Now its time to wrap our fears in the night
And on the first day I'll dress this city in flames
After the things you say
You hate me for being this way

Still you won't let go of old ideals
There is no headline to read at night
When the record slips and you're not holding the needle

We all sing the songs of separation
And we watch our lives bleed out through our hands
that's how it was on the first day
We saw Paris in Flames

I think it's going to rain, rain down

Here in this collapsed lung of a borough
There is no sunlight
The sunlight is manufactured in a windowless room
Distant and incoherent
Businessmen hang themselves

The lower east side is a jukebox playing the dead man's crescendo
The needle is a vector
An intersection that well all must cross
A dimly lit hallway where shadows of moths decorate the walls
Discard this message
Burn this city down

Discard this message
Throw this bottle back in the ocean
Rip this page from the history books
Smash all the street signs
Erase all the maps
Forget my name
Forget my face
Because it's going to rain
And it never ends


Lyrics submitted by himxbillxcky

Paris in Flames Lyrics as written by Robert Iii Keeley Geoffrey Rickly

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

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Paris in Flames song meanings
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136 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    this song was inspired by a movie that was based on the Stonewall Inn Riots that occured in 1969. A drag bar in Greenwich Village (in the lower east side) in Manhattan, New York City was raided by cops and the customers of the club defended themselves, and a riot occurred. The rain imagery, and the whole "discard this message" part is about the event being erased from the consciousness of many.

    the song is about standing up, about refusing to be oppressed, it's about forcing your existence on the people who supress it.

    to respond to "sentimentalf0ol"....the world is too tollerant? people die because of their religion, color of their skin, sexual orientation, and the world is too tollerant? you're an idiot. until i feel like i can express myself without being self conscious or fearing for my safety, i will continue to call you an idiot.

    moonsoon3on January 31, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think this is my favorite song on Full Collapse. i wish i knew what was being screamed toward the end between "burn this city down" and the last "discard this message." i hope they do this live.

    backupdorkon January 18, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    First of all..this is an absolutely amazing song..the first time I heard it, I fell in love w/ it...the melody, the lyrics, everything..even if u dont know what it's about, you have to appreciate it...

    Second, agreeing w/ moonsoon, yes sentimental, you are an idiot, actually more so, and F&*KING Idiot, a retard, i dont know, i wanna hit you, i have friends that have been discriminated against you homophobe, get a life, appreciate this song for what it is, and it's a disgrace to know that you are a Thursday fan, go jump off a cliff...

    Thursday is a great band and i cant wait to hear their new stuff...Keep rockin' it boys

    Hwrdmynson February 03, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Right on you guys....But we all know songs were written so that every person can interprit it in his or her own way. Not all are as openminded as you two and I. Lets not call him names, he will get it one day. Rock on Thursday, Cursive and At the Drive-in.

    CursiveHeartson February 04, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    HAHA, hell ya...One-armed scissor is the shit....

    Hwrdmynson February 07, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    fuck yeah moonsoon3, good call. "the world is too tolerant" wow that sounds exactly like the illogical bullshit that president bush would say. it just doesnt make any sense.

    Also I what I thought the song was about (and after reading the comments apperantly it is) is that Paris in Flames symbolizes destroying somehting ideal and beautiful. I guess it really was about destroying some gay people's lives. The story behind these lyrics alone, make this my new favorite song.

    rainydayboyon February 09, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Since the first time i heard this song, it's been my new favorite song, it's an unbelievable song..and raindyday, i agree w/ you, monsoon is a fuckingretard, but whatever, ignorant people will be among us, we just have to ignore them...took a hell of a lot of them to vote bush into presidency...whatever, the song is great, no one is saying it's not...

    Hwrdmynson February 10, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This world doesn't have enough tolerance. Americans are that have middle eastern background are harrased and beaten everyday in this country. THIS SONGS RULES! Since the first time I heard this song its been my favorite. Thursday is such a good band. MONSOOONFOOOL! Think about what you're saying before you ever say it again.

    legaldub33on March 14, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    why is everyone calling moonsoon a fool. sentamental is the real jackass here.

    antiheroxpon March 22, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    tight ass song!!!! AND WE WATCH OUR LIVES BLEED OUT THROUGH OUR HANDS!!!!!!!!!!!THATS HOW IT WAS ON THE FIRST DAY WHEN WE SAW PARIS IN FLAMES...................dam i dont know what he says after burn this city down, ill just make a good guess.....

    BURN THE CITY DOWN!!!!!!! DOWN!!!!!!!!!! BETTER HIDE!!!!! YOU BURN IT WITH INFLAMES!!!!! NO WAY ON THE FIRST DAY!!!

    it doesnt matter if i got it right, but its a tight song!!!

    mickeyboy

    miguelitoon April 04, 2002   Link

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