Palm Of Your Hand

Songs like this are always easy to interpret on the outside, assuming there's no hidden meaning (which there probably is, given that this is a cake song); it's songs like "Race car ya-yas" and "Mr. Mastadon Farm" which are hard. He's talking to someone who thinks they're invincible (as many of us young folks do) and he says "how can you think you'll live forever when this sturdy house was so easily reduced to rubble?" Or somethin like that.

I think he is commenting on the tendency for some people to think some things are forever, when in fact everything is ephemeral and even the strongest foundations eventually collapse.

You're best off just reading what lewikee wrote and leaving it at that. Sorry for adding unnecessary comments.

Re: "hidden meanings"... Could there be some 9/11 twin towers undercurrent here?

I love this song because, though it's so simple, it creates this vivid story in my mind. The way I see it, he's trying to speak some sense into a younger or more naive friend, and after a while just gives up and says "Get in the car", drives them to an old ruined house (presumably his old house), and uses it as a metaphor to prove his point.

Obviously I'm not saying that's exactly what the song is about, but that's just what the lyrics and tone make me think of. I just get the impression that he's gone way out of his way to show this place to the person. I won't even get started on hidden meanings.

I don’t think it’s about 9/11. It’s more about the power of time than it is about anything else. It is a beautifully stated song. “When the house was standing…you’d never have believed it..” Haven’t we all tried to describe something like that?

I think the song also functions as a song that bashes people who sell you on the future. Palm readers and preachers. Not really an angry song though. That’s just not Cake’s style.

I think it is pretty clear that the house is a reference to your body and the fact that you won't be young and/or alive forever. From that you can infer that you shouldn't waste time procrastinating or not having a sense of urgency about where you are and where you want to be: "How can you say, Forever is at your command, How can you say, The future's in the palm, In the palm of your hand"

At the root of the song: Don't be naive.

i think it's about a control freak who lost power. maybe something political.

This song clearly represents death of someone that was almost thought to be invincible. Maybe someone special that was once thought to be invincible like a child viewing his father. I mean starting out with “When the house was standing. You'd never have believed it” implies that the individual was amazing in some way.

Then the person is dieing and falling apart. They fight death but eventually reach the end. It is basically a reminder that everyone will eventually die no matter how great you are. You must take care of things now and not wait for the future which may never come.

I view the house as a relationship. The chick leaves, thus destroying the house.

Happened to me, she was seemingly 100% in love with me, then she was gone, and there wasn't a god damned thing I could do about it. I felt very betrayed, "How can you say..."

I realize my personal experience has colored my interpretation of this song, but that's how I see it.

I love the line: "Where you stand now were tools in the basement."

Side note: My ex-wife hung the baskets on the wall. Literally.