18 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Broken Yolk in Western Sky Lyrics
Broken yolk in western sky
My stomach turned, my mouth went dry
I knew I'd never known fear before
I pressed my palms into the seat
Took one last look at you next to me
I kicked open the sliding door
And I threw myself out on the road
Torn flesh and broken bones
And on the shoulder's patchy grass
I faded into your past
I know it was a cowardly thing to do
And that an explanation is not an excuse
I just want you to understand
That love is only a type of greed
Of equal portions, want and need
And you cannot divorce the two
And I could not sleep at all
With all the rumble strip close calls
In the gravel and scattered trash
I faded into your past
When you think twice
You arrive at the same conclusion
It's bad advice
Only if you use it
Broken yolk in western sky
My stomach turned, my mouth went dry
My stomach turned, my mouth went dry
I knew I'd never known fear before
I pressed my palms into the seat
Took one last look at you next to me
I kicked open the sliding door
And I threw myself out on the road
Torn flesh and broken bones
And on the shoulder's patchy grass
I faded into your past
And that an explanation is not an excuse
I just want you to understand
That love is only a type of greed
Of equal portions, want and need
And you cannot divorce the two
With all the rumble strip close calls
In the gravel and scattered trash
I faded into your past
You arrive at the same conclusion
It's bad advice
Only if you use it
My stomach turned, my mouth went dry
Song Info
Submitted by
si_duffers On May 02, 2005
More Death Cab for Cutie
I Will Follow You Into the Dark
Tiny Vessels
What Sarah Said
Transatlanticism
A Lack of Color
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I believe (unless I'm giving Mr. Gibbard too much credit, which is doubtful because he's pretty much a genius) that the title of this song may also be "Broken Yolk in Western Sky." I think it's a double entendre, by way of a homophone: yoke and yolk.
According to dictionary.com, a "yoke" is (among other things) "Something that connects or joins together; a bond or tie" obviously, a "broken yoke" meaning a failing relationship in this case.
But the first time I heard this song, I thought of it as "Broken Yolk In Western Sky," yolk meaning the yellow part of an egg. The sun sets in the west, and I know I've seen at least ten sunsets that makes the sun look like it's actually broken yolk splattered in the western portion of the sky. And as it seems like they're driving (literally or metaphorically, who knows) he could be looking out the window and seeing this beautiful sunset in the west while knowing that he's about to cut ties with his girlfriend.
It works both ways... ahh!
This song is heartbreakingly beautiful and absolutely fantastic.
Pilots use a yoke to steer and control an airplane. A broken yoke would only mean the plane's imminent doom. Turbulence, a crash, and an end; as musicforlife! pointed out, it's a falling and failing relationship.
Pilots use a yoke to steer and control an airplane. A broken yoke would only mean the plane's imminent doom. Turbulence, a crash, and an end; as musicforlife! pointed out, it's a falling and failing relationship.
Like a plane.
Like a plane.
i thought this was just a ben gibbard solo song?? hm.
Yeah I'm pretty sure it is. It's on his album "Former Lives".
Yeah I'm pretty sure it is. It's on his album "Former Lives".
To me, it sounds like Ben is saying "and you cannot divorce a tomb" definately making me think that the torn flesh and broken bones are to be taken literally as in the fact that he threw himself out of a moving van to kill himself. A van because he kicked open a sliding door, and I don't think any other type of motor vehicle has sliding doors. I think the person whom killed theirself in the song couldn't stand being alive without the other person in their life, so they decided they'd rather be dead. Ben could also be saying "and I could not sleep alone" instead of at all after the part about you cannot divorce the two or possibly tomb. Just playing devil's advocate here. I think it's amazing that simply changing two words in a song can give an entirely different meaning.
Great little folk song! Can't wait for Plans.
this isnt on plans learn2kneel
Is this even a Death Cab song?
yes its
I wish they'd put this on an album already!
where can you hear this song please!!!?
You can download the song at http://www.dcfc-tour.net/dcfc-mp3s.htm
This song is beautiful. I agree with musicforlife's explanation.