M.I.A.

One of the Foo's best.

This song has nothing to do with Kurt.

After The Colour and The Shape, Dave was living in LA and partying alot, he eventually got sick of this lifestyle and moved back to Virginia where the album "There is Nothing Left to lose" was recorded.

"Nevermind the mannequins, drunk in their hollow town"

Mannequins is a reference to all the "pretty people/actors/models", hollow town is a reference to Los Angeles

"The revelation is now"

He realises he's sick of this lifestyle.

"You wont find me I'm going MIA"

MIA = Missing in Action; ie. he's leaving LA, moving back to Virginia.

"Red, red, laced around your head"

Is a reference to a girl with red hair, and Dave was dating a redhead at the time (Pro-Snowboarder Tina Basich)

This song is about the LA lifestyle & moving back to Virginia, which alot of the album is about (Stacked Actors, Next Year, Ain't it the Life and this song.)

Though I agree with the "leaving LA" idea, I think it could be about an ending relationship. "Calling unanswered at home in my lost and found," I'm at home calling you and you're not there. "You won't find me I'm going MIA, tonight I'm leaving going MIA" I'm ending our relationship tonight. "Getting lost in you again it's better than being numb," You don't know if you want to end it b/c after a relationship you feel numb (I do at least) and getting lost in someone's games is sometimes better than not caring for anyone at all. "Counting every minute 'til the feeling comes crashing down. Run when it hits the ground." You're just waiting until you can tell her that it's over, but once you say it (it hits the ground), you're gone, nowhere to be seen. "I'm good at escaping, but better at flaking out." I'm good at just getting out of a relationship, but it's easier to just let the person know it's over. But the flaking out part is b/c we usually don't tell people everything, we just act like it's one thing that killed us when it was really all this other stuff that built up.

this is song is good...i probably wouldn't have signed if somebody already signed it...but i think that this song definetly deserves some entries - greg

If my interpretation of the song seems too overused or contrite, I'm sorry. But after pouring over the lyrics, there's only one conclusion that I keep coming to: Dave's singing about Kurt. He jumps in and out of character using his own perspective some of the time and Kurt's at others. The whole chorus of "Tonight I'm leaving going MIA" is Kurt saying goodbye while the line "red, red laced around your head" is Dave description of the suicide. The lines "Nevermind the mannequins...the revelation is now" I found very interesting too. Using the name of the album that changed alternative music, the narrator (Kurt in this case) is saying "Let's see what happens to all those carbon copy bands riding the wake of our success when I'm gone." You can disagree, but I really like this song and I was disappointed to see that no one had posted an opinion on what the song meant.

What is M.I.A.? Thanks

M. I. A. is Missing in Action. This song is definetly about suicide and death and as above probably Kurt based. One of my favourite Foos songs.

intothegrinder is correct, and all the others who are Kurt-obsessed are incorrect. I thought that the meaning behind the song was obvious, but I dunno.

http://www.freewebs.com/thejakesite

Why is it that everyone always says FF songs are about Kurt Cobain? Jeez...

Anyway, I agree with intothegrinder2. Love this song.

i found a quote by Dave referring to this song: "'M.I.A.' is a good example of me, and how so often I'll just say "You know what? I'm outta here and I'll be back whenever, and please don't call."