The Revisionist

I agree with shoutout, this is about the journey for self identity. The revisionist in this song is trying to make things perfect like the images in his head of how things used to be, but can't, simply because the images in his head are just an obsessed and romanticized view of the past.

Very powerful subject matter. It doesn't get much better than this song.

this song gives me the shivers. its so good.

but like a lot of these songs, the meaning is pretty elusive. weird relationship between two people

Woah man, this song used to give me the shivers too..damn! I think I had a relationship like this before and that's why. The change from this is everythign ive wanted and this is never what u wanted is brilliant, best part of the song.

first off, every has to realize that the lawrence arms always has a little metaphor underneath everything. but i think this what it means.

it tells how this guy is feeling either really lonely or sad or both [cuz of a girl] and is sick of everything and cuts his wrists. and then the girl finds out and finally starts to care now and its too much for her at once. the verse "the mirror is tellin half truths..." its him looking into the mirror even he looks alright he really isnt. "these stolen words feel like mine" i think it comes from the old line 'I could die for you' and thats what happened. then he realizes that this was a big maistake and hits him at once and he starts apologizing to her. and he tells the girl how he knows what shes feeling. i dont qute get the line then "you've been searching for yourself in other people's eyes" i think maybe shes too scared too be herself and so she just acts like her friends. the finally bit i think is finally the guy goes to a counsler and no matter how much they try to help him he cant tell them how he feels.

a really deep song from the kings of chicago

i think the "searchin for myself/youself in other peoples eyes" has to do with the person dating other people.

the relationship is dragging on ..too much fighting and no progress..its just not working out but they still love eachother.. he is wondering what else is out there and wants more so he is looking for it..and she doesnt want that.

later on she realizes that the relationship is comming to an end so she does the same

sums it up in this quote:

"An ocean floods my heart I'm sorry that I let you down You know just how I feel tonight This is everything I wanted You've been searching for yourself In other people's eyes"

i think confusion89's name sums up his response... CONFUSED! I think you might have taken the words and kinda created your own little story out of it bro... which isn't a bad thing, that's what music and lyrics are all about, personalyzing them, but i just don't think that's what is being said here.

Contrastly, I thought this song was about a relationship where neither side really knew who they were, "I've/you've been searching for myself/yourself In other people's eyes," the journey for self-identity, and the fucked up relationship that formulates due to neither of them knowing who they are. It seems as though they are trying to change and reform themselves through one another "the revisionist," but can't ever make it work by venting through eachother, "never gets it perfect, never gets it perfect."

The lines: "The mirror is telling half-truths These stolen words finally feel like mine Swollen and sweating, off-time I can see it in your eyes"

Just further seems to prove that the whole relationship is forced "swollen and swetaing, off-time" and the dialect between the two is a product of not being comfortable with themselves and is almost the foreign words of a stranger or another person, "The mirror is telling half-truths, These stolen words finally feel like mine"

This song is just living proof that anyone who thinks brendon is the better vocalist of the two, not trying to take anything away from him (i love me some brendon :), is just fuckin crazy. Chris is a fuckin lyrical genius, and the way he gets his vocals to demonstrate his emotions is incomparable!

I gotta say, it sounds like confusion98 got it right lol.