What Is the Light? Lyrics
What is the light that you have Shining all around you Is it chemically derived? (beep beep)
Cause if it's natural Something glowing from inside Shining all around you It's potential has arrived
Looking into space it surrounds you Love is the place that you're drawn to Looking into space it surrounds you Love is the face that you're drawn to
Looking into space it surrounds you Love is the place that you're drawn to Looking out to space it surrounds you Love is the face that you're drawn to
What is the light that you have Shining all around you Is it chemically derived?
I believe this song is about a girl, and asking her to love you. The light is her beauty, because its she's so beautiful to him she glows. "Its potential has arrived" is saying that he's the one for her. "Looking into space, it surrounds you." is again about how amazing she is, that space surrounds her, she is the center of the universe to him. "Love is the place that you're drawn to" is pretty explanatory. Cool song.
The thing I love about the lips is that (and this is my interpretation and I'm sure to catch some flak for it) these songs are at first listen generally love songs. I think they are also thinly veiled metaphores to hallucinogenic experiences. (and with good reason, this album along with Yoshimi are two of the greatest albums to trip face to) Lord knows that when one is under the influence of truly mind expanding chemicals, one can recognize auras, or shining lights, around people. It may not always be visible, but it sure as hell is apparent. I think this song is one of those examples, this guy sees a true inner beauty in this person that he may not have noticed were it not for the drugs, hence the line "is it chemically derived..."
I think Storm&Stress is absolutely right. No matter how obvious a meaning to a Lips song is, it changes to something completely and radically different under the influence of any drug.
This song has one of the best subtitles ever. If you look at the track listing on the inside of the box it says "An untested hypothesis suggesting that the chemical (in our brains) by which we are able to experience the sensation of being in love is the same chemical that caused the "Big Bang" that was the birth of the accelerating universe)".
I think the light in this song is love, and the person in the song is drawn to the girls light. It says, "Love is the place that you're drawn to" and "Love is the face that you're drawn to". great lips song
Looking back, I still believe its about love, but not about a specific person. More like love is something emanating from all of us, and is drawing us all in and surrounding us. But is it merely a chemical thing, or something even grander?
What is the light that you have? I believe that the "light" is within in everybody whether we are or off drugs.
What is the light that you have? I believe that the "light" is within in everybody whether we are or off drugs.
at my school we wrote a play that was pretty much based on this song. it was called clicker davis or the book of light. but that's not important! i feel like this song is someone just completely floored by someone else's aura. he's looking through space and time at someone he finds beautiful but the light is an illusion that he never saw before, and he is drawn to it, just bewildered and full of questions ok that went nowhere sorry.
but this is just a great song to yell at the top of your lungs. the end.
heh, just a tidbit. listen closely at 0:55 'ish, around the 55 second mark. You can hear wayne coyne's watch beep.
peace out. :-#
i really wonder if that beep was intentional or not. in any case i can image the band listening to it for the first time and being struck by how perfect it sounds. exquisitely timed if that's the case :P