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Sinking Ship Lyrics
Sinking ship, how long can you hold still?
Your illness spills against my face
Sinking ship, how long can you hold still?
Oh can't you feel the coming waves
A perfect Sunday portrait of my mother
Painting horses all alone
Of lovers and of leavers still believing
They are free to come back home
Oh
Oh
Oh
Sinking ship, how long can you hold still?
Your illness is all that you are
A portrait of my father as a baby
Sleeping underneath the stars
A small pill of forgiveness I am giving to myself
It's what I need
A small gift of fulfillment
I am hoping you will open and recieve
Oh
Oh
Oh
Sinking ship, how long can you hold still?
Your illness fills this empty room
A portrait of your lover
Softly drowning in the warm waters of June
A perfect Sunday portrait of my mother
Sending signals through the drums
A portrait of my sadness finding shelter
In the safety of my home
Oh
Oh
Oh
Your illness spills against my face
Sinking ship, how long can you hold still?
Oh can't you feel the coming waves
A perfect Sunday portrait of my mother
Painting horses all alone
Of lovers and of leavers still believing
They are free to come back home
Oh
Oh
Your illness is all that you are
A portrait of my father as a baby
Sleeping underneath the stars
A small pill of forgiveness I am giving to myself
It's what I need
A small gift of fulfillment
I am hoping you will open and recieve
Oh
Oh
Your illness fills this empty room
A portrait of your lover
Softly drowning in the warm waters of June
A perfect Sunday portrait of my mother
Sending signals through the drums
A portrait of my sadness finding shelter
In the safety of my home
Oh
Oh
Song Info
Submitted by
mrtrout On Aug 22, 2002
More Neutral Milk Hotel
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Oh Comely
Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2
Holland, 1945
Two-Headed Boy
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Sorry if i'm way off here but...I think sinking ship is something that cannot be saved or avoided. Perhaps it is death or corruption destroying perfect portraits of life. You may see it coming and have guilt for not being able to do anything about it but then you have to realize that it's beyond your control, you have to forgive yourself and make the best of things. "A small pill of forgiveness I am giving to myself, it's what I need A small gift of fufillment I am hoping you will open and recieve "
However all these thoughts about a sinking ship might make you think more carefully about things and might "fill this empty mirror" sort to speak. You can't seem to escape the sinking ship either. A portrait of my sadness finding shelter in the safety of my home". I guess the sinking ship, whatever it is manages to creep up on you and brings you down.
OK now i'm totally lost on the signals though the drums thing. I'm kind of disapointed no one else commented on this song. boo hoo
drums often portend war or conflict, perhaps signifying whatever it is that is destroying perfection, as cynical said.
I believe this is a very early version of "Sailing Through", though the melody is quite different.
Perhaps he's talking about himself, the sinking ship. Since Mangum was a drummer.