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The National – Brainy Lyrics 17 years ago
There's an interview on the web with Berninger where he discusses the lyrics for this song:
http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/09/matt-berninger-of-the-national-explains-boxer-lyri.html

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Elvis Costello – Alison Lyrics 17 years ago
The song to me is a retrospective about running into an old flame a couple times in the narrator's life. 'I know this world is killing you' is an observation, and is used twice in the song, each time to different effect.

The first time he is seeing her after she rejected him, but she has made some missteps, and he sees how she is having a hard time making the right choices.

The second time, obviously she's married and miserable, unhappy with the choice she's made.

Regarding the idea that he wants to kill her, I don't think that's the case at all, although the way it's worded, I can see how it's an easy conclusion to jump to. But I think this is actually a play on words. Another way of saying 'put out the big light' could be, 'put her out of her misery', hence his aim is true. But he is just trying to tell her that he feels like he could make her happy.

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