Sunken Treasure

i always think about walking along streets in the middle of the night and i always think about how heartbreaking this song is, "i am so out of tune with you." and the realization that things are definately wrong and there's nothing you really wanna do about it, cause it's love. and you give up all that you got and you go against everything and then there's that light. "music is my savior, i was maimed by rock and roll, i was maimed by rock and roll, i was tamed by rock and roll." that's just such a beautiful picture. that one day all the shit that has gotten you down will one day unravel and become the most loveliest thing.

but until then.

This song is brilliant ... love how it just crashes, like the ship that suddenly dissapears creating the myth of sunken treasure. Despite the crash, the song just rolls on as if nothing had happened - Wilco plays on. Seems to parallel the meaning of the song - life is unexplainable, filled with many trip-ups that leave you wondering why ... you can't understand it, so you just keep on being and take solace in the little things that keep you going. Like rock and roll and the voyage to discover someone else you are in tune with.

I could of swore he said "i was made by rock and roll" the first time he says it instead of saying the "i was maimed twice in a row"

If you let the world become complex and deep, it can become overwhelming; however when you find something that makes sense perhaps things start to fall into place...Jeff Tweedy is all about translating beautifully and eloquently thought into moods and feelings, most others do the opposite...

I like this song because I think it's about something incredibly sad, be it true or not...My theory is that this song is about a breakup of some sort. He feels as if he basically has nothing left to live for, he does not even care anymore. How in the first verse, everything is picture perfect that he is noticing, yet none of it matters because he cannot find the joy in anything because of his loss of some sort. The second verse, even if he had a way to somewhat try to make himself better/happier, it would not make any difference to him, he is nothing without the possible lover he has lost in some way. The chorus is the saddest part, it's almost as if all he has left to express himself is music and he can't even enjoy that anymore because of the fact that whoever has left his life made such an impact that he can't even appreciate his other one true love. She has impacted him so sadly that he can't take in the joy of music, hence the "I am so out of tune with you" no matter what he does, no matter how perfect the song and chords will be, he will never see the perfection, he'll always see the imperfections because his mind is so preoccupied with the person who has left him. Which leads to the last chorus which sounds like he's convincing the listeners just how deeply affected he is by this because he says "I was mamed by rock and roll, I got my name from rock and roll" it's like he's saying "Hey, music is my life, it means EVERYTHING to, it defines me" and now he lost it because he has lost the person he loves dearly.... I don't know, I think this everytime I listen to the song, and be it right or not, it still sounds like it fits. Favorite song by Wilco, along with "Either Way" and "Ashes of American Flags"

the live version of this song Jeff does as a solo act is just so haunting.

The sunken treasure in his ribs is his heart...

This is one of my favorite songs ever. To me it is just so heartbreaking. Really brings me back to the fall time.. I can remember exactly how I felt when listening to this.

For all the leaves will burn In autumn fires and then return For all the fires we burn All will return

My fucking favorite.

Exhaustion from being lonely... very depressing it can be at night seeing all these things going on in let's say your neighborhood. Your by yourself and are just in pain.. so out of tune with where you live. if you could move forward, it seems very contemplative. Until You meet someone else who you can relate to (who may be going through this same thing) who finally sees someone else (you) with it not being as bad, or better. Out of tune? maybe you cannot help it. So your stuck but the benefit of being lonely is that There can be so many people actively social in any place yet there are a few out there So disconnected. Totally a hard song to describe. Beautiful. Seems to be relief, what a transformation. THANK MUSIC.

This song is about a man who feels he has not value to the world. "...there is no sunken treasure, rumored to be. Wrapped inside my ribs in a sea black with ink" would seem to refer to the writers feeling that there is nothing good in him despite all his written words. Is this Jeff speaking of himself? This is a deep, brilliant song.