One Slip

It's about sex! Plain and simple. Where is being a married man or having an affair ever inferred in the lyrics???

The electronic casino sounds at the beginning of the song can be interpreted as a sperm swimming around trying to find the egg. Like using a tracking radar. The sperm bumped around to a couple false destinations until... DING-DING-DING-DING, Conception!!!

Look around and observe your own environment/ surroundings. Chances are, at least half the people you know are unplanned parents or someone paying unwanted child support. Ask them how it sorta-kinda happened. One slip! Sexual hormones often override logic. Plain and simple. The rules of religion or social pressure (social reputation) don't stop everyone!

What's the best way to prevent sorta-kinda-accidentally getting a woman pregnant? Simple. Don't have sex! Or, is it really that simple? Look around. Either you'll find out soon enough yourself (that drowning desire) or you'll know someone who's eventually fallen into the hole. Cocky alpha males or women desperate for attention usually waste no time seeing for themselves this aspect of life (guaranteed propagation of the species). Apparently, contraception often falls into that overlooked logic category (for both men & women). Typical reasons are seemingly high costs of contraception, lack of planning ahead (inconvenience), undesirable side-effects, or simply just being statistically unlucky. Or, that "It won't happen to me!" mindset. "It happens to everyone else, but not me!"

Line by line lyrics and interpretation:

A restless eye across a weary room a glazed look and I was on the road to ruin

A guy sees an attractive woman at a party, in a bar, night club, meat market, etc... and wants to get to know her (for more than just simply enjoying her company). Like a one-night-stand.

the music played and played as we whirled without end

Everyone's dancing and looking for (mating) opportunities. The guy & girl dance to validate each other's desires.

no hint, no word her honour to defend

agreeable body language, non-verbal signals, he knows to take the lead

I will, I will, she sighed to my request

She likes what she sees and indicates she's willing to follow his lead

and then she tossed her mane while my resolve was put to the test

her mane is her long hair that men typically find very attractive in women. Hard to resist.

then drowned in desire, our souls on fire

The sexual hormones have kicked in. Logic is pushed aside. A momentary lapse of reason! We want to have sex against our better judgement.

I led the way to the funeral pyre

Led the way to a nearby hotel room, back seat of a car, a private place, etc... to consummate the burning desire (sex).

and without a thought of the consequence I gave in to my decadence

The libido overrides logic. It feels too good to pass up! That, "Because I can!" feeling. They're not worried about what may happen later. They're into the moment (now).

one slip, and down the hole we fall

Unprotected sex. Down into the vagina we fall. Where babies are made!

it seems to take no time at all

It doesn't take but a few minutes for potential conception.

a momentary lapse of reason

the rules of society say it's wrong, but the hormones say it's so right. "It takes two to make a thing go right. It takes two to make it outta sight!"

that binds a life for life

The consummation of a man and woman (sex). The feeling of being wanted or loved by another.

a small regret, you won't forget

A one-night-stand that can't be overlooked when she later announces she's pregnant. Basically, just wanted to have sex for fun, not procreation.

there'll be no sleep in here tonight

The day she announces she's pregnant (a couple months later). Now you can't sleep because that fun-for-the-night experience now means having to be an unexpected parent (assumption of unwanted responsibility).

was it love, or was it the idea of being in love? or was it the hand of fate, that seemed to fit just like a glove?

everyone wants to be wanted or loved. Whether it's real love or wishful-thinking love. Many will take what they can get. Most want to maximize this feeling, which often means "Going all the way!" (Sex!).

the moment slipped by and soon the seeds were sown

One thing leads to another. It doesn't take but a moment for possible conception (the sperm meets the egg). Or, is it twins, triplets??? (seeds plural)

the year grew late and neither one wanted to remain alone

Months later, and she will have (or has had) the baby(ies). She needs someone to help her take care of it/ them. He doesn't want to renege his social responsibly (Peer pressure) or have to pay child support (ie. the lesser of two evils, minimize the stress or cost of the situation).

one slip, and down the hole we fall

It can take just one time. If you keep doing it, it's just a matter of time.

it seems to take no time at all

Just a few minutes of ecstasy is often all it takes

a momentary lapse of reason

Lack of "proper" social judgement overridden by sexual libido (human nature)

that binds a life to a life

Consummation of a man and a woman. The feeling of being loved (wanted).

the one regret, you will never forget

Whoops, she's pregnant! Kind of hard to forget. Now, they wish it didn't happen. The cost of the consequences was higher than they thought.

there'll be no sleep in here tonight

Stressed over what to do next after they learn they're going to be parents.

one slip...one slip...

Basically, don't have sex until you're ready to have kids! Don't listen to your hormones. Easier said than done unless you're Anthony Comstock, Ralph Nader, or the Pope, ha ha.

Related movies (whoops!):

Knocked Up Juno Fatal Attraction

Actually the sound at the beginning is a the noise and alarm of the security system at the studio this track was recorded in.

Also, this song is definitely not about an unwanted pregnancy. The only regret is the lack of sleep, which reflects a care free attitude toward the situation. If a baby was conceived I would imagine that would be a pretty big regret.

I also, do not believe this song is about infidelity. It mentioned that "neither one wanted to remain alone." This suggests that both are unattached, and perhaps a bit desperate.

Nor is this song merely about shear lust. The author asks "Was it love, or was it the idea of being in love.. or was it the hands of fate that seems to fit just like a glove?" Anyone simply concerned with the physical aspects wouldn't be bringing up the notion of love. Also, rather than just jumping straight into the sack, the two danced, or whirled, for long while.

To me this song is a tale of an unspoken attraction between two people upon which they both acted. This is reflected in the first two stanzas. In the last stanza after the chorus he is questioning whether it was love, fate, or desperation that caused this momentary lapse of reason.

This song is more emotional than it is physical. A song about sperm, placentas, and a broken prophylactic really isn't Pink Floyds style. So sambennallick, why don't you put away your amateur Freudian psychology, take some more analytical literature classes, listen to more pink floyd, and try again later.

Sounds like a couple meeting and having sex, probably too young, and have a kid. Not being ready or able to handle the consequences of your actions.

The phrase, 'a momentary (tree) lapse of reason' was simply used in a song from the album of the same name. This is planned I do believe.

A real super clean song about the world's most popular pastime.

Cody

I can't agree andeweathers. I think the lines...

"a momentary lapse of reason that binds a life for life"

Refers to the binding of two people's lives when they have a child together.

"the moment slipped by and soon the seeds were sown the year grew late and neither one wanted to remain alone"

Seeds were sown - the most blatent reference yet to pregnancy. Year grew late also makes you imagine the aging process and the development of pregnancy.

I'm pretty sure i've seen quotes from Phil Manzanera saying that Dave wrote this song about pregnancy.

They way I interpret the song, it's either about a man and woman falling in love, and eventually falling out love, then being too scared to leave each other because of loneliness.

"the year grew late and neither one wanted to remain alone"

-

The other way I see the lyrics is that it's about an unplanned pregnancy "A momentary lapse of reason"

"and without a thought of the consequence I gave in to my decadence

one slip, and down the hole we fall it seems to take no time at all a momentary lapse of reason that binds a life for life"

-

Even though the song's not about addiction, I still find the lines below helpful with my sobriety "one slip, and down the hole we fall it seems to take no time at all"

sex.that's it.

it's a song of an unwanted pregnancy

About unplanned events (Pregnancy).

Married man screws up at some social event and sleeps with another woman. This is his "one slip." An affair begins and carries on. Man's wife eventually finds out and "there will be no sleep in here tonight" refers to him and his wife. Eventually his marriage is done and he and the other woman continue to see each other becuase they have nothing else left, despite the fact they seem to have grown bored with each other. Unwilling to be alone in life, they cling to each other.

I don't see a pregnancy in here anywhere, though I have looked after reading earlier posts.

A momentary lapse of reason binds a life to a life. Because of one moment where this man (and this woman) fail to use good judgement and give in to the oldest temptation on God's planet, his life is forever linked (or bound) to another person, whether he sees her again or not.