Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Steel that sleeps with the morning star
Would that I could sin once more
Blades will sing over stone and field
That their song might grace our fall
Pallid limbs in the raven's thrall
Fracture sulfur honey skin
Waves are screaming Abrahan hymns
So that shoreline virgins cry
Reel in place
'Til the bastards take me away
Sober taste of the eyes
Would that I could sin once more
Blades will sing over stone and field
That their song might grace our fall
Pallid limbs in the raven's thrall
Fracture sulfur honey skin
Waves are screaming Abrahan hymns
So that shoreline virgins cry
Reel in place
'Til the bastards take me away
Sober taste of the eyes
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More Featured Meanings
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
I don't know about the other lyrics to this song, but the phrase "Steel that sleeps the eye" must be a reference to guitar player Pete Adams. He was the original second guitarist before he left to fight in Iraq. A grenade or a mortar or something blew up net to him and some shrapnel hit him in the eye, so he has a fake one now. He came back and joined the band again right before they wrote Blue Record. I can only assume that the Steel that Sleeps the Eye" is some sort of reference to that.
The "steel that sleeps the eye" is the same as the "steel that sleeps with the morningstar" and the "blade" that sings "over stone and field", but what the "steel" is I don't know. It kind of sounds like -- OHHHH Ok I got it. It's about murdering someone, perhaps the "virgin" while drunk, and the "steel" (knife) makes the eye sleep, because it kills the girl. It has a very nice melody and harmony.
This track is a giant glaring clue as to the biggest theme of the Blue Record.
"waves are screaming abraxan hymns" Abraxas (or Abrasax), is a symbol/god of duality. Both good and evil. The theme is reiterated in 'Swollen and Halo' in the line "of god and beast." 'The Gnashing' also indicates the duality/Abaxas theme heavily.
As for this song, it seems to be about all the things revolving around a battle. Before, after, within and outside of the fight.
"steel that sleeps with the morningstar would that i could sin once more"
steel that sleeps is steel that puts the eye to sleep forever, the skin of a grenade. an rpg. it sleeps until it detonates. the moningstar is venus which could mean at dusk or dawn. could sin once more is to see once more.
"blades will sing over stone and field that their song might grace our fall"
this makes total sense. blades are sharp steel fragments racing over the desert sand and rocks their song is the whistling sound of approaching shrapnel and that it might make grace the injury with honor
"pallid limbs in the raven's thrall fracture sulphur honey skin"
pallid limbs are injured pale dull lifeless extensions of a man injured in the line of fire fracture (injury) sulphur (burns, smoke from grenade in lungs) honey skin (soft fragile breakable skin)
"waves are screaming abraxan hymns so that shoreline virgins cry"
waves on the beach or waves of pain always scream abraxan hymns: because the tide itself is a duality. tide in tide out, shoreline virgins are those who are waiting, injured ready to be brought home from war. we first have to go to the shore - the persian gulf possibly? just a guess.
"reel in place 'til the bastards take me away sober taste of the eye"
reeling in place is mental reeling from tormenting pain of a serious injury, the bastards are taking the injured away from the fight that the injured wanted to fight back so they are bastards - but yet saviors as well. sober taste of the eye is just that - bleeding in windpipe and actually tasting blood and optic nerve bleeding, which is a sobering taste.
I think this is a most powerful song in it's meaning and i hope i am not too far off. That is just what i hear knowing that Peter Adams was injured by an RPG in Iraq and took some time away it must be very relevant to the band, and they are now finally back playing together like they were when they first met.
Either way you slice it great band indeed!
this is a soldier's lament, sung to the weapons of his enemies.
'Steel that sleeps with the morningstar, would that I could sin once more' If only I could have had more time before this fight to enjoy what life has to offer.
'Reel in place 'til the bastards take me away' I'll fight them here, won't move from this spot; I'll hold them off as long as I can. A reel is a dance. A battle is a dance.