This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Give him back his sweater
that poor fellow has only orchestrated symphonies
into the poisoned ant hills
You have tried I'm afraid
don't let it hurt
I shouldn't stay
show your cards now
I want out stain the tub
clot the streak
cock the wheel
push it deep
fallen shade drowsy left me hopeless
carve my head
great disguise took a breath
gave it back
early-aged,self pitying, misfit, experience, coincidence, quality menstruating.
it makes more sense to speak nonsense
What is it like to scatter organs all over a deeply pasteurized land
Just like a cat without a mouse
it masturbates
it violates Sadistic dresser
Maybe it's the ability to choose
that makes a wounded player take to the field
and laugh at his injury
than to be fed peas and carrots by his sitter
Farewell to the oldsmobile
acknowledge the new models
farewell farewell
Set me back in my old sweater
for an hour or two
I can obtain satisfaction mutilating ones humilating me
You have tried I'm afraid
don't let it hurt
I shouldn't stay
show your cards
now I want out
strain the tub
clot the steak
cock the wheel
push it deep
fallen shade drowsy left me hopeless
carve my head
great disguise took a breath gave it back
early-aged self pitying misfit
What is the point of laying in a comfortable position if you can't fall asleep in it?
that poor fellow has only orchestrated symphonies
into the poisoned ant hills
You have tried I'm afraid
don't let it hurt
I shouldn't stay
show your cards now
I want out stain the tub
clot the streak
cock the wheel
push it deep
fallen shade drowsy left me hopeless
carve my head
great disguise took a breath
gave it back
early-aged,self pitying, misfit, experience, coincidence, quality menstruating.
it makes more sense to speak nonsense
What is it like to scatter organs all over a deeply pasteurized land
Just like a cat without a mouse
it masturbates
it violates Sadistic dresser
Maybe it's the ability to choose
that makes a wounded player take to the field
and laugh at his injury
than to be fed peas and carrots by his sitter
Farewell to the oldsmobile
acknowledge the new models
farewell farewell
Set me back in my old sweater
for an hour or two
I can obtain satisfaction mutilating ones humilating me
You have tried I'm afraid
don't let it hurt
I shouldn't stay
show your cards
now I want out
strain the tub
clot the steak
cock the wheel
push it deep
fallen shade drowsy left me hopeless
carve my head
great disguise took a breath gave it back
early-aged self pitying misfit
What is the point of laying in a comfortable position if you can't fall asleep in it?
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Well I think I'll give it it a wack. First I think I should identify several motifs that are present. I'm pretty sure the lines about a "sweater" are metaphors for isolation. Sweaters are cozy and comfy, and not to mention their cultural reference to emo and screamo, in wich lyrics often deal with depression and emotional isolation. Also the sections where the two vocalist go back and forth(the "You have tried, i'm afraid" part) is also repeated. Its revolves around the theme of being unsure or feeling akward with perosnel relationships with others.
Okay, now I'll try to interpret the individual peices. "Give him back his sweater that poor fellow has only orchestrated symphonies into the poisoned ant hills" sounds to me that someone has drawn the narrorator out of his comfortable isolation, maybe even picked on him(intentionally or not). The symphonies might be some kind of art, like written poems or songs, and the ant hills refer to the isolation. Although it may offer protection, it is psychologically dangerous, thus the "poison".
"Just like a cat without a mouse it masturbates it violates." also deals with isolation. Without anyone around the narrorator may resort to narcissism, and metaphorically "masterbating" with his own creativity.
"Maybe it's the ability to choose that makes a wounded player take to the field and laugh at his injury than to be fed peas and carrots by his sitter." This I beleive is saying that its better to accept your personel hangups, awell as others, and try to interact with others instead of going off in your "sweater" because everyone is unsympathetic or intellecually lacking.
"Farewell to the oldsmobile acknowledge the new models." To me seems out of place. What i got was that we should worry about what is happening now, rather to be stuck in the past. But then again maybe he is saying goodbye to his old ways and acknowledging the new models.
"Set me back in my old sweater tonight for an hour or two I can obtain satisfaction mutilating ones humiliating me.". This is wanting to go back into isolation after having a hard time. Possibly the same thing that put the narrorator into isolation made him want to return to it.
"What is the point of laying in a comfortable position if you can't fall asleep in it?". This line i'm not to sure how to interpret. It either means what is the point of isolation if it gets you nothing. Or it could mean whats the point of learning to be social with others if it offers no satisfaction or intellecual stimulus.
Well that is how I interpret "Like A Cat", it makes sense to me. But everytime I listen to the song now I can't help but to think that maybe it has somethig to do with gay romance. Maybe the root of all this is homosexuality, and the refrain may be about two guys having sex and feeling unsure of who they are after words. I don't know....
i think its about not doing things because you dont see them that way ?? maybe im not sure actually
Idk exactly what its about but this song is amazing And i just saw them perform it live... Which was more amazing.
This somehow reminds me of the capricious nature of fashion trends (i.e. they change a lot.)
It's useless. It's just another reason for people to hate each other. Plus, they won't matter when you die.
That said, this song does more than kick ass. It shoots ass in the face with a tub of botulism.
these guys are absolutely out of their minds!
I think this song is about having troubles socializing. To me it's about feeling an urge to come out from under your rock but in the end realizing society can be fake and unaccepting. It is also about experimenting in some way or another.
I looove this fucking song...it's pretty much amazing...For some reason it strikes me as a song about a mental hospital...hence the sweater...that could possibly be a reference to a straight jacket...? And the line "more sense to speak nonsense." I dunno...just what I was thinking, maybe I'm looking a little too deep into it, but this song is absolutely amazing. So much emotion in all of TNTLLY's songs...My favorite band...
Emo kids claiming individuality when they're only conforming to another standard.
I have a feeling Klausfloride is right.
"Nakata can't read or write. Nakata's just like a cat.." I just read this in a book, made me remember my favorite number12 song. the lyrics are amazing. you can look at them in so many ways