Tiny Vessels

I think the meaning of the song is pretty straight-forward.. but here's my experience with this song: I loved this boy, was infatuated. For three years, through two boyfriends I still couldn't get over him. Perhaps a little too romantic? obsessed? maybe... but I laid down next to him and felt myself melt into him. There was something empty about him, though. After we had sex a few times (which is when that "laying" happened).. he played this song while we made love. on repeat. then let it play. devestating. he's out of my life, but that fucking song-- I can't listen to it. crushed and crushed again each time. recently, in a nice little moment of masochism we all go through... when i learned he had left my life without a goodbye.. i played the song once more... and it was scratched. felt good. it definitely gave me some strange sense of closure.

People seem to give Gibbard little credit. With the level of emotion he puts into his music, I would think more people would have also realized that he's more of an emotional person than one just out for sex. That being said, I think there are many people who may be looking at this without a certain maturation one gets from having many relationships. Many seem to think Gibbard is saying he makes empty promises for sex, and I don't see it as that by any means. From my experience, there are times where you want to love someone more than you actually love them. I feel that is what the meaning of this song is, rather, coming to the realization of said fact with one person in particular. I have had relationships in the past where I liked someone, loved to spend time with them, and a relationship status elevated quickly enough that it seemed like love. After some time and intimacy, however, it became apparent that instead of loving that person in particular, I was just wanting to love someone in general. When you realize that you don't love the person that you thought you loved, it can be pretty rough, and I think that is what he is writing of. His lyrics are indicative of similar experiences, so I can only imagine he was meaning that, rather than something so simple and vain as lying to for sex. Tricking someone into a lay is hardly something to write a song about...especially on an album that's mostly about love and life.

I saw them play in April with the orchestra (which was amazing) and I think it is interesting to note that he changed the lyrics in one line. Instead of: I spent two weeks in Silverlake. The California sun cascading down my face He said: I spent three years in Silverlake. The California sun cascading down my face I am assuming this is a reference to Zooey Deschanel and their marriage. I thought it was kind of nice and I'm also wondering if anyone has noticed this recently when they played?

this song describes the guys of every relationship i've been in.

Someday, you will be loved.

i just wanted to say..this site is so wicked..i just found it today...and its awesome

OH OOPS and another thing! Heh, I know I wrote a lot but I just want to add that I always say "men give love for sex, women give sex for love" and I think that this song totally backs that statement up. Yeah, I feel very strongly about this song.

The first time I heard this song was about a week ago and it is very ironic becauise it describes my current relationship almost perfectly. We have been together for almost seven years and unlike a lot of relationships we have kept our physical connection/sexual desire for each other and lost pretty much everything else that used to define us. I have been told before that he needs more than just a gorgeous woman, which to me is what he is trying to say here. You can have a beautiful physical appearance but without a deeper connection there is no love, and there is nothing special. It is a "cheap and vile" relationship. Sad but true realization for myself.

i don't really think this song has anything to do with some sort of cheap, strictly sexual relationship. none of that kind of meaninglessness that i'm reading a lot of here. i hear more of a bitter (very bitter) end of a real relationship. kind of a fake reassurance that, like, 'i'm ok. i don't care that we're not together anymore cuz i never loved you anyway,' just to make a person feel better about the situation. i mean, who hasn't felt that bitter at the end of a relationship?? maybe some of you think ben's a asshole for writing this song, but i just think it's realisitc and beautiful and sad. i freaking

just to add to it, the bit that goes: So when you'd ask, "Is something wrong?" I'd think, "You're damn right there is But we can't talk about it now No, we can't talk about it now" implies, to me, that he's afraid to tell her cos he know he'll hurt her. it's not about using her - it's about wanting to avoid hurting her in any way. but he doesn't know how to handle it - and will probably end up hurting her even more than he wanted to, cos he doesn't know how to tell her.