What To Do

It sounds to me as if its about a small town girl- probably the prettiest girl there, that wants to be a model/actress. She has these big dreams and goals (apples) but doesn't realize that she doesn't have what it takes (lye).

Either her friends A) Boost her ego so they can get in on the fame. B) They warn her that she may not make it. But she doesn't believe them. (Leave your friends, righteous and pathetic, standing at the door.)

She then goes off to the city, where she sees that the competition is much nastier than was expected. (Backstabbing, catty girls going for the same role, ect.), or that there were people better or more talented than her.

The chorus is advice that is given to her, or her looking back on it in retrospect. Like her mom saying "You can do anything you put your mind to!" Or some other mom-ism :)

The 3rd verse make me think that she has finally realized that it's hard to make it big, and any compassion she got was just ridicule.

I'm not sure if this fits, I gave it my best shot :).

Lye is poisonous and the Apple can both be interpreted as the Apple from the Bible or the poisonous apple from Snowwhite. The Lye and the Apple are also both contrasts between something good and something bad, which recurres when the song refers to friends as righteous and pathetic.

have an apple, have some lime.

have an apple, have some lime.

ah man love this song. when the horns come in its orgasmic

it sounds like a concerned teacher talking to a student wasting all their time with a bad croud...thats what it reminds me of...

i like the line "mediocre people do exceptional things all the time." it gives me a sense of motivation like you could do anything.

oh and about the lye. yeah its poisonous. if you've seen Fight Club you'll know exactly what it can do.

I agree with Arcsis' interpretation of the song.

Lye fits in the "model" scenario in that it is used to make Methamphetamine, an illegal drug that can suppress hunger.

Man, am I late to this one or WHAT?

In any case, I used this specific song as a theme for a few of my super-powered characters in both the games City of Heroes AND City of Villains, because of that one line that just resonates with me, as well as the characters in question: "Sweetheart, you'll find / Mediocre people do exceptional things all the time" I first applied it to one of my first villain characters, because she NEVER WANTED to be a villain; she was practically forced into that role, and it didn't help her when the main villain group of that setting SPRANG HER from Maximum Detention because she was "one of the Chosen Ones".

She just wanted to be a scientist in peace. Was that TOO much to ask?

The sharply contrasting tones used throughout the song just helped cement this as her primary theme song.

I don't know who came up with the lyrics above, but it's not this song. It's impossible to change them, so here're the actual lyrics. Unfortunately, these forums reformat the paragraphs, so...

Come on in, sweetie-pie! Have an apple, have some lye... Leave your friends, righteous and pathetic, standing at the door. On the books, all your bets favor head-bands and cassettes, Cigarettes, suffragettes, and bores.

What to do? Sweetheart, you'll find mediocre people do exceptional things all The time. Oh, the ruin will do in your talented mind... Could've been a genius if you'd had an axe to grind.

When we moved to the city, it seemed the competition got so much Less pretty But the mirror's never failed you like this before. So your revenge on the world will be pencils through your curls And if wanting ever taught you anything, it's wanting more. (and more and more and more...)

What to do? Sweetheart, you'll find mediocre people do exceptional things all The time. Oh, the ruin will do in your talented mind... Could've been a genius if you'd had an axe to grind. What to do?

When that day finally nears, you'll at least have made it clear That compassion's just a nicer way of looking down your nose. It seems that all the people want to do is crowd the streets of Amsterdam (Pamplona, too), But the bulls have already come and gone and bellowed all their Lows. Now nobody knows

What to do. Sweetheart, you'll find mediocre people do exceptional things all The time. Oh, the ruin will do in your talented mind... Could've been a genius if you'd had an axe to grind. What to do?

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