| Sonata Arctica – San Sebastian Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I always kind of thought San Sebastian was a reference to Saint Sebastian... Saint Sebastian is said to have martyred twice, so maybe it's the singer making the same mistakes over and over? Or maybe not. |
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| Pet Shop Boys – Was It Worth It? Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| About loving someone even if other people don't understand why you love them. Telling people that it's worth all the sacrifices that come with it because you love this person. | |
| The Airborne Toxic Event – Innocence Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I heard the second verse as And I woke up, tired, scared and sad *So* drained, I felt so bad Today, today, today What you still, you still, you still, you still *What* you say, you say, you say, you say What you feel, you feel, you feel, you feel Which is nothing but hollow feelings, yeah I can *die and* I just don't care Corrections inside asterisks. I dunno, I think it just makes more sense that way too. And in the third verse I hear "We're not gods" instead of "We're not guts". Again, more logical.. And goes with the whole theme of being weak and losing things, as humans often do. |
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| The Airborne Toxic Event – The Graveyard Near The House Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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Gorgeous song. Mikel's lyrics are always perfect. I don't know how he does it. And his voice conveys emotions in a way that seems effortless. This is one of their songs that really hits me. I think it's about what the other people have said. Reflecting on love and how it's worth it in the end, even if you don't know where it will take you. Seems like she's being afraid of growing apart or of the relationship not lasting, but he's reassuring her that he will love her no matter what. Very touching. |
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| The Airborne Toxic Event – Gasoline Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I agree with the first three posters on the meanings. It's a pretty easy one to understand. What I love about this band is how the lyrics are so beautiful in their simplicity. This is my favorite song by them. |
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| The Antlers – Putting the Dog to Sleep Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| hit me just as hard as "wake" on hospice. finding hope after despair and disaster. the small speck of light that you never thought you'd ever see. | |
| The Antlers – Corsicana Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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i love the way that he described the title, as pointed out by johannsen. i think that this song is a more in depth look at the "bursting apart" that was referenced in "rolled together". this is the violent and passionate end of the relationship of two "burning paper hearts" that was damned as soon as it began. |
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| The Antlers – Hounds Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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i found it interesting that it's "hounds" plural in the title, and "hound" singular in the song. so i thought maybe he's referring to the different possible usages of the word "hound"? a hound, besides being a dog, can be used to describe a person of contempt as well as a person who is an enthusiast of something in particular. the other men hoping to score with the woman by pouring drinks into her are obviously the contemptible ones. the phrasing of "pouring drinks into you" is rather vulgar and suggests that it's only for their benefit, not hers. they don't care for her at all, especially not as intensely as the narrator does. and perhaps she is an attention hound, the other side of the definition. hence, the two types of hounds-- both of which, the narrator wishes would slow down. |
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| The Antlers – Bear Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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most beautiful depiction of abortion possible, i believe. "Well we're not scared of making caves Or finding food for him to eat We're terrified of one another And terrified of what that means" that part has always gotten to me. it's heart wrenching. they know they could take care of their child, but their relationship is so damaged and they're so unsure of each other that they see no choice but to get rid of the child. |
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| The Antlers – Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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i had a theory worked out based upon the line being "get control of the floor". since the website officially says it's "get your jaw off the floor", there goes my theory. still a lovely song. |
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| The Antlers – Rolled Together Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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and, i think since they're rolled together (as you can roll paper together), the ending of the relationship will be mutually destructive for both of them. and "bursting apart" rather than fading apart or tearing apart seems like a pretty violent way to put it. so the relationship probably ends as suddenly and overwhelmingly as it started. |
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| The Antlers – Rolled Together Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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i think "burning paper heart" means that the relationship was over from the beginning, regardless of how intense or passionate it was. just a burning heart would signify the intensity. but since the heart is made of paper, it's inevitable that after time the intensity of the relationship will be what in fact ends it. |
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| The Antlers – No Widows Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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definitely about contemplating suicide due to the pointlessness and loneliness he feels that his life embodies. are these songs all supposed to tell a story the way Hospice did? does anyone know? |
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| The Antlers – Parentheses Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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The first song on this album mentioned bruising and being pushed around, and sex. The second mentioned shrieking at the narrator, and more sex. Given that the narrator now says his arm is in a sling (and maybe I'm taking it literally) I wonder if the first few tracks go into the beginning and end of an abusive relationship? |
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| Louis XIV – Illegal Tender Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Another dirty dirty song by this delicious band. I think it's about knife-play rather than rape though. | |
| Ryan Star – Last Train Home Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I wonder who Hallie is? He references her in at least one other song (We Might Fall) | |
| Ryan Star – Losing Your Memory Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Not entirely sure what it's about, but the parallels to Eternal Sunshine are too strong to be coincidental. Not saying it's about the movie, but unless it was written before the movie, maybe points in the movie are being used as a metaphor in the song. | |
| Luke Doucet – Blood's Too Rich Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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I love the second verse. About taking the good parts of religion, because you aren't religious yourself, and ignoring the rest. I think this song is just about time passing, growing older, living your life how you see fit. I'm not sure. |
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| Red Hot Chili Peppers – Otherside Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| I have always thought the line in the beginning was "once you know, you can never go back". I dunno, I just can't hear it as "once you've gone". I have no idea what the song truly means, but I always liked that line the most. And now it might not even be the real line haha. | |
| Taking Back Sunday – Carpathia Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| I didn't want to re-post it, but I just left a comment about the airplane line. If you're still curious about it, that is :] | |
| Taking Back Sunday – Carpathia Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I love the information and explanations everyone has given on this song so far! It makes the song so much better. The only thing that hasn't been touched on (I don't think) is the line about the airplane. "I was a tower, and you were an airplane. We happened before we knew what was happening." I think this is taking the sudden shock and pain of 9/11 as a metaphor for the relationship. She crashed into him/his life, and before either of them could stop it, they were entangled in their relationship. It was never safe or positive to begin with-- it started suddenly and abruptly, with no thought. |
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| Dr. Manhattan – Gunpowder: A Ballet Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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I don't think it's about being in the "friend zone", and I also don't think it's stalker-esque. I think they're merely acquaintances. He's scared and lonely but he cares for her and thinks he knows what's best for her. She's with another guy and he's not the best for her. She's aware the speaker exists, but I wouldn't call them friends. In depth interpretation: "There's a graceful dance above me from the sun reflecting in Off the cars that pass below, each with their own story within. And the dance moves, they remind me of the times that I've walked in To a room and left with nothing except the fear to walk back in." I think the lyricist did a wonderful job capturing loneliness. Our speaker is staring out the window at cars driving by, silently wondering what the people in them are like. He doesn't think too heavily about it because the movement of the cars and, as a result the people within them, reminds him how lonely he is-- how he always leaves, or how people always leave him. "So I'll stay safe at my vantage, on occasion I'll peer in." It depends on the definition of vantage to know what he's specifically saying, but the meaning is the same. A vantage is simply a position, but it can also be defined as a position that gives one (obviously) an advantage. If we go with the second option, then he's saying that being distanced is a good thing for him, as far as perspective goes. But given how lonely he seems to be, I think that he's using "vantage" as a nice sounding word for "position". His vantage is very distanced. But occasionally he will "peer in", or take a closer look. I understand this to mean he will have brief interactions with her-- the only contact he has the courage to initiate. "You'll grow up out of the corner of my eyes right next to him. You'll need help, you'll need attention. You're a captivated whim." So he is watching her "grow up" which I take to mean change rapidly and perhaps lose innocence, not the literal growing up that takes years to do. She's changing because of the man she's with. I don't think he is abusive or particularly neglectful, despite the "help/attention" bit. The narrator thinks that he, himself, is the right one for this girl. He can give her the attention that she needs and as a result he has a biased view of the boyfriend. But she is with her boyfriend and loves him very much- hence "captivated". However, her boyfriend sees her as merely a fling- hence "whim". "But I'm a coward prone to quitting. I just make sure never to begin." He wants to help her, to give her attention and appreciation, but he's so scared of losing it or disappointing her that he decides it's better to not even try. "The gunpowder between my teeth lets me know that I've come clean It should be easy to say goodbye since you won't be looking at me." This is, in my opinion, a beautiful way to describe a suicide. As he shoots himself through the head (hence gunpowder between his teeth) he knows he is doing what's best for both him and the girl. He knows that she won't be hurt by his death because she hardly pays attention to him as it is. "I can see you through a window but the cracks keep you a blur." Watching from a distance. "Cracks" could be a metaphor for how she's changing for her man, thus she appears "blurred" compared to the woman the narrator once saw her as. "There's a victim in this story, I wish to god that is was her." This line confused me for a little while, because why would he suddenly want the girl to be the victim? But then I noticed the shift in pronouns. He always refers to himself as "I", the girl as "you", the boyfriend as "he", and now there is a sudden "she". I think "she" refers to another fling the boyfriend is having. The narrator wishes "she" (this other girl) could be the one experiencing the pain of the cheating relationship, but he knows in the end it will be the girl he cares for who gets hurt. "While I know I've your recognition, it's of its nature I'm not sure. If I could ever push this question I'd shut my ears for the answer." This is by far my favorite part. It's a beautiful way to word something that is simple but also painfully relateable to some. He knows that the girl is aware of his existence. They make eye contact, they've spoken. But does she even care? Or is he one of the hundreds of people we see all the time? Are their brief conversations merely out of politeness or does she remember him at the end of the day? He desperately wants to know. But the recurring theme of cowardice comes back in two ways. First, he doesn't even have the courage to ask in the first place. "If I COULD ever push this question". Again, this relates back to how he's too afraid of his own inadequacy or of emotional pain to even try. But even if he could ask, he wouldn't listen to the answer, for the reasons listed above. Then the song repeats. I've always thought of this song as the story of a man who works somewhere-- maybe a bar or a coffee shop-- and the girl is a frequent customer, sometimes with her boyfriend. In their brief interactions, he falls for her. He becomes hopeless and desperate for her. Still, all he can manage is the simple "Hello, how are you today?", or maybe a little more. In the end, the knowledge that he can't provide for her, and that she probably doesn't want him to anyway, become too much and he ends his life, with her being his last thoughts. |
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