Down

To say this song is purely about "shattered dreams" is to generalize carefully crafted verses into some overall angsty and cliche recognition of pain in song. "Down" shouldn't be treated like some Dashboard lament. Why? Because McMahon is more versatile than that. The song takes us through the last night of a couple's relationship all the way though the brutal realization of its inevitable disintegration. He starts off: "let's get drunk, you can drive us to the harbor..." only to admit that they can only "get crazy, talk about our big plans" after some courage from the bottle. This forced seperation is apparent even before the the physical distance. McMahon is keeping his kingdom free of hassle, taking oncoming heartache and emotion and chucking it over his walls. He urges her to get crazy, talking "about their big plans," but its a farce...and he knows it. The scene is contrastive, with his girlfriend's anxiousness for the mysertious future met with his detachment and nostalgia. There's something special in his description of stars: his imagery is a feast, trying not-so-subtely to quickly allow the listeneer to relate to his feelings of love for the girl. Over-the-top? Yeah. But its mean't to be, as McMahon stealthy acknowledgers how younger relationship are dominated by infatuation and grandiose emotions.

Actually, Andrew wrote the song about his girlfriend. It's about how the distance between the 2 of them are causing problems.

Let's get drunk You can drive us to the harbor Wish upon a star but Do you know what stars are?

teenage fun and wishing to be something someday...

Balls of fire, burning up the black space Falling from the landscape Exploding in the face of God

i love this part. by far the best part of the song

Let's get crazy, Talk about our big plans Places that you're going Places that I haven't been

again teenage fun and mischief... dreaming of the future, dreaming of it as full of hope and possibilities

Build my walls up Concrete castle Keep this kingdom free of hassle, yeah

keeping himself disconnected... out of touch so that he wont get hurt (free of hassle)

I hear sound echo in the emptiness All around but you can't change this loneliness Look what you've found, I've fallen down

fast forward to the future... you find that all your hopes and possibilities are but a dream and that life isn't offering you anything but failure and hardship

Taste the saline rolling down your cheekbone Tell me that you're alone, tell me on the telephone Feel your heart it breaks within your chest now Try to get some rest now, Sleep's not coming easy for a while, child

life isn't what you thought it would be... it's harder and is not easy at all... nothing comes easy now and there comes a point when you realize that you're still a child and you cant handle the pressure

To me, it's about shattered dreams... having things not be what they seem to be... and being alone, even if you're with someone who seems to love you.

this is a really great song, and i totally agree with your meaning thewhitepony33...it is about shattered dreams and about being alone...its only know that my gf is gone that i really feel the meaning of this song...being heartbroken and alone sucks

yep, shattered dreams pretty much sums it up. i like the description of stars...very neato.

"feel your heart it breaks within your chest now try to get some rest now sleep's not coming easy for awhile, child"

wonderful...and afipunck84, yeah being heartbroken and alone does equal no fun

Josh wrote this song about the realtionship with his girlfriend

Caution is never cowardice

firstly, LOVE THE SONG. LOVE THE BAND. and i agree with the idea of shattered dreams. however, i think theres more than that. my personal fave lines

Wish upon a star but Do you know what stars are? Balls of fire, burning up the black space Falling from the landscape Exploding in the face of God

kind of indicate the idea of not only your dreams being shattered, but when they are shattered the world falls down around you. like everything that was beautiful is now heinously ugly. does that make sense?

i also think its about shattered dreams and something that is coming between a relationship, that is what "build my walls up...keep this kingdom free of hassle." anyone else think its about cheating? bottom line its a beautiful song!