. i love system but i have to say this band would give system a run for their money. It would be awesome of system stayed togather and this band would be together also. or converge that band would be so fuckn awesome.
I love this song but I have no idea what it means.
like the past 5 before me. this is an awsome song. Its a song you would have to ponder over and over about to creat a good meaning of the deep deep lyrics it holds. maby another time.
this whole song and band rules, the singer is fucking amazing. watch any live performances for proof.