34 Meanings
Add Yours
Share
The Awful Sweetness of Escaping Sweat Lyrics
We escape from the house
As the day disappears from the sky
Into night
We became what we wanted to be
Like a dream or a ghost
I collapse out of turn
Near a house
Lying still in the grass and felt the heat from the ground
Rising up to contract and expand like a breath
We escape from that place
Soaked with sweat and the poison we drank
Fill the bathtub with ice and hope this fever will break
Like a heart
Easily
But I do not recall all the words that were formed
On those wire lips as they greeted me
A promise was made without though as the temperature climbed
And I started to sink like the moon
Tends to do if you stare at it too long
Then you blink and it's gone
And we crawl to our sleep with the dawn
I awake in the light feeling hollow and selfishly warm
Close the blinds and retreat until what is burning is gone
And its light is away
Then we are back in the dark
Chasing nothing through backyards and trees
You ripped your shirt on a fence but it didn't get me
Yeah, it's fear
It makes you so low
And these creatures look crooked
Their shadows cut lines through my face
And the concrete is fire
Where my bare feet are placed
In a line next to yours
And I guess I'm not sure if it was fear that was born
As those awful eyes made their claim on us
I put my hands on the fence
Said your name
And I started to climb
And it must have been sweat but I drank it like wine
It was sweet and my mouth was dry
I heard you scream but I made no reply
I can still taste it now if I try
I think that although these lyrics are amazingly descriptive and complex, this song is simply about a night spent partying and galvanting about town, then rinsing and repeating the next day.
One of my favorite songs of all time. It makes you think about the tiny little details of some nights that you still remember.
I think this song is mainly about Conor running away, as usual. I like the title- "The Awful Sweetness of Escaping Sweet" He gets a thrill or feels better after escaping LOVE, something that has the potential of being anamazing and sweet thing. And there's a twisted sweetness for him when he gets away from that- possibly the awful satisfaction of breaking someone's heart, or just the freedom that comes with being alone.
"We became what we wanted to be, like a dream or a ghost." They had imagined what it would be like to be together. Maybe his lover found it a dream, but Conor thought of it more as a ghost- not as good as he was expecting OR reminded him or a former lover.
I LOVE the line, "Fill the bathtub with ice, hope this fever will break, like a heart; easily." The fact that he built up this imaginary love and when it really came about it was ghostly and not has he imagined and didn't want it anymore. Or that he possibly DID love this person and he didn't like the feeling because he expected it to just be a fling and was hoping it would break like a fever. Either way, it's like he closed up after this.
"I do not recall all the words that were formed....Then you blink and it's gone." ^ Again, the closing up, shutting off.
He says, "We crawl to our sleep with the dawn." And goes into the "Isn't it the same mistake??! It's not much of an escape." Like just trying to sleep it off isn't enough. He has to leave all together.
He feels hollow and selfishly warm, waits until what's burning is gone and returns when it's dark. Like he feels slight regret about the whole thing. Possibly feels bad about what he's going to do- Act like he loves this person and then leave. or Really does love this person and is selfishly leaving because he doesn't want to deal with what comes with a relationship.
Then it's almost like he's talking down to his lover, "You ripped your shirt on the fence, but it didn't get me. YEAH, IT'S FEAR. IT MAKES YOU SLOW." Like, that person is sacred because they are under the impression that they have something together and are scared of losing it. The fence might also be a kind of metaphor. The fence is love and it caught Conor's lover, but not him (or he's just in denial). Love is a weird feeling- so much excitement mixed with fear.
"And I guess I'm not sure if it's fear that was born as those awful eyes made their claim on us. Said your name and I started to climb. ...... I heard you scream but I made no reply. I can still taste it now if I try."
Those Awful Eyes may have been love or some kind of strong feelings and that DID scare Conor. He said his lover's name because he possibly did care. But then when he heard them scream, he made no reply. Meaning he cared less, or convinced himself how silly is it to love someone.
The very last line slows reflection. He he can still taste it if he tries after all that time, then it really must have meant something to him. Especially for him to have written a song about it.
Love it, really. I also wish he'd redo it and clean it up a little, but it probably wouldn't be the same. This version is so raw and powerful even with the shitty quality of the recording.
Sorry this got so long :[
it's the awful sweetness of escaping sweAt. do you have itunes? my itunes made it sweet instead of sweat even though i own this album and it says sweat on the back.. ipod typo :S
it's the awful sweetness of escaping sweAt. do you have itunes? my itunes made it sweet instead of sweat even though i own this album and it says sweat on the back.. ipod typo :S
This is my favourite song off of A Collection...
Amazing song
these are perhaps one of my favorite lyrical songs from conor. it's saddening that the only version i can find is scratch and low-quality ... i would really like to see him touch this up musically because it has the potential of being one of his best songs.
I agree with NightNeverSleeps. But I'm also amazed that so few people have replied this great song!
arnt these lyrics slightly off? sorry but I think there in the wrong order or a bits missing. Still love the song
i put my hands on the fence, said your name and i started to climb. amazing. he sounds like he was determined to do something but couldn't find the strength in himself until he said that's person's name. who was talking about? arianette? wynona?
wow, love the emotion in his voice and the electric guitar adds a really nice touch.
"and i started to sink like the moon tends to do if you stare at it so long then you blink and its gone"
this line is the best i mean this song is great i'm speechless i mean what more can u say about it.