Chinatown

Jets to Brazil

candle is blue could see me through but I'm color blind
they tell me it's blue and I'm a believer that's why I'm blind
live on the freeway listen to signs and we drive by feel
be a believer believe everything you'll be right
half the time
candle is waxing takes my apartment I bask in its magic
all of the firefighters put out my fires took all my matches
staying up later waking up old and I'm leaving her never
ordering in all friends and lovers and we're making our weather with a lone light bulb
I'm tired of fighting
I'm tired of fighting, so I'm demolished - that's the way
some make exhaustion a mode of expression and that's their way
I'm just a question knowing my answer I hope I'm wrong
but I know the answer it's four in the morning I'm right again and I'm chinatown
now in a hurry, rubbing up urgent to get home to dot
was my missed mistress messed up my mattress I missed the catch
last of the pitchers catfish done hunting harry lundt
most of the killers never get famous and it's hard on everyone
I'm tired of fighting


Lyrics submitted by PLANES, edited by Sjobenrit

Chinatown song meanings
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30 Comments

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  • +2
    General Commentmaybe it does refer to the movie. i saw it a long time ago, but don't remember much

    something weird that pops up...i live in pasadena, ca, where the lead singer is from. whenever i drove through traffic in the morning, to get downtown, by the time i see the sign for "chinatown," this song is playing. probably just a coincidence, but just kind of cool nonetheless.
    ericon July 28, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Commentwow. i wish i had some idea of what hes talking about. this is amazing.
    HellionChildon March 02, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI like Tom-o's interpretation, I think the song is about Blake just feeling really different from everybody or from the scene or whatever. I think I remember Blake saying the song is about his cat, but I'm pretty sure that he was not serious. The movie is awesome too.
    SEofANon March 08, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General CommentThe reference to Harry Lunte is from a trivia question that I asked Blake when he was playing with my son, Adam, in Jawbreaker. There was one major league ballplayer killed while playing a game by a pitched ball. Who was he? Who threw the pitch? and Who ran for the dead batter? Answer: Ray Chapman was killed by a pitch trown by Carl Mayes and Harry Lunte ran for the mortally wounded Chapman.
    The question demonstrates that the game/show goes on. I think that's Blake's thinking, bu, go figure. I told him who harry Lunte was and he used it in his own way. That's why he's Blake.
    weblandson December 29, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General CommentHey folks, I have some more info on the Harry Lunte/Catfish Hunter reference. As mentioned, Blake has said that the line is about life moving forward despite tragedies. The connection between the two Major League Baseball players is as follows:

    Harry Lunte, who pinch hit for the "mortally wounded" Chapman, passed away on 27-July 1965; the same day that Catfish Hunter earned his first win in Major League Baseball.

    Perhaps this is in reference to that continuity that Blake discussed. Lunte, for lack of a better description, lived on for Chapman. Chapman's legacy lived through Lunte. And when Lunte died, did Catfish pick up Lunte's ... legacy? I don't know, but that death date/first career win date is the connection between the two players.
    ASManess805on December 25, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Commentits about unrequited love... "staying up later and i'm leaving her never" "I'm just a question knowing my answer hoping I'm right, its 4 in the morning I'm wrong again" hes losing sleep over someone... "I'm tired of fighting (for her), so I'm demolished (crushed) - that's the way / some make exhaustion (depression) a mode of expression and that's their way (of coping) sounds like he got hung up on someone, "firefighters put out my fires took all of my matches" and the whole thing with Harrly Lunte... its a metaphor, hes harry lunte and she's catfish... she moved on and he didnt. As for the Chinatown reference, I think it means hes playing detective loooking for truth when hes too naive to beleive he already knows it.
    itspat7285on November 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti think blake is referring to the classic movie 'chinatown'. it's a really boring movie but if memory serves me correct this one guy always thought the answer to his detective case lay in chinatown and in the end it did, hence "i'm right again and i'm chinatown". or maybe that's pretty wrong, i can never remember movies...
    nickel woundon June 18, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Commentim pretty sure Chinatown is the name of Blake's cat, either way, brilliant song...
    Popper1777on July 22, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti love the line /they tell me its blue thats why im blind/ believing something just because thats what its supposed to be or your told to be. living in a box somewhat with no room for new thoughts. that line sinks deep.
    intoyoulikeatrainon August 29, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti can kind of see how this relates to chinatown the movie (awesome move btw), but then i kinda can't.
    oh well.
    this is deff. one of my fave. JTB songs :)
    take me i'm yourson March 25, 2003   Link

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