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.
I thought I saw you in the Battleship
But it was only a look alike
She was nothing but a vision trick
Under the warning light
She was close
Close enough to be your ghost
But my chances turned to toast
When I asked her if I could call her your name
I thought I saw you in the Rusty Hook
Huddled up in wicker chair
I wandered up for a closer look
And kissed whoever was sitting there
She was close
And she held me very tightly
'Til I asked awfully politely
"Please, can I call you her name?"
And I elongated my lift home
Yeah, I let him go the long way 'round
I smelt your scent on the seatbelt
And kept my shortcuts to myself
I thought I saw you in the Parrot's Beak
Messin' with the smoke alarm
It was too loud for me to hear her speak
And she had a broken arm
It was close
So close that the walls were wet
And she wrote it out in Letraset
"No, you can't call me her name"
Tell me, where's your hiding place?
I'm worried I'll forget your face
And I've asked everyone
I'm beginning to think I imagined you all along
I elongated my lift home
Yeah, I let him go the long way 'round
I smelt your scent on the seatbelt
And kept my shortcuts to myself
I saw your sister in the Cornerstone
On the phone to the middle man
When I saw that she was on her own
I thought she might understand
That she was close
Well, you couldn't get much closer
She said, "I'm really not supposed to, but yes
You can call me anything you want"
But it was only a look alike
She was nothing but a vision trick
Under the warning light
She was close
Close enough to be your ghost
But my chances turned to toast
When I asked her if I could call her your name
I thought I saw you in the Rusty Hook
Huddled up in wicker chair
I wandered up for a closer look
And kissed whoever was sitting there
She was close
And she held me very tightly
'Til I asked awfully politely
"Please, can I call you her name?"
And I elongated my lift home
Yeah, I let him go the long way 'round
I smelt your scent on the seatbelt
And kept my shortcuts to myself
I thought I saw you in the Parrot's Beak
Messin' with the smoke alarm
It was too loud for me to hear her speak
And she had a broken arm
It was close
So close that the walls were wet
And she wrote it out in Letraset
"No, you can't call me her name"
Tell me, where's your hiding place?
I'm worried I'll forget your face
And I've asked everyone
I'm beginning to think I imagined you all along
I elongated my lift home
Yeah, I let him go the long way 'round
I smelt your scent on the seatbelt
And kept my shortcuts to myself
I saw your sister in the Cornerstone
On the phone to the middle man
When I saw that she was on her own
I thought she might understand
That she was close
Well, you couldn't get much closer
She said, "I'm really not supposed to, but yes
You can call me anything you want"
Lyrics submitted by life_aint_chess
Cornerstone Lyrics as written by Alex Turner
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In every verse, i think he is talking about different pubs. Battle Ship, Rusty Hook, Parrots Beak. Not sure why they are all to do with pirates or something but i'm sure there is a reason.
I think anyone can relate to this, it is about never quite getting over "her". We all compare our new girl with the old one, its normal. I think the way Alex Turner is saying, "Can i call you her name?" is just a poetic way of describing this. Every girl he comes across, is just not the same as the previous.
At the end I dont think he literally means her sister, i think this is another poetic way of saying someone who reminds him of her. A spitting image.
I am a bit confused about the 3rd verse about the smoke alarm and why she has a broken arm? Anyone got any ideas?
Well I think that he wants to refer to her personality when he talks about "broken arm", and that "she's messing with the smoke alarm": <br /> <br /> He obviously talks about different girlfriends he has had in his life, and that he compares them...and with "broken arm" he wants to describe her personality. Maybe she's had a broken arm literally, or he means that she is an adventurous and lively girl that needs a thrill, and maybe because of that she is messing with the smoke alarm....because she wanted to set off the alarm because she wants attention or is always searching for a kick in her life.<br /> Maybe she was way too lively for him, so that "he couldn't hear her speak".<br /> <br /> That's what I think. (and I hope everybody understands what I mean, writing in a different language is not so easy....I am German)
Battle Ship, Rusty Hook, Parrots Beak<br /> they have to do with pirates because arctic monkeys love pirates and vikings, they put pirates and viking in a lot of their songs.
@Killerofthechase you are on to something, this comment and the one where she might have passed away seemed to stick out for me, you know in a way maybe the smoke alarm could be refering to his mind, as awareness of smoke as in bad air, or you know bad enviroment, so she could be playing with his smoke alarm aka mind? dunno there might be something there