Burning questions
We are told they've gone out
Time you learned your lesson
We all know that
Tell me boys, you out there?
The flesh is weak the mind slow
By now, you could say there's a problem

And it rained down on me
And it seemed to get into me
It poured down over me
I'm wet I'm wet through
But I still want more

Peace, love, now what?
Don't go telling me you let them
Oh delighted, we all know
We won't be alive any more and
By now you could say there's a problem

And it rained down on me
And it seemed to get into me
And I'm soaked to my skin
And I'm wet I'm wet through
I ought to be in
Will you let me have a sign?
And somebody ought to reply

We'll take anything at all
Understand me?

Fun times we have known
That's what we're like
Just taken them all
And I still don't remember how I got home
Don't tell me where we're going
Now I know we won't be alive any more

More more more more more


Lyrics submitted by spliphstar, edited by elliot1128

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  • +2
    My Interpretation

    I think a lot of The Sunday's songs are harping back to childhood. This one is one of my favourites because I see it as having two levels. I think this song is about transgression, and the feeling that once you've transgressed you can't reverse it. The sweet thing is the transgression is, on a basic level, a child who wants to explore the outdoors after their parents have gone out.

    "We are told they've gone out/Time you learned your lesson"

    • The child has been prevented from going out to discipline them, but the parents have gone out... the child however has "Burning questions" - they don't understand why)

    "Tell me boys are you out there? The flesh is weak and the mind slow"

    • Wants to go out and play (BUT also has a double meaning - sexual transgression hinted at with "boys" and "flesh")

    "It rained down on me, And it seemed to get into me" / "By now you could say there's a problem"

    • She worries that it'll be obvious she's sinned (at a basic level, gone out into the rain, on a more symbolic level the "wetness" could have a sexual meaning)

    "I'm wet right through but I still want more"

    • See previous analysis!

    "Peace, love, now what?" / "We all know we won't be alive anymore"

    • She has a feeling that her life is over now (returning to the basic level, her parents will know and she's "dead" so to speak)

    We know that, like the water which will dry soon, the parents will forgive them for exploring the outdoors the whole way through! And sure enough, at the end of the song, there's a realisation from her as an adult - "Fun times we have known. That's what we're like, we've just taken them all" And she still doesn't remember how she got home but somehow she did. It's about experience and the play between curiosity and authority figures. It helps to situate guilt for transgression in a childhood setting to make it innocent rather than terrible. The longing for "more" - curiosity, spirit of exploration - is not wrong, but natural.

    carrie1103on February 29, 2016   Link

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