Imagine your brain as a
Canister filled with ink
Yeah, now think of your body
As the pen where the ink resides

Fuse the two; KAPOW!
What are you now?
You're the human magic marker, won't you
Please surprise my eyes?

It's in your nature,
You can paint whatever picture
You like no matter what
Ted Koppel says on channel 4 tonight

So modify this third rock from the sun
By painting myriads of pictures
With the colors of one
I'm sick of painting in black and white

My pen is dry, now I'm uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition
Picture the scene, where whatever you thought,

Would, in the blink of an eye,
Manifest and become illustrated
You'd be sure man that every
Line drawn reflected a life that you loved

Not an existence that you hated
So, must we demonstrate that
We can't get it straight?
We've painted a picture,

Now we're drowning in paint
Lets figure out what the fuck it's about
Before the picture we painted
Chews us up and spits us out

I'm sick of painting in black and white
My pen is dry, now I'm uptight
So sick of limiting myself
To fit your definition

Redefine


Lyrics submitted by jarsofglitter, edited by Metalhead88, Nathan4564, ChubbyHuggs, metalmars, ersatzpnk

Redefine Lyrics as written by Brandon Charles Boyd Alex Katunich

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Redefine song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

17 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    is this song a prayer? seems that way to me, praying to God, and also thanking him for a new someone in his life. i like the song a lot. great riff.

    In-My-Treeon June 18, 2004   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.