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The Recluse Lyrics

I wake alone, in a woman's room I hardly know
I wake alone and pretend that I am finally home
The room is littered with her books and notebooks
I imagine what they say, like, "Shoo fly, don't bother me"

And I can hardly get myself out of her bed
For fear of never lying in this bed again
Oh christ, I'm not that desperate?
Oh no - oh god, I am

How'd I end up here to begin with?
I don't know why do I start what I can't finish?
Oh, please don't barrage me with the questions to all those ugly answers
My ego's like my stomach, it keeps shitting what I feed it

But maybe I don't want to finish anything anymore
Maybe I can wait in bed until she comes home and whispers:
"You're in my web now
I've come to wrap you up tight 'til it's time to bite down"

I wake alone in a woman's room I hardly know
I wake alone and pretend that I am finally home
Home
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Rough Trade Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Writer
Clint Frederick Schnase, Gretta Mindy Cohn, Matthew Ryan Maginn, Ted James Stevens, Tim Kasher
Duration
3:04
Submitted by
ruben On Jun 12, 2003
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88 Meanings

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Cover art for The Recluse lyrics by Cursive

A few things:

  1. This absolutely about a one night stand.

  2. The Stomach shitting line is about the cause/effect relationship between "telling yourself" different things. For example "I'm not that lonely, I've just got to go out and be social more"

  3. The main inspiration for this song has to be sleeping with a random girl while on a long tour.

    Being on tour like Cursive is makes you feel like you don't have a home. You feel like your in some weird summer camp with your 4 closest friends that has seemingly no end, and a revolving group of new people you meet everyday.

Waking up somewhere with out your bandmates is SO WEIRD the first night that you instantly feel removed from the "summer camp" and feel your home. It's such an odd, comforting feeling you end up staying at the girls house as long as you can, even though when the girl gets back home from work there's going to be a shit storm of emotions to sort out since you are literally leaving that day to go on to the next show.

Just in general being on the road on tour is an incredibly lonely journey. Even though your constantly hanging with your friends, you are so wrapped up in moving from city to city that it's impossible to find a rhythm to "decompress" because you're rarely alone. And when you do find a chance to be alone, the feeling is often frightening.

Cover art for The Recluse lyrics by Cursive

"my ego's like my stomach, it keeps shitting what I feed it" lol I find that funny.

Cover art for The Recluse lyrics by Cursive

this is probably one of my favorite cursive songs too... it sounds kind of 80's like the cure or something, it's so good.

Cover art for The Recluse lyrics by Cursive

morning after a one night stand. period. best cursive song though - definately not usually a huge fan of the band, but this one got me good.

Cover art for The Recluse lyrics by Cursive

"You're in my web now, I've come to wrap you up tight until it's time to bite down" This makes me think of how a girl can make a guy fall in love without falling for him

Not Valid
Cover art for The Recluse lyrics by Cursive

The line "you're in my web now, i'll wrap you up tight till its time to bite down" signifies how a female black widow mates with a male then kills him. This is all speaking symbolically, it seems to me this is a girl that he has gained feelings for and feels that she has him "trapped" in a way.

Cover art for The Recluse lyrics by Cursive

Definitely night after a one night stand, but you also have to consider the fact that he's acting out sexually because he wants a relationship... its like a drunken one night stand with a dash of rebound. He desperately wants someone to latch onto him... Quiet despair and rebellion... perfect description.

And I think that what he means by "my ego is like my stomach it keeps shitting what I feed it" he's saying that no matter how he builds his ego, it deflates. He shits out his self-esteem like a meal, it doesnt stay with him.

Not Valid

I agree with both of you. I just don't understand why people (including me) perform the same actions over and over again and still expect a different result. Heard the band for the first time last year; I like it.

Not Valid
Cover art for The Recluse lyrics by Cursive

Thats one of my favorite quotes.

I love this song.

Cover art for The Recluse lyrics by Cursive

when I first heard this song I loved it.. now i love cursive too. they're a great band.

Cover art for The Recluse lyrics by Cursive

this is probably one of my favorite cursive songs. almost my absolute favorite :)