Curve Of The Earth

I think this song is about a guy whose heart was recently broken. He still had feelings for her but tried to get over it. Right as he felt like he could get through it, she came back and asked if they could get back together. Despite his intense feelings, he realized once the offer was there that he didn't want it. He criticized her immaturity and saw how strong of a person he was for saying "no."

Line by line it's like this:

I tried to come down from you Tried with your voice in my head Knocking me back Every inch I move

He just had his heart broken and every time he thought he was over her, the memory of her voice caused him to sulk once more.

I'm a sucker for a good lie The way you say you understand And how you always talk of catching me But never open up your hands

He's fallen for the tricks before and realized that this girl was all talk and would never put herself on the line for his sake.

I know you're here to catch your breath But I'm not listening for the right words anymore I'll take what's left

She came back to him because she felt lonely and vulnerable but he long ago realized that there were no easy fixes and they couldn't just "go back to the way things were."

You're vicious like the blue sky Right before the rain comes pouring through

For a long time, I didn't understand the irony of this line. Blue skies aren't really vicious at all and rain doesn't really make things clear. But, the man in the song learned that this girl's attitude is one that makes everything seem OK even though things are stormy beneath the surface.

Tell me does he look like me at all Cause there are an awful lot like you

Perhaps the deepest statement made in any Matt Nathanson song if not the deepest in the whole of modern music. He's insinuating that she's been with other guys and wants to know if seeing them is what made her miss him. Simultaneously, he confirmed that the girls he'd seen during their time apart made it impossible for him to see anyone and not think of her.

Tell me does the world revolve the same Tell me do the people all take care of you Did you doubt the curve of the earth And every word I bet you heard

He challenged what she was saying. He asked her if she just assumed that the world would change for her. Rather than embrace the freedom of being single after breaking his heart, she felt scared and lonely and hoped that his mind would change and allow her another chance. Instead, he was strong and told her that they both were part of their own worlds and he wouldn't change his to fit her in after the pain she'd caused.

This is the definitive Matt Nathanson song. I don't personally think it's his best and it isn't necessarily my favorite but it has all the elements necessary to make a good Matt Nathanson song. The song works with a full band or solo on acoustic guitar, is lyrically deep but not hard to understand, and it is full of spite and anger mixed with the redemptive powers found in life.

Best song on this album, far and away. The lyrical hooks are just killer, and form such a synergistic whole. "Does he look like me at all / 'cause they're all an awful lot like you" is possibly the most succinct statement of being hung-up post breakup ever penned, or at least I think a lot of it.

I completely agree. My favorite MN song. His true lyric abilities are revealed in this song. “you’re vicious like the blue sky, right before the rain comes pouring through”. That’s just plain ingenious.

"Tell me does he look like me at all Cause they're all an awful lot like you"

that part breaks my heart every time i hear him sing it.

this is definitely one of those situations where he is trying so hard to be bitter towards her, but he can only put up the front for so long.. because the truth is, he still cares about her in spite of it all. once he breaks with that line, "tell me does he look like me at all/cause they're all an awful lot like you", it is such a revealing, heartbreaking moment.

why is it always the assholes that hook us?

Just wanted to add that I love the line,

"But I'm not listening for the right words anymore, I'll take what's left"

because of the pun with "right" and "left"... I think the lyrics to this song as a whole are really clever. My favorite song of his as well.