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Dashboard Confessional – Vindicated Lyrics 21 years ago
My take-Keeping in mind the movie the song was written for.

"hope dangles on a string
like slow-spinning redemption
winding in and winding out
the shine of it has caught my eye "

You have to take the whole thing in context. He says that hope is redeeming and worthy of attention, something we are drawn toward. In terms of the movie Spiderman is "hope" for the city and he feels drawn to protect it. Peter Parker, however, is unsure he can sustain doing it forever-meaning there is some uncertainty. Thats why "hope" is dangling on a string, its not secured strongly to anything, and he could very well let it go if he wanted. Slow-spinning and winding in/winding out references are meant to cause a visual of exactly how insecure the decision might be. Take something and attach it to a string, then just drop it and let it hang there. What does it do? slowly spins, moving a little up and a little down depending on which way its spinning.

"vindicated, i am selfish i am wrong
i am right, i swear i'm right
i swear i knew it all along
and i am flawed but i am cleaning up so well
i am seeing in me now the things
you swore you saw yourself so clear "

Peter is torn between his obligations to being "spiderman" and also his need to be a "real" person (dating, working, school). He is torn between the two and cannot make up his mind which is more important, thus we have the alternative banter of him being both right and wrong. People in his real life (landlord, boss, MJ, teachers) might see him as being "selfish" because they never see him dedicate time to "them" (he doesn't pay rent, show up on time for work, attent MJ's performances, turn in school work). He is remorseful for that and knows he is "wrong" insofar as he need to be doing these things. At the same time he "knows [he's] right" because he is doing the community good by being spiderman.

He is vindicated simply because he is doing what he can to balance the two worlds together. The ultimate "vindication" is when MJ realises whats going on at the end.

"like the diamond in your ring
cut to mirror your intention
oversized and overwhelmed
the shine of which has caught my eye"

This is a direct reference to the fact that MJ is getting married. The diamond in her ring is quite literally I diamond in her weding ring. This time another "shine" catches his eye. MJ. He realises that he is losing her. She wants commitment that he can't really give her, and so she ultimatly cannot wait around for him (cut to mirror your intention).

This in turn " rendered me so isolated, so
motivated, i am certain now that i am " Basically, he realises he is alone, but now has motivation to change so he can win her back.

"so tired of the corners of your lips
part them and feel my fingertips
trace the moment for forever

defense is paper thin
just one touch and i'd be in "

First off, its "turn up the corners of your lips," meaning smile. That should be fairly apparent. Part them and feel my finger tips basically is him saying that they(him and MJ) shouldn't "talk" about the fact that he is spiderman. Like... placing your hand over the other persons mouth and saying "shhh," but in a more 'sweet' than 'commanding' way. Its ment to be a secret. Tracing the moment for forever means to skirt around it. Know, but not focus on the fact that its true.

submissions
Vanessa Carlton – White Houses Lyrics 21 years ago
I think we all got the basics. Lets dissect the song though:

"Crashed on the floor when I moved in
This little bunk alone with some strange new friends
Stay up too late, and I'm too thin
We promise each other it's til the end "

She gets her first apt/house/pad/place with 5 of her friends. Its her first time living on her own. She's been staying up late and partying hard. Her friends and herself make a pact to be friends forever... blah blah.

"Now we're spinning empty bottles
It's the five of us
With pretty eyed boys girls die to trust "

5 of her friend PLUS "pretty eye'd boys" are playing spin the bottle. Whoever commented on the uneven ratio~

"Jenny screams out and it's no pose
'Cause when she dances she goes and goes
Beer through the nose on an inside joke
I'm so excited, I haven't spoken
And she's so pretty, and she's so sure
Maybe I'm more clever than a girl like her

Jenny is having a great time! Jenny is the "her." She is described as pretty and sure. What is she sure of? That the boy Vanessa likes actually likes herself (jenny). The boy, however, doesn't like Jenny. He likes vanessa, as we can tell by her statement "maybe im more cleaver." Its like Vanessa has found a way around the beauty.

"Maybe I'm a little bit over my head
I come undone at the things he said
And he's so funny in his bright red shirt
We were all in love and we all got hurt "

Sets up that Vanessa is falling for this guy. Her friend are also experiencing similar things.

" sneak into his car's black leather seat
The smell of gasoline in the summer heat
Boy, we're going way too fast
It's all too sweet to last

It's alright
And I put myself in his hands "

This is well... pretty intuative =D

"Maybe you were all faster than me
We gave each other up so easily
These silly little wounds will never mend "

She recognises that the friendship deteriorated over trivial things, and its partially all of their fault.

"I feel so far from where I've been
So I go, and I will not be back here again
I'm gone as the day is fading on white houses
I lie, put my injuries all in the dust
In my heart is the five of us "

She says she's grown up since then, and she won't return to those days. She is still very nostalgic about them though... she remembers the good and forgets the bad.

White houses are basically what people have mentioned before, symbols for a dreamlike perfect family and life. There isn't really this perfect life, though, anywhere. A white house is really just a mask, a fascade for a good life. Its not real. When she says she keeps her secrets in white houses, she means that she can pretend these things never happend.

Thats my take on things anyhow.

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