The Answer

This song.. wow this song. <3

"If I can't crawl inside of you, I'm laughing with a broken face I stumble across my self esteem. But to picture the pleasure is making me want my space."

~ You're wanting to be happy, but that never happens. And the thing is, to even think about it makes you uncomfortable and your low self esteem forces you to be alone.

Understand....... That God wrapped you like a bow. But in my head... There's some shelves that need cleaning, from basement to ceiling, control.

~People tell you that you're special and God loves you the way you are, but you know that you're not, and that there are many parts of you that need help and therapy. /'you' (as in an someone the artist is singing to) are wonderful; God wrapped YOU like a bow, but in MY head.. there's so much that needs to be fixed and cleaned.

"If what you're seeing is an open book, that's great 'cuz I'm an open book, a confused boy."

~ You're an open book and you're confused, so if that's what other people see when they look at you, then great. Because now you don't have to explain yourself.

"I'm an automatic steeple for depressed and lonely people. My heart while in it's cage, is used to give and not receive a thing. But the only funny thing is that I don't know how to give myself advice."

~This is pretty self explanatory. You attract depressed and lonely people. Your heart is locked up and always gives but ever receives. Although you're giving all these broken people advice and love, you don't know how to give any to yourself.

"I've got this post traumatic thing. I've got this tattoo of a ring that lies around my wedding finger and that's where I want to state this claim. "That I've got to learn to live and dream before I go and get myself in love" "

~Due to trauma, you want to heal and live your life before you're not alone. "I've got to learn to live and dream before I go and get myself in love"

"There's Zoloft, Welbutrin, there's Paxil that's proven, no side effects. But the rest left unnamed 'cuz they'd work like a charm on me."

~This line always hits me the hardest. There's all of these drugs: Zoloft, Welbutrin, and Paxil, to name a few, that are 'proven' no side effects. (You can hear the sarcasm in his tone.) But the rest of the anti-depressants out there aren't mentioned to you because they'd work like a charm. It's cruel.

"But when your savings is drying. you can't stop from crying. You've got to suck it up. You're not her buttercupp, you're not her favorite book."

~You're savings are running out from spending so much money on medication that never works, you can't stop from crying. But you've got to suck it up because aside from your mental health problems, she doesn't love you.

These are the musing of someone with mental illness, particularly including depression. It's so sad and so relatable.

Not ready for a relationship, emotionally, mentally. Met a girl, didn't work. Hasn't gotten it all worked out yet. And won't try love again until he does.

I'm amazed there are no comments regarding this song. Perhaps it's almost too transcendental to appeal to the general public. At any rate, the way I see it is the proclamations of love of a troubled man. He acknowledges that he's in love, but that he has a long way to go before he can be everything she desires; "you're not her buttercup -- you're not her favourite book."

I feel it's extremely powerful; he reveals all to her, and it's a bit frightening, as he felt he was previously holding nothing in. The concluding vocals are more of a primal release than any actual words or lyrics. Just raw intensity and passion.

Also, I'd like to make a quick correction:

"I've got this post-traumatic thing, This tattoo of a ring, Around my wedding finger; That's where I want to state this claim, That I've got to learn to live and dream before I get myself in love."

The post-traumatic sort of goes with the theme of the entire album, which is a concept album of love, madness, dreaming, and introspection. A bit like Pink Floyd's "The Wall" but for a new era and generation.

Just my $0.02.

I'm not very experienced in trying to explain songs. But from the way song goes, it describes many things. As to me, this song describes things I feel.

Especially: I'm laughing with a broken face I stumble across my self esteem.

&

There's a part of me seeking and desperatly needing to open up. That's strange 'cuz I'm an open book,

For me, the song has a meaning that the person seems to be easly to read by others. But that the people only see the outside, not the inside termoil that goes on in life.

Maybe he's hiding behind a mask.

This is how I feel about this song. People seem to see whats on the outside of a person, not the inside (as I said before). Maybe they don't see and don't want to see past the mask.

My two cents. And my own opinion.

CORRECTION If what you’re seeing is an open book That’s great well I’m an open book But I’m real shy Now there’s a part of me seeking and desperately needing to open up That’s strange because I’m an open book A confused boy

“If I can’t crawl inside of you…from basement to ceiling, control”

He’s in love. He thinks the girl has to be a gift from God or something because he doesn’t like himself and doesn’t think he deserves her.

“if what you’re seeing is an open book….A confused boy”

People think they know him but they don’t….he doesn’t even completely know who he is (a confused boy)

“I’m an automatic steeple….give myself advice”

He’s able to help other people who feel the way he feels (depressed and lonely) but when it comes to getting himself out of that place he’s no help.

“I’ve got this post….myself in love”

He wants to be married. He wants that love and security - that fairytale closeness - and he’s willing to work on himself to get to that point.

“there’s Zoloft….charm on me”

I don’t have much of a theory for this one….anyone else? Maybe Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Paxil never worked for him and he thinks there is a medicine out there that would work but he doesn’t know what it is? People are purposely not telling him?

“but when you…favorite book”

I love this. “you’ve got to suck it up - you’re not her buttercup - your not her favorite book” Those lines have that Blue October emotion that so many people feel but couldn’t adequately put into words…not that its just the words - the voice the overall sound...I’m a fan.

this song, is simply amazing, just like many of blue october's other songs.

this song..well i would say, well pretty much would "sarahliquid" said.

i think he's scared to get into something serious, maybe cuz he still has much to learn, much to expierience before he gets himself in "love" even, tho he really wants to be in a relationship so much. i dunno, my point of view..

oh oh and my favorite line is "But the only funny thing is that I don't know how to give myself advice" that line effin owns! :D

BLUE OCTOBER IS OVE =]

The correction that "mindhuntress" posted applies to the version of The Answer from the album Consent To Treatment. The posted lyrics are from the version on The Answers.

I'm not sure which version I like of this song.. the more upbeat version or the slower sadder version. Both are good none-the-less :)

"There's Zoloft, Welbutrin, there's Paxil that's proven, no side effects. But the rest left unnamed 'cuz they'd work like a charm on me."

-- I get the impression that 'the rest unnamed' are the illegal drugs he took to self-medicate for depression. Like in the song 'Drop'.

I'm an automatic steeple for depressed and lonely people. My heart while in it's cage, is used to give and not receive a thing. But the only funny thing is that I don't know how to give myself advice.

gah, those lines get me everytime because i understand what he's saying

you can give advice and comfort, to all these hurting people... but when it comes to yourself, you are completely out of luck.