Catalyst

I think this song is about a girl that's falling in love with a man in "LA" while she's already in a serious relationship in "Frisco". She knows that things may not be as great as she hopes they are in LA but she still loves the man and wants to go - BUT she can't because she's already in this serious relationship in Frisco ... that's why she's taking pills and drinking... trying to forget about what could be in LA."And you’d be inclined to be mine for the taking You’re part of this terrible mess that I’m making" here she's talking about how she wants to be with him in LA and knows that she's making a mess of her life in Frisco."When you say love is a simple chemical reaction.Can’t say I agree Cuz my chemical, yeah, left me a beautiful disaster Still love’s all I see" Here he's trying to tell her that love is simple and she will know if it's right with her and "Frisco" and since she's thinking about LA it's not - but she says it's not because she thought she loved Frisco but now she doesn't and she just wants to be with him in LA... but can't.

I see a guy and girl falling for one another but the guy refuses to admit that he actually does care about her. I see him in another relationship but still hanging onto this other girl, where eventually all good things that were going on, come crashing down. And even though everything bad has happened to the girl and was completly confused, she still has a fighting hope that there will be love in her life.

In light of what a catalyst is, i think this song is about two people in a relationship who are bad for each other. In the literal sense, she speeds up his personal self destruction (i.e. drugs, substance abuse) and he does the same to her. Nevertheless, even though their love is detremental to both of them, they still love each other too deeply to let go

Argh.. how can nobody have commented on this one?? Anyways umm it seems to be about a couple or something, and one of two scenarios 1: They moved from Frisco to LA and found that it wasn't everything they thought it would be so they developed relationship problems because neither of them were happy where they were.

2: A couple may have broken up, and one of them moved to LA from Frisco, but they still loved each other and got depressed and addicted to drugs because of how badly they missed each other

first... we should obviously define the word catalyst:

Catalyst - (katl-ist) - (I'm excluding the chemistry related definition as it does not apply to this song) # One that precipitates a process or event, especially without being involved in or changed by the consequences: “A free press... has remained... a vital catalyst to an informed and responsible electorate” (Robert O'Neal).

Now in light of that, I think that the song is about the singer getting involved with some one who brings her down with him as he takes a drinking/drugging binge. He is unaffected for the most part (him being the catalyst) while she's changed forever.

The second verse has the same idea only this time it's her that is bringing some one down and acting as the catalyst.

That's my interpretation.

i think, in the process of being "the catalyst" for someone whom she loved, and she doesnt know if she herself is strong enough to resist what shes trying to save him from. hmm, its a great song though

I don't have anything to support this, and it's probably just my interpretation, but I think it's about home-sickness. Of course, I'm from L.A. and I really don't like how romanticied it is. But the thing is, even though it's dirty, and dangerous, and smoggy and where we live now is technicly a better place, L.A. is my home and it always will be. So this song just makes me homesick, but I really doubt that's the meaning...just my feeling. But that's what music is all about right? How it makes the listener feel.

From and anaylicital point of view, she's trying to save somone from self-abuse, but in the process get's caught up in it herself. The L.A. lights are a metaphor for the problem...the self-abuse problem seems so fun, so flashy, but then you get there and it's smoggy, dirty, and dangerous.

I love this song more every time I listen to it. Here's what I think: her relationship ends and suddenly things dont seem as great as they used to be (part of depression). she imagines her ex going through this horrible time, and thinks that she can just skate by unaffected. Maybe she broke up with him and that is why she at first considers herself the 'catalyst'. She soon realizes, however, that she is really the one that is breaking down while her ex is moving on unscathed.

You’ll be the thing You’ll be the pain You’ll be the star You’ll be the road, rolling below The wheels of a car And all of the thoughts, oh god Don’t know if I’m strong enough now You’ll be the thing You’ll be the pain You’ll be the Catalyst

This is the feeling of that one person being your biggest weakness. You'll be everything that is both good and bad for me and the thought of you consumes me. In parts of the song she speaks of literally consuming alcohol and pills, but I think its more metaphorically speaking of the consumption of one individual so much you feel as though you're falling faster and faster and at times spinning out of control.