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Paper Tiger Lyrics
Just like a paper tiger
Torn apart by idle hands
Through the helter skelter morning
Fix yourself while you still can
No more ashes to ashes
No more cinders from the sky
All the laws of creation
Tell a dead man how to die
O deserts down below us
And storms up above
Like a stray dog gone defective
Like a paper tiger in the sun
Looking through a broken diamond
To make the past what it should be
Through the ruins and the weather
Capsized boats in the sea
O deserts down below us
And storms up above
Like a stray dog gone defective
Like a paper tiger in the sun
We're just holding on to nothing
To see how long nothing lasts
O deserts down below us
And storms up above
Like a stray dog gone defective
Like a paper tiger in the sun
Theres one road to tomorrow
Theres one road to the truth
Theres one road back to civilization
But theres no road back to you.
Torn apart by idle hands
Through the helter skelter morning
Fix yourself while you still can
No more ashes to ashes
No more cinders from the sky
All the laws of creation
Tell a dead man how to die
And storms up above
Like a stray dog gone defective
Like a paper tiger in the sun
To make the past what it should be
Through the ruins and the weather
Capsized boats in the sea
And storms up above
Like a stray dog gone defective
Like a paper tiger in the sun
To see how long nothing lasts
And storms up above
Like a stray dog gone defective
Like a paper tiger in the sun
Theres one road to the truth
Theres one road back to civilization
But theres no road back to you.
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i cannot stop listening to this song...over, and over, and over. since this is a break up album, it's pretty clear what this song is about, and i'm not going to discuss how this song makes me feel, or shows beck's feelins about his break up. BUT, what i do want to mention is my absolute amazement of the instrumental part of this song. the way that he is able to combine the orchestra with the rest of the band's instrument absolutely blew me away. i don't think i've ever heard an orchestra go SOOO well with a rock band. my favorite part is when he sings "let's just hold on to nothing, to see how long nothing lasts" and then the killer solo after the chorus that comes after that line. simply amazing.
beautiful song about trying to overcome regret many years later...best song on sea change for sure
This song is actually an direct homage to a french album: "L'histoire de Melody Nelson" by Serge Gainbourg. It's an album considered by many (and not only french, like me) as one of the finest album ever. Check google for "Melody Nelson" for more information. All I can say is that if like this song you'll love this album. Give it 3 or 4 listenings and you'll be hooked for at least a couple of months. Trust me on this one !
Theres one road to tomorrow Theres one road to the truth Theres one road back to civilization But theres no road back to you.
Strikes a chord with me as being about a man who has a complicated life & wishes he could go back to before.
I love this song too, It really is amazingly good, there's a lot of Beck in the song but there's no doubt that Nigel Godrich was infuencial in the string arrangement for this sublime musical journey!!
The Whole Album is flippin fantastic!!
If you like this sort of music its worth looking at other Nigel Godrich Projects (Radiohead In Rainbows) and the likes!!
You guys are right, the orchestra is fantastic, but listen to that bass! It's amazing! Especially the way it plays off everything else. Not much to say about the lyrics, but I must say, as a whole this song (and album) are fantastic!
You hit the nail on the head. It's a damn good lyrical song, but the orchestra makes it superfantastic!
Flipping incredible. The imagery is so beautiful.
lyrics, instruments, EVERYTHING is amazing.
wow...instant.classic. This song is perfect!