Sink the Seine

When I first heard Of Montreal, Hissing Fauna was the album that I listened to. This song had a huge impact on me because not only do I have a penchant for haunting melodies, but one for interesting lyrics (which is one of the major draws of Of Montreal)

The prints that crease the wires make me think of a certain orator of destiny. A person who perhaps routes the energy or communication, such as a telegraph. The other idea I have for the meaning of that is the idea of foot prints on a tight rope, which would make sense in the context of an unstable relationship. I am fascinated right now to learn about the seine being a net, gabrieleades. This makes a lot more sense than the River of the same name, which is pronounced more like "Sen" en Francais. Although draining the river still remains a viable idea and very, very poetic, the idea of using a sinking cast net to "find" someone makes sense as a net is used to catch. In either case, water is an idea that binds both ideas together. Water is a major idea here in my analysis because Mosquitos are laid and hatch and live in water until they are full fledged. I also believe "operate on her brain" refers to incephalitus, which is carried by mosquitos and essentially means "water on the brain." Incidentally, the net or the seine, could be used to stop or catch flying or swimming things.

The 2nd verse seems to be more earthbound than waterbound, with symbols of ascension and flight in the stairs and the crows (even though they are fake.) The stair suggests an element of standing above, or over the situation. Fake diamonds are imitation of course, and those fake diamonds are attached to something else that is false. Interestingly I find that he refers to himself as the fake diamonds either in response to a botched marriage or engagement (diamonds) or because they are beautiful and sparkling, but in the end, inexpensive and replaceable. The plastic crow might symbolize death or bad news but to me suggests the death of something that wasn't solid or real to begin with. The planters to me suggest the Earth vs. Water and show that earth is more easily contained and more stable than water. That being said, earth and water are feminine elements, but the earth here is in a planter. The planter perhaps suggests the narrator is somehow symbolically a plant. or something that can grow in a stable situation. To find him, you must go where there is steady turf to tread on.

I would agree that the song should be longer notthedestroyer, but the element of it being short and sweet is so effective here, especially as a buffer between the hyper Suffer for Fashion and the eletric gloom of Cato as a Pun.