My Interpretation on this is that the narrator in the song used to be with a girl that he loved so much and but during that time he was one of the cool guys at school that lived freely(partying and alcohol, etc.) and he wasn't really able to get over his former glory. on the other hand, his girlfriend/ex matured, and started thinking about their future and got a job/career. and since he became much like an alcoholic bum of a sort, he got jealous with the girl having to work all the time having no time for him so didn't felt like "he mattered to her". somewhere in there, they broke up. so one night he went to her place all drunk so he's got this "too drunk to drive" excuse to stay. Trying to somehow patch things between them by telling her that she was "the best he ever had" and that he's really sorry for having "blew up" their relationship years ago, or else they'd still be together.
On the second verse he was trying to tell her that all he really want is to be with her and that he has somehow improved that if she'd take him back, he'd no longer drink and sleep around and if she'll accept that he's still in the process of picking himself up and not to expect a great make over, then she might not be let down.
The chorus is his way of telling her that they can still do what they used to find exiting or an adrenaline rush and that by doing so, even if the past is gone, they might still be able to pick-up some of the pieces of their past and replace their past failures with a renewed love to take it's place.
The last part he says, "she took my heart", means he never got over her and probably never will.
The line "there's only one thing I couldn't start", means that he couldn't actually start the conversation with her because he was too drunk to think straight and all of these words were just running inside his head and these were all the things he wanted to tell her.
Radio: Hi, we’re back. This is Radio KX and we’re here with Conor Oberst of the band Bright Eyes. How are you doing Conor?
Conor: Fine, thanks. Just a little wet
Radio: Oh yeah, it’s still coming down out there
Conor: Yeah, I sort of had to run from the car
Radio: Well, we are glad you made it. Now your new album, Fevers and Mirrors. Tell us a little bit about the title. I noticed there was a good deal of repeated imagery in the lyrics, fevers . . . mirrors, scales, clocks. Could you discuss some of this?
Conor: Sure. Let’s see, the fever is . . .
Radio: First let me say, that this is a brilliant record, man, we’re all really into it here at the station. We get lots of calls, it’s really good stuff
Conor: Thanks, thanks a lot
Radio: So talk a little bit about some of the symbolism
Conor: The fever?
Radio: Sure
Conor: Well the fever is basically whatever ails you or oppresses you, it could be anything. In my case it’s my neurosis, my depression, but I don’t want to be limited to that. It’s certainly different for different people. It’s whatever keeps you up at night
Radio: I see
Conor: And then the mirror is like, as you might have guessed, self-examination or reflection or whatever form. This could be vanity or self-loathing. I don’t know, I’m guilty of both
Radio: That’s interesting. How about the scale?
Conor: The scale is essentially our attempt to solve our problems quantitatively through logic or rationalization. In my opinion it’s often fruitless, but always, well, not always. And the clocks and calendars, etcetera, its just time, our little measurements. It’s like, it’s always chasing after us
Radio: It is, it is. How about this Arienette, how does she fit in to all of this?
Conor: I’d prefer not talk about it, in case she’s listening
Radio: Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize she was a real person
Conor: She’s not, but I made her up
Radio: Oh, so she’s not real?
Conor: Just as real as you or I
Radio: I don’t think I understand
Conor: Neither do I, but after I grow up I will. I mean, you know what, a lot of things are really unclear for me right now
Radio: That’s interesting. Now you mentioned your depression
Conor: No I didn’t
Radio: You’re from Nebraska, right?
Conor: Yeah, that’s right
Radio: Now let me know if I’m getting to personal, but there seems to be a pretty dark past back there somewhere. What was it like for you growing up?
Conor: Dark? Not really. Actually I had a great childhood. My parents were wonderful. I went to a Catholic school. They have, I had money, so it was all easy. I basically had everything that I wanted anytime
Radio: Really? So some of the references like babies in bathtubs are not biographical?
Conor: Well I did have a brother who died in a bathtub . . . he drowned. Well actually I had five brothers that drowned
Radio: (Chuckle)
Conor: No, I’m serious. My mother drowned one every year for five consecutive years. They were all named Padraic, and that’s why they only got one song. It’s kind of like walking out a door and discovering that it's a window
Radio: But your music is certainly very personal
Conor: Of course, I put a lot of myself into what I do. It’s like being an author, you have to free yourself to use symbolism and allegory to meet your goal. And part of that is compassion, empathy for other people and their situations. Some of what I sing about comes from other people’s experiences. It shouldn’t matter, the message is intended to be universal
Radio: I see what you mean
Conor: Could you make that sound stop, please?
Radio: Yes. And your goal?
Conor: I don’t know. Create feelings I guess. A song never ends up the way you planned it
Radio: That’s funny you’d say that, do you think that . . .
Conor: Do you ever hear things that aren’t really there?
Radio: I’m sorry, what?
Conor: Never mind. How long have you worked at this station?
Radio: Oh, just a few minutes. Now you mentioned empathy for others. Would you say that that motivates you to make the music that you make?
Conor: No, not really. It’s more a need for sympathy. I want people to feel sorry for me. I like to feel the burn of the audience’s eyes on me when I’m revealing all my darkest secrets into the microphone. When I was a kid I used to carry a safety pin around with me every where I went in my pocket, and when people weren’t paying enough attention to me, I’d dig it into my arm until I started crying. Everyone would stop what they were doing and ask me what was the matter. I guess, I guess I kind of liked that
Radio: Really, you’re telling me that you’re doing all of this for attention?
Conor: No, I hate it when people look at me, I get nauseous. In fact, I could care less what people think about me. Do you feel that?
Radio: No, I feel sick
Conor: I really just want to be this warm yellow light that pours over everyone that I love
Radio: So you’re going to play something for us now? Is this a new song?
Conor: Yeah, but I haven’t written it yet. It’s one I’ve been meaning to write called A Song To Pass The Time
Radio: Oh, that’s a nice title
Conor: You should write your own scripts
Radio: Yeah, I know
Conor: Fine, thanks. Just a little wet
Radio: Oh yeah, it’s still coming down out there
Conor: Yeah, I sort of had to run from the car
Radio: Well, we are glad you made it. Now your new album, Fevers and Mirrors. Tell us a little bit about the title. I noticed there was a good deal of repeated imagery in the lyrics, fevers . . . mirrors, scales, clocks. Could you discuss some of this?
Conor: Sure. Let’s see, the fever is . . .
Radio: First let me say, that this is a brilliant record, man, we’re all really into it here at the station. We get lots of calls, it’s really good stuff
Conor: Thanks, thanks a lot
Radio: So talk a little bit about some of the symbolism
Conor: The fever?
Radio: Sure
Conor: Well the fever is basically whatever ails you or oppresses you, it could be anything. In my case it’s my neurosis, my depression, but I don’t want to be limited to that. It’s certainly different for different people. It’s whatever keeps you up at night
Radio: I see
Conor: And then the mirror is like, as you might have guessed, self-examination or reflection or whatever form. This could be vanity or self-loathing. I don’t know, I’m guilty of both
Radio: That’s interesting. How about the scale?
Conor: The scale is essentially our attempt to solve our problems quantitatively through logic or rationalization. In my opinion it’s often fruitless, but always, well, not always. And the clocks and calendars, etcetera, its just time, our little measurements. It’s like, it’s always chasing after us
Radio: It is, it is. How about this Arienette, how does she fit in to all of this?
Conor: I’d prefer not talk about it, in case she’s listening
Radio: Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize she was a real person
Conor: She’s not, but I made her up
Radio: Oh, so she’s not real?
Conor: Just as real as you or I
Radio: I don’t think I understand
Conor: Neither do I, but after I grow up I will. I mean, you know what, a lot of things are really unclear for me right now
Radio: That’s interesting. Now you mentioned your depression
Conor: No I didn’t
Radio: You’re from Nebraska, right?
Conor: Yeah, that’s right
Radio: Now let me know if I’m getting to personal, but there seems to be a pretty dark past back there somewhere. What was it like for you growing up?
Conor: Dark? Not really. Actually I had a great childhood. My parents were wonderful. I went to a Catholic school. They have, I had money, so it was all easy. I basically had everything that I wanted anytime
Radio: Really? So some of the references like babies in bathtubs are not biographical?
Conor: Well I did have a brother who died in a bathtub . . . he drowned. Well actually I had five brothers that drowned
Radio: (Chuckle)
Conor: No, I’m serious. My mother drowned one every year for five consecutive years. They were all named Padraic, and that’s why they only got one song. It’s kind of like walking out a door and discovering that it's a window
Radio: But your music is certainly very personal
Conor: Of course, I put a lot of myself into what I do. It’s like being an author, you have to free yourself to use symbolism and allegory to meet your goal. And part of that is compassion, empathy for other people and their situations. Some of what I sing about comes from other people’s experiences. It shouldn’t matter, the message is intended to be universal
Radio: I see what you mean
Conor: Could you make that sound stop, please?
Radio: Yes. And your goal?
Conor: I don’t know. Create feelings I guess. A song never ends up the way you planned it
Radio: That’s funny you’d say that, do you think that . . .
Conor: Do you ever hear things that aren’t really there?
Radio: I’m sorry, what?
Conor: Never mind. How long have you worked at this station?
Radio: Oh, just a few minutes. Now you mentioned empathy for others. Would you say that that motivates you to make the music that you make?
Conor: No, not really. It’s more a need for sympathy. I want people to feel sorry for me. I like to feel the burn of the audience’s eyes on me when I’m revealing all my darkest secrets into the microphone. When I was a kid I used to carry a safety pin around with me every where I went in my pocket, and when people weren’t paying enough attention to me, I’d dig it into my arm until I started crying. Everyone would stop what they were doing and ask me what was the matter. I guess, I guess I kind of liked that
Radio: Really, you’re telling me that you’re doing all of this for attention?
Conor: No, I hate it when people look at me, I get nauseous. In fact, I could care less what people think about me. Do you feel that?
Radio: No, I feel sick
Conor: I really just want to be this warm yellow light that pours over everyone that I love
Radio: So you’re going to play something for us now? Is this a new song?
Conor: Yeah, but I haven’t written it yet. It’s one I’ve been meaning to write called A Song To Pass The Time
Radio: Oh, that’s a nice title
Conor: You should write your own scripts
Radio: Yeah, I know
Lyrics submitted by EricFrank
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
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maybe hes just making fun of the radio presenter for being crap at reading the scripts hes given. you cant interveiw someone without a sort of script with questions on it!
where can i hear this i really want to?