In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I was flicking through the channels on the TV
On a Sunday in Milwaukee in the rain
Trying to piece together conversations
Trying to find out where to lay the blame
But when it comes right down to it there's no use trying to pretend
For when it gets right down to it there's no one here that's left to blame
Blame it on me, you can blame it on me
We're just sugar mice in the rain
I heard Sinatra calling me through the floorboards
Where you pay a quarter for a partnership in rhyme
To the jukebox crying in the corner
While the waitress is counting out the time
For when it comes right down to it there's no use trying to pretend
For when it gets right down to it there's no one really left to blame
Blame it on me, you can blame it on me
We're just sugar mice in the rain
'Cause I know what I feel, know what I want I know what I am
Daddy took a raincheck
'Cause I know what I want, know what I feel I know what I need
Daddy took a raincheck, your daddy took a raincheck
Ain't no one in here that's left to blame but me
Blame it on me, blame it on me
Well the toughest thing that I ever did was talk to the kids on the phone
When I heard them asking questions I knew that you were all alone
Can't you understand that the government left me out of work
I just couldn't stand the looks on their faces saying, "What a jerk"
So if you want my address it's number one at the end of the bar
Where I sit with the broken angels clutching at straws and nursing our scars
Blame it on me, blame it on me,
Sugar mice in the rain, your daddy took a raincheck
On a Sunday in Milwaukee in the rain
Trying to piece together conversations
Trying to find out where to lay the blame
But when it comes right down to it there's no use trying to pretend
For when it gets right down to it there's no one here that's left to blame
Blame it on me, you can blame it on me
We're just sugar mice in the rain
I heard Sinatra calling me through the floorboards
Where you pay a quarter for a partnership in rhyme
To the jukebox crying in the corner
While the waitress is counting out the time
For when it comes right down to it there's no use trying to pretend
For when it gets right down to it there's no one really left to blame
Blame it on me, you can blame it on me
We're just sugar mice in the rain
'Cause I know what I feel, know what I want I know what I am
Daddy took a raincheck
'Cause I know what I want, know what I feel I know what I need
Daddy took a raincheck, your daddy took a raincheck
Ain't no one in here that's left to blame but me
Blame it on me, blame it on me
Well the toughest thing that I ever did was talk to the kids on the phone
When I heard them asking questions I knew that you were all alone
Can't you understand that the government left me out of work
I just couldn't stand the looks on their faces saying, "What a jerk"
So if you want my address it's number one at the end of the bar
Where I sit with the broken angels clutching at straws and nursing our scars
Blame it on me, blame it on me,
Sugar mice in the rain, your daddy took a raincheck
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Fish gave an interview and said it was written on a rainy Sunday afternoon when he was touring. He was missing his wife and daughter and rang home to speak to Tamara his wife and Tara his daughter. It was a stilted and difficult conversation and he felt terrible and alone and was really missing them. After he went for a drink in a bar and looked around him at all the other men sitting quietly drinking alone. He then penned the lyrics. The 'sugar mice' refers to the sweets that melt easily in the mouth or in water. It refers to us all being transient beings and our lives can end as quickly as the sweets melting in the rain. Our lives can end at any given moment and would anyone really care? The most obvious part is that the husband is no longer with his wife and children and is calling home to speak to them but they don't really have the time for him as he has bcome a sad and lonely alcoholic. If you watch the video on you tube it is very litteral and tells the story perfectly.Sadly it came true as he and Tamara sadly split and later divorced. Fish is an amazing lyricist and I adore his work and this song always makes me want to cry.
@Darkroseuk Most Marillion songs make me want to cry. Not just the lyrics, but the music is so emotionally intense. The "Misplaced Childhood" album has me weeping from start to finish. Especially the segue between "Blind Curve" and "Childhood's End".
This is obviously about Fish dealing with ex wife and children. This is so an alcoholic dealing with the consequences. I can understand it easily and this is him telling somehow my story. Excellent
This is one of the saddest songs I know - gets me every time I hear it.
This is a song Fish wrote while on a off day from touring in US (a Sunday I think). It seems to be about either his father or a father leaving or being forced to leave home or a husband who left home.
I heard this when Dream Theater played this as part of Surrounded '07 when I saw them earlier this year. It was simply beautiful, I just had to check Marillion out. It was a wise decision =)
^I saw that six days ago when they were in Clearwater. It was magnificent to hear...I thought it was "Through My Words" from SFAM (the main melody sounds like it) and I was enticed to go check this song out. Brilliant.
I think its clear to what the general meaning to this song is...but what exactly is a "sugar mice"? What does he mean by that term??
Sugar mice are sweets made out of sugar on the shape of mice whch are very popular in the UK. The melt easily in your mouth.
Sugar mice are a kind of candy. See this linka: store.addedtouch.us/1250.html
I agree foreverafternoon, it's seems to be about a dad being away from home, unemployed and dealing with alcohol issues, when talking about "sugar mice in the rain" it's about some sugar cubes in a mice shape melted after being under the water, mean how easily we can fade away, or even a relationship can't be as strong as it seems. I think this song is about a man feeling weak and accepting that if anyone has the blame for a breakout he can deal with that, anyway, it's just a one more issue to deal...
I know everyone says it's about Fish's wife and daughter. But with most Fish lyrics, the man can write fiction that feels like fact. The album was released in 1987, the same year he got married (about a month after the release) to his 1st wife (Tamara), but their daughter (Tara) wasn't born until 1991. So this couldn't be about his kid(s), because Fish didn't have any at the time. He was just really good at putting himself into the characters feelings to make you believe it was really all about him. An amazing song from amazing songwritters.