A Time to Be So Small

I had never been the hugest fan of this song until very recently (this morning) it took hold of me, and though it may have my to do with my own life than I'd care to admit my interpretation is this: An observer watching a woman fall for a man. The woman has never had the courage to tell anyone how she really feels but if she doesn't tell this particular guy (myself, if anyone's wondering about the significance to my own life), she'll lose him, (Not unlike the metaphor in the little mermaid).

The first verse tells the story of how she met him. Probably at work, she saw him more and more until they inevitably connected and their romance was born (or bubble burst).

The second verse is about how her passion for him intensified, "rehearsing interaction, he wasn't even there" I imagine masturbation, but that's just the Paul Banks part of my mind maybe. The whole theme to it seems like a passion growing but her resenting the fact that she is falling for him because she can't stand being vulnerable.

The chorus describes the man. He whistles and he runs, (he has his own life and will be fine without her.) Breathe the burn, you wanna let it last, (their sex is amazing, but casual romances are fleeting.) But he might succumb to what she hasn't been. (If she can open up to him, he may fall for her too.) He however has a keen eye for what you used to be, (he knows she is afraid of being vulnerable, but if she can't be vulnerable now, when would she ever be able to?)

Now my favourite line of the whole song: When the cadaverous mob saves its doors for the dead men, you cannot leave. I can hardly even describe what this means in my mind but imagine her finally being forced to make her decision about him. She can't hide in her fabricated cynicisms about love anymore.

When the cadaverous mob, (the mass of people who don't believe love exists,) has saved its doors for the dead men, (don't line up with what she believes anymore so she either has to admit she cares for this gentleman or forever fade into romantic obscurity) You cannot leave, (there's no way to put off this choice anymore, either she loves him and tells him, or she can't overcome her fears and loses him forever.)

reminds me of the murder scene from The Talented Mr. Ripley

yet, somehow the song almost has a...happy feel to it(not sure if that's the right word). Definetely not the kind of mood you'd expect to hear in a song presumably about murder...that's why i like it so much.

the new album is as good as the first, if not better.

paul banks said the song is about a father and son arguing on a boat. but the song is sung from the point of view of a crustacean watching from underneath the boat. i really havent discovered the meaning of the song yet.

I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS!

okay. so here-

"We saw you from the urchin's side from under the boat We saw you making knots we saw you get the rope The boy appearing on the deck and making it lurch And the bubble of your interest ready to burst He whistles and he runs"

This part displays a girl very simply doing something destructive towards herself and a boy she knows is worried.

"We saw you in distraction a sleeping, slow dispair Rehearsing interaction he wasn't even there A creature is a creature though you wish you were the wind The boat will not stop moving if you tie him up until the end"

That whole paragraph basically explains how the girl doesn't want the boy to worry and no matter if the boy is there or not, she will still do what ever self destructive thing she was doing.

"He whistles and he runs so hold him fast He might succumb to what you haven't seen He has a keen eye for what you used to be"

I think this means that the boy is going to go tell someone that the girl is doing this to herself... and the last line is stating that he knows what she was like before. he knows that she was better than this or something along those lines.

the last paragraph i have no idea. honestly, this is one of the most cryptic songs i've ever seen.

I had never been the hugest fan of this song until very recently (this morning) it took hold of me, and though it may have my to do with my own life than I'd care to admit my interpretation is this: An observer watching a woman fall for a man. The woman has never had the courage to tell anyone how she really feels but if she doesn't tell this particular guy (myself, if anyone's wondering about the significance to my own life), she'll lose him, (Not unlike the metaphor in the little mermaid).

The first verse tells the story of how she met him. Probably at work, she saw him more and more until they inevitably connected and their romance was born (or bubble burst).

The second verse is about how her passion for him intensified, "rehearsing interaction, he wasn't even there" I imagine masturbation, but that's just the Paul Banks part of my mind maybe. The whole theme to it seems like a passion growing but her resenting the fact that she is falling for him because she can't stand being vulnerable.

The chorus describes the man. He whistles and he runs, (he has his own life and will be fine without her.) Breathe the burn, you wanna let it last, (their sex is amazing, but casual romances are fleeting.) But he might succumb to what she hasn't been. (If she can open up to him, he may fall for her too.) He however has a keen eye for what you used to be, (he knows she is afraid of being vulnerable, but if she can't be vulnerable now, when would she ever be able to?)

Now my favourite line of the whole song: When the cadaverous mob saves its doors for the dead men, you cannot leave. I can hardly even describe what this means in my mind but imagine her finally being forced to make her decision about him. She can't hide in her fabricated cynicisms about love anymore.

When the cadaverous mob, (the mass of people who don't believe love exists,) has saved its doors for the dead men, (don't line up with what she believes anymore so she either has to admit she cares for this gentleman or forever fade into romantic obscurity) You cannot leave, (there's no way to put off this choice anymore, either she loves him and tells him, or she can't overcome her fears and loses him forever.)

actually this is one of the most morose sounding songs ive evvver heard. but more specifically, the original version.

I must agree-the song's mood is not happy at all. (to be an arse, the original version was better. As mentioned above, it had a more morose quality that gives the song a better feel and atmosphere.)

I hate not having heard the original. I feel so unintelligent musically, and that's rare. Who wrote the original?

it's an original interpol song. it was on some of the first eps they ever released....then they did a second version and put it on antics

i like both versions a lot...can't decide which one is better....

i think it's

"when the cadaverous mobs saves it's _doors_for the dead men you cannot leave"

or are these lyrics offical?