Silas the Magic Car

So, I feel like for some reason I'm stating the obvious, but this is what I feel like this song is about. When I heard it the first time, I really feel like there couldn't be anything else it is.

In my opinion, it's a song singing to Johan Wohlert, almost in a sense talking to him from the other side of the glass that is the career they're still in that he's left.

They talk about someone showing them their new apartment, and I'd hazard a guess that it's talking about Johan, his girlfriend, and their son.

They also make reference saying 'you know the career', as if who ever they're talking to was in the same place as them.

Maybe in the line "Cause maybe we'll get out somehow", they're seeing a glimpse of the life Johan has outside of the band and everything it involves and they're thinking about what it would be like on the outside.

Johan and the rest of the guys of Mew were in a band, touring a whole lot with each other, the kind of bond that would grow, I feel, would be akin to a brotherhood, which brings truth to "Silas and Bo got tired, and we'll call you once a week"

The whole 'No More Stories' CD seems to be, almost, like Mew's cry out. The CD seems to carry the idea that the band/touring scene is starting to get to them. Being seen as these mystical song spinners, as the persona they develop, maybe after of a time of telling all the same stories and creating an image people see and grasp on to that's not always the way they are, it's easy to come to a point where you want to tell No More Stories.

I don't think the song is specifically about Johan's departure; it's just a hypothetical situation in which the whole band breaks up, and Jonas is left alone; I think Johan leaving made Jonas do some serious thinking.

So, have some surface-analysis, but, as always with Mew, you should make your own reading.

Go!:

"I wanted you to be at home. I wanted you to be at home. Could you foresee a day you might not play?"

Could be seen as a message to Johan, but, given the hypothetical situation, I think this is just Jonas reflecting on the events that led the the break-up.

"Silas and Bo, they got tired And they’ll call you once a week ‘Cause it’s strange here No dark career"

Silas and Bo blame the break-up on being tired, both of touring, and just the career as a whole.

"They all say they long to reach their sorrow now that’s gone"

This is open for interpretation over what "their sorrow" is. It could be a lost friendship, could be the break-up, etc., and the same thing has to be considered for just what "that" is. But, of course, Jonas encourages people to interpret things in their own way, so I won't put any ideas in your heads.

"They took us in to see their new apartment thinking we’re slow and that our love is mean."

I think this is Jonas again feeling lonely and isolated, like Silas and Bo are a unit, and Jonas is can only visit them at their "new apartment", or perhaps the 'apartment' symbolises something else - maybe a new band, just like happened with Johan. Again, the "thinking we're slow" line is up for interpretation, and who "we" are, and whatnot isn't my place to give suggestions - make up your own minds.

"We’ll leave the green green ‘cause maybe we’ll get out somehow"

Maybe this is switching roles? Jonas is green with envy that he's been left out, Silas and Bo have their new apartment; they've escaped the "dark career".

"No-one thought of it; we didn’t know we’d seen their last show."

Obviously, a band breaking up after over a decade is a major thing; it's like a divorce, which can go on for years before becoming "final".

Ever noticed that the part where it says " What do you dream about..." is sung to the tune of Reprise's intro? I thought Reprise sounded familiar. I couldn't figure out why I wanted to bust out singing, "Silas and Bo they got tired..." when I heard Reprise, but now I do.:)

I'm pretty sure at the begging he's singing "I wanted you to meet her" as opposed to "What did you dream about?"

Interesting Silas and Bo are two of the band members but still this is a awsome song, I tend to daydream whenver I hear it.

I thought the begining was

I want you to be here

I agree with JonOwen. From the first time I heard this I thought it was a cry out to their lost bandmember. This was originally because I mistakenly thought that Silas was the one who left, though now I realise he is the drummer. Anyway, I think my mistake was coincidently correct, it is about Johan. I think JonOwen is absolutely correct about the cry out and it's place on the album as a whole - that maybe they are tired of their status, and maybe envious of Johan's new, settled life. Whether or not they are truly saying that they would rather settle down like Johan and "get out somehow", or just saying that they miss their old friend, I think the song essentially boils down to the latter - it's about missing someone who you used to share a life with. The song is specifically about Johan, but the feeling is the one of missing someone who has left you.

I think it's to their old band-member: Johan, like some other... But most of all, 'cause he's singing "Could you foresee a day? You might not play? I wanted you to be at home"

But it's only my own opinion..

i love how the 2nd verse started with "silas and bo they got tired" i just discovered this song and im totally loving it

My favorite song by Mew! I know this is going to sound obvious and repetitive but it is pretty clear this song is dedicated to Johan. Simply a beautiful song and a delicate contrast in their album. Pure Genius