“My cheeks were reflecting the longest wavelength”
Within the visual spectrum, the longest wavelength is red. She is blushing.
“My fan was folded up and grazin' my forehead”
In Victorian-era fan language, the fan being run across a lady’s forehead meant, “We are watched.”
“And I kept touching my neck to guide your eye to where I wanted
You to kiss when we find some time alone”
This one is self-explanatory. They’re being watched but she wants him to know she’s thinking about where she wants him to kiss her later.
“My scars were reflecting the mist in your headlights”
Her paramour’s gaze is powerful and makes her feel like her metaphorical scars are in a spotlight, and she’s sweating from the intensity she feels.
“I looked like a neon zebra shakin' rain off of stripes”
Nice imagery here. You can really picture her in this spotlight with all her scars highlighted as she shakes beads of sweat from her body.
“And the rivulets had you riveted to the places that I wanted you to
Kiss me when we find some time alone”
The rivulets of sweat, or “mist” rolling down her neck, resting on her collarbones, guided his eyes.
And then we can do anything we want (x3)
“We started out sippin' the water
And now we try to swallow the wave”
Their courtship started out slowly, to test it out, like someone sipping something they are wary of, and they were overcome with adoration of this delightful drink and wanted to consume all of it with passion, more than what was possible for the situation and time.
“And we try not to let those bastards get us down”
There are some against their relationship.
“Oh, we don't worry anymore
Cuz we know when the guff comes we get brave”
When people question our relationship, we stand up for our love because we believe in it. There must be something about their relationship that people are against, otherwise they wouldn’t have to “get brave.”
“After all look around it's happening it's happening
It's happening now”
They’re being brave right now. Look around, they’re being brave just being together, ignoring the stares from others.
Does anyone have suggestions about the last stanza? I'm a little lost on that one.
The last stanza sort of reminds me of when you love someone so much and you want to consume them so much that you imagine you've known them forever; you want to rewrite history and put them in elementary school with you so that you can maybe feel like you know them more authentically?
The last stanza sort of reminds me of when you love someone so much and you want to consume them so much that you imagine you've known them forever; you want to rewrite history and put them in elementary school with you so that you can maybe feel like you know them more authentically?
Maybe it also contrasts nicely with "and we can do anything we want" -- like, when they were kids they couldn't do anything they wanted, but now they can? Just some thoughts! What an amazing song.
Maybe it also contrasts nicely with "and we can do anything we want" -- like, when they were kids they couldn't do anything they wanted, but now they can? Just some thoughts! What an amazing song.
@sultryq very perceptive and I'd certainly go with it. I take the song's ending to be her invitation to him to be carefree, to allow themselves to be kids again and cast off inhibitions, and not in a sexual way, either. It's a celebration of and a return to innocence, before the stripes/scars. The sex comes later when "we'll grow up, take off our clothes." I have to say the instrumentation of this song is a huge part of its success.
@sultryq very perceptive and I'd certainly go with it. I take the song's ending to be her invitation to him to be carefree, to allow themselves to be kids again and cast off inhibitions, and not in a sexual way, either. It's a celebration of and a return to innocence, before the stripes/scars. The sex comes later when "we'll grow up, take off our clothes." I have to say the instrumentation of this song is a huge part of its success.
“My cheeks were reflecting the longest wavelength” Within the visual spectrum, the longest wavelength is red. She is blushing. “My fan was folded up and grazin' my forehead” In Victorian-era fan language, the fan being run across a lady’s forehead meant, “We are watched.” “And I kept touching my neck to guide your eye to where I wanted You to kiss when we find some time alone” This one is self-explanatory. They’re being watched but she wants him to know she’s thinking about where she wants him to kiss her later.
“My scars were reflecting the mist in your headlights” Her paramour’s gaze is powerful and makes her feel like her metaphorical scars are in a spotlight, and she’s sweating from the intensity she feels. “I looked like a neon zebra shakin' rain off of stripes” Nice imagery here. You can really picture her in this spotlight with all her scars highlighted as she shakes beads of sweat from her body. “And the rivulets had you riveted to the places that I wanted you to Kiss me when we find some time alone” The rivulets of sweat, or “mist” rolling down her neck, resting on her collarbones, guided his eyes. And then we can do anything we want (x3)
“We started out sippin' the water And now we try to swallow the wave” Their courtship started out slowly, to test it out, like someone sipping something they are wary of, and they were overcome with adoration of this delightful drink and wanted to consume all of it with passion, more than what was possible for the situation and time. “And we try not to let those bastards get us down” There are some against their relationship.
“Oh, we don't worry anymore Cuz we know when the guff comes we get brave” When people question our relationship, we stand up for our love because we believe in it. There must be something about their relationship that people are against, otherwise they wouldn’t have to “get brave.”
“After all look around it's happening it's happening It's happening now”
They’re being brave right now. Look around, they’re being brave just being together, ignoring the stares from others.
Does anyone have suggestions about the last stanza? I'm a little lost on that one.
The last stanza sort of reminds me of when you love someone so much and you want to consume them so much that you imagine you've known them forever; you want to rewrite history and put them in elementary school with you so that you can maybe feel like you know them more authentically?
The last stanza sort of reminds me of when you love someone so much and you want to consume them so much that you imagine you've known them forever; you want to rewrite history and put them in elementary school with you so that you can maybe feel like you know them more authentically?
Maybe it also contrasts nicely with "and we can do anything we want" -- like, when they were kids they couldn't do anything they wanted, but now they can? Just some thoughts! What an amazing song.
Maybe it also contrasts nicely with "and we can do anything we want" -- like, when they were kids they couldn't do anything they wanted, but now they can? Just some thoughts! What an amazing song.
@sultryq very perceptive and I'd certainly go with it. I take the song's ending to be her invitation to him to be carefree, to allow themselves to be kids again and cast off inhibitions, and not in a sexual way, either. It's a celebration of and a return to innocence, before the stripes/scars. The sex comes later when "we'll grow up, take off our clothes." I have to say the instrumentation of this song is a huge part of its success.
@sultryq very perceptive and I'd certainly go with it. I take the song's ending to be her invitation to him to be carefree, to allow themselves to be kids again and cast off inhibitions, and not in a sexual way, either. It's a celebration of and a return to innocence, before the stripes/scars. The sex comes later when "we'll grow up, take off our clothes." I have to say the instrumentation of this song is a huge part of its success.