I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
I want to
I want to be someone else or I'll explode
Floatin' upon this surface for the birds
The birds
The birds
You want me?
Fuckin' well, come and find me
I'll be waitin'
With a gun and a pack of sandwiches
And nothin'
Nothin'
Nothin'
You want me?
Well, come and break the door down
You want me?
Fuckin' come and break the door down
I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready
I'm ready,
I'm ready
I want to be someone else or I'll explode
Floatin' upon this surface for the birds
The birds
The birds
You want me?
Fuckin' well, come and find me
I'll be waitin'
With a gun and a pack of sandwiches
And nothin'
Nothin'
Nothin'
You want me?
Well, come and break the door down
You want me?
Fuckin' come and break the door down
I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready
I'm ready,
I'm ready
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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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.
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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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I believe the song is one of a person's transition from loss soul turning corrupt through their own narration of events. The first verse shows someone who is struggling with themselves and is almost begging to be another person then who they already are. The last line to me means that he's given up hope and is "food for the birds." He has died on the inside at this point
The next line is where this lost soul is given up following the rules of society and almost entered into insanity. The first line shows anger and that he is taunting his enemies to come get him, losing all hope previously has allowed him to not care anymore about his actions and feels no limitations or consequences to his actions. The last line with a gun and a pack of sandwiches to me shows that he is not bounded by his conscious to act within a reasonable manner (the gun) but that he is almost insane by this new freedom that he doesn’t realize how far out of the realm of society he has fallen (the sandwiches, a very abnormal thing to carry along with a gun, and almost adds an innocence to his gun and actions because he no longer has any grip to the extent of what he is doing) the last line also stresses the loss of hope he has had and that nothing can affect him anymore. He has no soul and does not care what happens to him
The last verse is the consequences of his actions and the deep hole that he has lead him to. Its almost as this verse is the consequences to his actions in the second one. He has ultimately destroyed his enemies and this is almost society now fighting at him for what he did. He is "hiding behind a door, waiting for it to be broken down" almost as if this is authority coming after him. He just keeps repeating this showing that he is not afraid, but just waiting and is "ready", showing again that by hitting bottom previously that he is ready for what ever comes to him because it doesn’t matter to him anymore. He had already died on the inside at the start of the song, therefore he is not scared of anything else befalling him, even death its self
Best interpretation thus far!!
Brilliant. Are you sure you are not Thom Yorke? :D
Beautiful interpretation. The song is so few words but you captured the entire journey of one man. I know I have felt this sentiment at times, so detached from the world around me…I dream of death and it is nothing but a calm letting go of the society that has created such things as talk show hosts, guns, and packs of sandwiches. A sweet embrace to let go of all that we know that makes us want to explode.
it's not that deep about the sandwiches. he's bringing them with the gun because he'll "be waiting." he's biding his time, like a sniper.
Well, good for everyone else's interpretations, which are all basically the same (except for that Carlito's Way one, interesting). But he's a brand new one for ya.
Yes, we all want to be someone else and whatever, i get that. But my point is from the second and third verses, if you call them that. It seems like a strained, violent relationship. Like, you want them (you want me, fuckin come on and break the door down, I'm ready...), but the violence is sort of a turn on, get me?
I don't know about everyone else, but the whole concept of telling someone to break the door down if they want you, sounds erotic in a way. I can't really see past that.
I agree. I definitely feel the sexual undertone.
I totally agree.<br />
@Evil Fentoozler To me, it seems more like a violent plea. "I got nothing else to lose, so break down the door and see if I care" kinda thing.
You can’t have me. I am so beyond your scope of reality there is nothing between you and me besides this gun and pack of sandwiches. LOUD everything. Nothing abounds on this frontier. No reservations. Death has no beginning. I am that leech. So come at me if you dare break that door down. I’m ready. Are you?
This song makes me cry. It's just... it's everything I can't explain, all this hidden up anger put into words. My dissatisfaction with myself, with the world, with everyone else. It's everything.
There, there!
To me this song is about a guy in a particularly stressful situation that he wishes he could escape, and he begins to change his attitude from wishing to be someone else to a come and get me attitude it's as though he'd rather hide from the problems than face them even though he says he's ready he's still hiding with sandwiches and a gun.
One of the most infulential and meaningful songs iv'e heard in a while, Talk Show Host is seriously a song that reaches out to fans. i mean come on the depth of the lyrics illustrates how someone wants to "be someone else" yet that im "ready" to fight off anyone who tries to.
this is clearly seen in Romeo + Juliet (awesome movie) when Romeo is in 'love' with Rosalie and is denial to the fact that she doesn't feel the same way. Talk Show Host was played throughout this scene where Romeo is writing in his journal expressing his feelings about Rosalie. point is, its a mad song that literally creates mixed emotions from anyone. we need more songs like this!
Songs mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. At certain points in my life, when I heard it, it meant something to me that is somewhat different from some of you. I think that, that is the important and valuable thing about music. It doesn't really matter what the author meant. You can derive any meaning from the song that you want.
For me, the first verse was very literal. "I wanna be someone else or I'll explode." I can't stand who I am and if it doesn't change I will just explode. The second and third verses, to me, were (for me) a plea to god, if you want me, come and get me. It was about not knowing what god's intentions were. Did god want me to be miserable? Did god want me to kill myself? Did god want me to take a certain path before he'd let me be happy? Whatever the case may have been, "if you want me, fucking well, come and find me, I'm waiting." It was saying to god, "What the fuck do you want from me?!"
Wow... This song is like my life. Wishing I was someone else but still taking the shit that everyone throws at me.. And wanting someone I cant have.. But telling them to fucking well come and get me anyway Coz I wont give up! Also, Was Watching Romeo and Juliet in English, (and quite enjoying it) Then Radiohead came on!! One way to make 30 teenagers pay attention! My Friend Reckons this song is about sex. The chord progression actually does sound quite erotic.. :P
Sex? Than he surely doesn't want it 'cause he's waitin' with a gun. And I don't think he meant it metahorically (however ya spell that dumb word).
Someone that is perhaps very restless and crazy in their minds to the point they want to explode. That is perhaps due to a great amount of sanity. I am on this earth, laying on the surface of this earth just for the brave birds and I am ready to be eaten by scavengers like yourself. I AM HERE, I am meat, I am your potential prey. You want me? Come n get it. I'll be very casual in nature, however. You want me? Come on and fight for your meat, for your dinner. You want me? How badly? Break the door down if you have to. I am ready to see how badly...I'm ready....
I always thought this song was written about Charles Whitman... "I'll be waitin' With a gun and a pack of sandwiches"... as he did the day he climbed the university tower with a boat load of weapons and a "lunch"... as well as the lyrics, "You want me? Well, come and break the door down". Just my thoughts on it :)