| Manchester Orchestra – Colly Strings Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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For those wondering about the meaning, here you go. It's a song for his fiancee, and he's switching back & forth between her perspective and his. Take a leaf of paper and draw your mind Your bourbon brown that can burn my eyes I lost your presence underneath the bridge (1st person: Show me what you were thinking. Why did you do what you did? "Bourbon brown that can burn my eyes" refers to the mistake that hurt the other person. "I lost your presence" means that before I could always find you and we were connected, but now that's lost. I don't know who you are anymore. Something happened "underneath the bridge" or out of my sight that changed us. Lock the door, let's talk it out Against the wall, hands on my mouth Could this be it, is it really over now? (Other person talking now: Let's commit to talking about it. Let's see if we can figure it out. I'm against the wall. I have no other option even though I don't want to talk about it --hands on my mouth. Other person is questioning if they screwed up bad enough that it's over. You wore a pink T-shirt and khaki pants You played your songs and you danced your dance I unwrapped your presents underneath your feet (1st person talking: You looked all preppy and perfect when we first met. You put on a big show and said all the right things. "I unwrapped your presents" means you showed me what you wanted me to see, the best parts of you. "Underneath your feet" means that when I was close to you, I couldn't see the real you. I was prevented from seeing how you really are. Nine to eleven you're getting weak The tile is cold, I can barely speak And I think she's gone, but I'll be sure for safety's keeping (Other person talking. "Nine to eleven, you're getting weak" means it's almost over (referencing time like it's almost midnight). You're getting tired of this and worn out. Your heart is becoming cold. I don't even know what to say to you to make it any better. It's like you're already gone, but I have to do something to see if I can save it. ) The music up to this point is very simple, suggesting pure and honest communication. If you say no, then no it will be I'll stick it at our skin, pierced with colly strings Just play it cool, yeah, and try to avoid being seen I'll stick it at our skin, pierced for nothing (1st person: If you won't talk about it, then we're done. Our skin (referring to the love that once protected them) will be broken. Colly means soot or grime. Strings typically refer to the heart. It basically means whatever love we had is now damaged. And if you won't talk to me, we'll both be broken and damaged, and you can keep trying to play it cool and try to avoid being seen for what you really are. We'll be broken and damaged with nothing to show for it) -- Music here becomes more complex and dark suggesting the pain that leaving the relationship would cause them both. Well, yeah, I saw inside the mirror, your smoking gun [Incomprehensible], the subscribing one by one And I fell so fast in Seth Ott's bedroom You said, you saw it coming but you didn't see nothing Your eyes are on the living room, your eyes are on the closet Don't worry about, don't worry about anything (other person: "I saw inside the mirror, the smoking gun" means when I look at you, I see how I hurt you and how you're still hurting. I see myself for who I really am. I can see the gun that I used on you, and it's still smoking. "And I fell so fast in Seth Ott's bedroom" is referring to his friend that he turned to after the mistake and broke down behind closed doors. He's now telling her that you think you saw it coming but you didn't. You weren't paying attention to what was going on inside of my heart. You were focused on the living room (friends, socializing) and the closet (keeping things hidden that they didn't want others to see). You should've been focused on where the love and intimacy is, like the bedroom. And he didn't open up about what was going on. He just kept saying "don't worry about anything." I'm fine. ) The music speeds up suggesting emotional turmoil and confession. A pity invitation to an awkward house For pseudo-boy that would rather wear a blouse I sincerely saw your skin for the very first time (1st person: A "pity invitation" means she was just kind of there. He didn't know how to love or appreciate her. "Awkward house" means he looked like he was holding things together but he was about to fall. He wasn't being a man but rather a "pseduoboy who would rather wear a blouse." And when he fell, that was when she sincerely saw him as an imperfect person for the first time.) The music turns from being angry in the first 2 lines, and then loving when he sings the 3rd. My curly hair and a voting booth Confessingly, this is the first time I've loved you And God I mean, God I mean it, I hope that I mean it (1st person: "My curly hair and a voting booth" means we go all kind of directions, we're unruly, we're not perfect and we try to keep those things hidden. I accept that. I'm telling you that this is the first time I really see you and I still love you. God I mean it, God I mean it (The use of the word God indicates that it's the kind of love that God has for us -- loving you despite your flaws). "I hope that I mean it" indicates that she's afraid she'll get hurt again but wants to still love him. 'Cause like dying young, idols got the best of me Well, don't stop calling, you're the reason I love losing sleep And the building collapse, we'll shop one, we'll shop one for something (1st person: I was young and stupid. I made you into an idol. I elevated you to the level of God and expected you to be perfect and never hurt me. Well don't just walk away because I still love you. Even with your imperfections and the pain you cause me, I still want you. "You're the reason I love losing sleep." And if things fall down again, we'll figure it out. ) I'll stick it at our skin, pierced for something Besides, don't release me until it's over (Even though we may hurt each other, we stand for something greater....Love. So don't leave me until it's over -- until death do us part). Besides, you can't believe without fear Besides, you can't believe without fear (He's saying you can't experience real, unending love without experiencing pain and deciding to accept what someone truly is...a human being who makes mistakes and is going to hurt you. Love is a choice and sometimes it's really hard to keep going when they've hurt you. But, pain teaches you whether they're worth it or not). |
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