I'll lay me down tonight
Much further down
Swim in the calm tonight
This art does drown
(What follows) me as the whitest lace of light
(Will swallow whole) just begs to be imbrued?
What follows has lead me to this place
where I belong, with all erased
All insects sing tonight
The coldest sound
I'd send God's grace tonight
Could it be found?
(What follows) me as the whitest lace of light
(Will swallow whole) just begs to be imbrued?
What follows has lead me to this place
where I belong, with all erased
I'll lay me down tonight
Much further down
Watch stars go out tonight
On sinking ground
I'll lay me down, I'll lay me down
(What follows) me as the whitest lace of light
(Will swallow whole) just begs to be imbrued?
What follows has lead me to this place
where I belong, with all erased
What follows will swallow whole
What follows will swallow whole
Much further down
Swim in the calm tonight
This art does drown
(What follows) me as the whitest lace of light
(Will swallow whole) just begs to be imbrued?
What follows has lead me to this place
where I belong, with all erased
All insects sing tonight
The coldest sound
I'd send God's grace tonight
Could it be found?
(What follows) me as the whitest lace of light
(Will swallow whole) just begs to be imbrued?
What follows has lead me to this place
where I belong, with all erased
I'll lay me down tonight
Much further down
Watch stars go out tonight
On sinking ground
I'll lay me down, I'll lay me down
(What follows) me as the whitest lace of light
(Will swallow whole) just begs to be imbrued?
What follows has lead me to this place
where I belong, with all erased
What follows will swallow whole
What follows will swallow whole
Lyrics submitted by afirewithin
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I started looking into this song for a poem analysis project in school, and I noticed a lot of similarities to this song and the poem "The Art of Drowning" by Billy Collins , which also happens to be the title of one of their other albums. I'm not sure how all of this fits in together, but I'll give it a shot.
The last line in the first verse mentions "This art does drown" , which I perceived as the first reference to the poem . And there seem to be several more allusions throughout the song
"While stars go out tonight" --> "an ultimate Light before all the lights go out".
"On sinking ground" --> "as you sink toward the weedy disarray of the bottom"
"What follows me as the whitest lace of light" --> "a quick blur of curved silver darting away"
"What follows has led me to this place/ where I belong with all erased" --> "leaving behind what you have already forgotten,"
So those were the connections that I created lyric-wise...
And the music video shows some sort of wonderland- like story that ends with them turning into confetti. which sort of fits in with the poem's message about noticing something irrelevant when you're about to die, as opposed to your life flashing before your eyes.
"...But if something does flash before your eyes/ as you go under, it will probably be a fish,/ a quick blur of curved silver darting away,/ having nothing to do with your life or your death/ The tide will take you, or the lake will accept it all/ as you sink toward the weedy disarray of the bottom./ leaving behind what you have already forgotten...."
I suppose this could all just be coincidence or I may just be trying too hard to make them fit together, but it seems like there are some big resemblances at least textually.
what's with this "probably you're the only one who cares" anyway?
don't you like trying to know what an artist is trying to say in their song? you must if you are a member of this site.
Just because a band records a song that is a little different than most of their other music does, and that song get radio play time doesn't mean they're sell-outs. People change, and the band they're in do too. You can't expect a band to sound exactly the same as long as you listen to them You're so dumb. Like Botanic said, did the song magically sound different once it played on the radio?
Damn preps? Do you think the "preps" changed AFI? All the preps rallied together and brainwashed AFI to record this song and play it on the radio? It you're so "punk" why do you listen to the radio anyway?
I'll lay me down tonight- confess feelings
Much further down- maybe you were nice before, but go all the way, full confession this time
Swim in the calm tonight- relief period at getting it off your chest
This art does drown- waiting game for her reply/her to make a decision whether she likes you or not
(What follows) me as the whitest lace of light- whitest lace of light=hope for it to work out
(Will swallow whole) just begs to be imbrued?-the hope consumes him, controls him, unable to give up the dream
What follows has lead me to this place
where I belong, with all erased- last two lines here are about gettin over it, startin again like it never happened
All insects sing tonight
The coldest sound- insect lines are like cricket chirps, her silence while waiting for a reply stings like ice, hence coldest sound....also like the cold shoulder sense of cold
I'd send God's grace tonight-I'd wish her well
Could it be found?- if i can find the grace to hold onto that hope
(What follows) me as the whitest lace of light
(Will swallow whole) just begs to be imbrued?
What follows has lead me to this place
where I belong, with all erased
I'll lay me down tonight
Much further down-first two lines mimic opening, then continue to new response
Watch stars go out tonight
On sinking ground- lets the dream go. gives up
I'll lay me down, I'll lay me down
(What follows) me as the whitest lace of light
(Will swallow whole) just begs to be imbrued?
What follows has lead me to this place
where I belong, with all erased
What follows will swallow whole
What follows will swallow whole -conclusion to lyrics, could be swallowing past whole and starting over or getting consumed by conflict/worry/anxiety over this girl
title significance: Girl's Not Grey= Girl is not grey=he cares, contradicts end of lyrics bein about gettin over it, reaffirms inability to get over her since he still cares.
summary of song is then about chasing after/loving some girl, and for some reason or another, not being able to decide between maintaining hope or giving up (first half vs second half of that repeating what follows part) The song ends with no actual answer to this, and remains a song simply depicting the conflict in the decision.