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”
I traveled so long
Traveled so long
Until I was cold
Cold as stone
My whiskers are grey
They reach to the ground
My bird's bones
Make a hollow sound
I been lost somewhere
In the fabric of a world that's goin' threadbare
I been down in the gutters without a care
I been hunted, maligned
Since before your time
I been stoned
I been thrown
To the wolves
To the wolves
I been starved down
To skin and bone
I been lost somewhere
In the fabric of a world that's goin' threadbare
I been down in the gutters without a care
Throw me a bone, feed me a line
Pour a hard drink for harder times
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs
One or the other, a ship lost in the fog
No pupils to see
Our eyes to the ground
Our feet pound loud
But there's no one around
The shout of the night
The room fills with light
The sky makes a deafening sound
Throw me a bone, feed me a line
Pour a hard drink for harder times
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs
One or the other, a ship lost in the fog
Nothing can touch me
Nothing can touch me
No force
No sound
Nothing can touch me
Nothing can touch me
No force
No sound
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs
Traveled so long
Until I was cold
Cold as stone
My whiskers are grey
They reach to the ground
My bird's bones
Make a hollow sound
I been lost somewhere
In the fabric of a world that's goin' threadbare
I been down in the gutters without a care
I been hunted, maligned
Since before your time
I been stoned
I been thrown
To the wolves
To the wolves
I been starved down
To skin and bone
I been lost somewhere
In the fabric of a world that's goin' threadbare
I been down in the gutters without a care
Throw me a bone, feed me a line
Pour a hard drink for harder times
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs
One or the other, a ship lost in the fog
No pupils to see
Our eyes to the ground
Our feet pound loud
But there's no one around
The shout of the night
The room fills with light
The sky makes a deafening sound
Throw me a bone, feed me a line
Pour a hard drink for harder times
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs
One or the other, a ship lost in the fog
Nothing can touch me
Nothing can touch me
No force
No sound
Nothing can touch me
Nothing can touch me
No force
No sound
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs
Lyrics submitted by a_melancholy_soul, edited by DiesisKey, Mellow_Harsher, legislacerator
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This whole album is such a diversion from previous ones. It took me awhile to finally like it but after listening to it on repeat I have decided I like it. This song especially. The beat is wicked.
But on to what I think the song means:
I feel like there are two options to the meaning. the first is clearly that the guy is literally the "king of the gutters" aka homeless. he has grown up on the street and he is old now with grey hair and as it is the only home he has known he feel that the gutters are his kingdom. its basically about the life of a homeless person - handouts, being thrown out, stoned, etc.
The other option is about a criminal. he starts out as a petty criminal taking handouts and doing odd jobs. He drinks to deal with what he has to do for a living. As he gets older he becomes the head person in his crime organization. He becomes the 'king of the gutters' aka the underworld and 'prince of the dogs' aka the criminals under him. After all dogs obey their master right? He is essentially 'untouchable' which is an old mob name for people that are made men and are essentially above the law.
Anyway just two thoughts that are probably wrong but you never know.
He actually says "The moon pulls the sea", not "No pupils to see". My bad.
I traveled so long Traveled so long Til I was cold Cold as stone My whiskers are grey They reach to the ground My bird's bones Make a hollow sound
I been lost somewhere In the fabric of a world that's goin' threadbare I been down in the gutters without a care
I been hunted maligned Since before your time I been stoned I been thrown To the wolves To the wolves I been starved down To skin and bone
I been lost somewhere In the fabric of a world that's goin' threadbare I been down in the gutters without a care
Throw me a bone,feed me a line Pour a hard drink for harder times I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs One or the other,a ship lost in the fog
No pupils to see Ours eyes to the ground Our feet pound loud But there's no one around The shout of the night The room fills with light The sky makes a deafening sound
Throw me a bone,feed me a line Pour a hard drink for harder times I'm the king of the gutters,the prince of the dogs One or the other, a ship lost in the fog
Nothing can touch me Nothing can touch me No force No sound Nothing can touch me Nothing can touch me No force No sound
I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs I'm the king of the gutters, the prince of the dogs