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We Are Scientists! Lyrics

cotton preshrunk displays games we play. colors run and colors fade. i can't pick a side to pick a fight on. it's more of me than i am of it. i can't win. i can't win. i can't win. i can't win. i can't win. now my tongue has tangled me toothless. and we don't have a thought between us. in this one light room in this neon museum the walls itch in closer. i remember every conversation (i remember everything) i forgot to have. starchy retort scripted questions i never cared to ask about. starchy product scripted people i never asked to care about. i can't win. my skin was shrinking when she told me don't worry honey. you can't look at the sky without looking right through it.
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Cover art for We Are Scientists! lyrics by Cap'n Jazz

why are there so many lame bands named after cap'n jazz songs?

Cover art for We Are Scientists! lyrics by Cap'n Jazz

I think he's talking about the confusion resulting from the confusion resulting from the adolescent-to-adulthood transition (this can't be much of a stretch considering how young these guys were).

The "Cotton preshrunk/Colors fade" lines are about youthful innocence and the loss of (via 'fading').

"More of me than I am of it" is more about confusio/frustration in the sense that he's consumed by it, but still able to see his way through it adequately enough to write about it.

"Can't pick a side to pick a fight on" probably has something to do with growing up a spiteful teen and then having nothing practical to do with that anger once you've reached 'adult' age (you know- the classic 'punk rock' conundrum).

"Tangled me toothless" means all this confusion has left him at a loss for words, depressed.

"Walls inch in closer" line is a vivid description of his fears closing in on him.

After this he seems to be reflecting on growing up and his contempt for assigned social roles (everybody behaving how they're 'supposed' to behave). 'Holden Caulfield', as someone else said, is a great way to put it.

"Can't look at the sky without looking right through it" is a way of saying that some things are beyond resolve, intangible. He's saying that by analyzing certain thing we miss their very essence - that the answer is right there in front of our noses at all times but we look past it for something more because we refuse to accept thing for face value.

Whoa. Deep and stuff.

Cover art for We Are Scientists! lyrics by Cap'n Jazz

i like the trumpet in the background.

Cover art for We Are Scientists! lyrics by Cap'n Jazz

its a funny song :D

Cover art for We Are Scientists! lyrics by Cap'n Jazz

i think tim says it all when he says i cant win one of my favorite songs of all time.

Cover art for We Are Scientists! lyrics by Cap'n Jazz

I think it is french horn in the back. But then again, I was never into brass so I could be wrong. And yesss, it is a funny song.

Cover art for We Are Scientists! lyrics by Cap'n Jazz

Yeah, after recalling memories of 8th grade big band, it is definately french horn; no twumpet.

Cover art for We Are Scientists! lyrics by Cap'n Jazz

it IS a trumpet. tim plays a trumpet on a number of the tracks on the cd. it's written in the liner notes as a trumpet.

Cover art for We Are Scientists! lyrics by Cap'n Jazz

My bad (: I could've sworn..

Cover art for We Are Scientists! lyrics by Cap'n Jazz

trumpet mute anyone? I'm not sure.