This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Hide in a storks mouth
sleep till its dark out
All dressed up holding your receipts for the numbers that you picked
you in a box full of your mistakes and a leaden crucifix
If hearts were all made like they were balls of yarn
well they’ve all got the strings that get tugged on your heart
some are different lengths
some would be stronger than others
and some would be the colors of your mothers and fathers
Do old structures stand
the same as any older man
a place where something used to live
but in the end just turns cold
Am I a torn up tattered worn out piece of fabric
not suitable to stitch or repair
Cause I'd like to be tightly braided
gold and silver bracelets
the type you’d like to wear round your wrist
A s w e l a y w e s t a r t t o b r e a k
And in the places you go
you’ll find these people you know
all sewing patterns into clothing that you’ve called your own
And in these smaller designs
there's something larger you might find
that peoples hands have worked together to make up the parts of you.
sleep till its dark out
All dressed up holding your receipts for the numbers that you picked
you in a box full of your mistakes and a leaden crucifix
If hearts were all made like they were balls of yarn
well they’ve all got the strings that get tugged on your heart
some are different lengths
some would be stronger than others
and some would be the colors of your mothers and fathers
Do old structures stand
the same as any older man
a place where something used to live
but in the end just turns cold
Am I a torn up tattered worn out piece of fabric
not suitable to stitch or repair
Cause I'd like to be tightly braided
gold and silver bracelets
the type you’d like to wear round your wrist
A s w e l a y w e s t a r t t o b r e a k
And in the places you go
you’ll find these people you know
all sewing patterns into clothing that you’ve called your own
And in these smaller designs
there's something larger you might find
that peoples hands have worked together to make up the parts of you.
Lyrics submitted by Aphrodisiac
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This is crazy long, so I don't blame you if it's a tl;dr for you. I just need to get this out.
I have a confession to make. I've been in a torrid love affair with Jesse Lacey ever since Your Favorite Weapon. Sure, he probably (longer story than this) has no idea who I am, but that doesn't matter because it's true love. He understands me even better than I do myself. Every song on YFW was exactly what I needed at that time in my life. I was only 15, but I'd already met the man I was going to marry.
When Deja Entendu came out, I knew without a doubt that I would never love anyone the way I loved him. Every. Darn. Song. Again, they were exactly what I needed. The direction they were taking their music in was the same direction my taste in music was going. We were growing together and, holy crap, we were made for each other.
(At this point, I need to say that I am aware Jesse Lacey isn't the only member of Brand New. Vinnie, Brian, and Garrett are extremely talented and I don't want to take away any of their accomplishments. Without them, there would be no Brand New.)
The day TDAGARIM dropped, I couldn't stop listening. I was late to work and got wrote up, but I didn't care because he still understood me. Jesse Lacey was still my one and only. Good god, you guys... I can't explain the feeling this album gives me every time I listen to it. All the songs, every one of them... I feel them so deeply that it hurts. 'You Won't Know' speaks to me on a level that is devastating and beautiful at the same time. And the demos... I can't listen to '(Fork and Knife)' without wanting to cry.
But, the years passed (like they're known to do), and life decided to hit me as hard as it could. I had a baby and almost died because of a little thing called MRSA. I lost my mother to a horrible disease. I just went through a really hard time in general. One sleepless night, I remembered Brand New and I remembered what Jesse Lacey meant to me. How could I forget about that? So, I looked them up and, lo and behold, they had a new album out. A new album that had already been out long enough to not be considered new.
Daisy was beautiful. And, again, it was exactly what I needed. All the songs. Still. But it was different... I just couldn't believe I didn't know they'd released it. How did that happen? All that love I felt for Jesse Lacey? When did I lose it?
Life. That's how it happened. Life and that jerk called time. I'm not afraid to admit that that realization brought me to tears. I couldn't listen to Brand New anymore. It hurt too much.
Then, on another sleepless night, I gathered up my courage and listened to this song. This beautiful, perfect song. I cried. I bawled. I was so overcome with emotion that I couldn't do anything but sob for what felt like hours.
They weren't sad tears, though. It was ridiculous, really, but they were tears of happiness. All those years melted away and Jesse Lacey spoke to me again in a way he never had before. I loved him again, only not in the way I used to. He felt like an old, dear friend. Our lives took different paths, we drifted apart, but that was all okay because he still knows me even after all these years.
Jesse Lacey, wherever you are, we may not have gotten married and made a lot of babies, but I want you to know I'm happy with the journey life took us on. I hope you are, too.
I don't know if he wrote this or if Vinnie did, but it doesn't change anything. I'd have this same feeling no matter what because it's Brand New.