Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Is This Love?

You're so much different than me
Yes I know
And I'm only enemy
Pain is all that I can see oh

I see you're climbing a tree
And I know
That it's easier to be up high in
The air than on the ground

And it's love, etc

You say you can't say anymore
You've already said it before
In a million different ways
Which where all not quite right

The rain is loud on the ground
Yes I know
But I don't even make a sound when
I come around oh

And you say I'd be better of dead
Well I know
But its no use hiding this pretty
Head in the ground

And it's love, etc

And we can do the zarathustra
We can do the broken fist
We can tear down all the borders
Or abbreviate the list
And when finally the finish line
Emerges from the mist
We'll sound a soft alarm

Woah oh


Lyrics submitted by PuNkJaSo

"Is This Love?" as written by Robert Lambert Guertin Sean Michael Greenhalgh

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC

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Is This Love? song meanings
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16 Comments

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  • +2
    General CommentThere's such a backlash going on against these guys right now.... but I think it's quite unfounded. People are saying they're derivative....too much like the Talking Heads, in fact, I saw them live recently and someone in the back yelled out "Pyscho Killer" in between songs! And I was pissed because.... I don't know. I don't think their music really sounds Talking Heads'-esque. The sound is fresh. Alec Ounsworth's voice is worlds away from David Byrne in my opinion. He might be a little all over the place the same way Byrne was.... but... still. This song is a great example of how different Clap Your Hands is from anything else out there right now. The melodious "ohhhs" and "ahhhs" and the danceable rhythms. I don't know. Can't get anough of these guys. If you like Clap Your Hands, you should check out Alec Ounsworth's (the lead singer's) solo stuff.... he has some stuff available for download at flashypython.com "Underwater" was like my favorite song of the summer, despite how low-budget it is/was.
    ieatseedson August 24, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentBesides, Talking Heads are great. And there is certainly nothing I've heard since the Heads that I've liked as much as Clap Your Hands =P
    tooth_brushon October 29, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Commentwhat does : zarathustra : mean ?
    nerdgonewildon January 09, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentzarathustra is a reference to the nietzsche's book "thus spake zarathustra". i'm guessing.
    analogueon February 02, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentOkay. I tried to look up zarathustra. Because I am lazy I did that stupid smarterchild thing.

    sarahluvsu182 (6:48:25 AM): define zarathustra
    SmarterChild (6:48:25 AM):
    Zarathustra:
    See Zoroaster.
    SmarterChild (6:48:37 AM):
    Zoroaster:
    Persian prophet who founded Zoroastrianism.
    SmarterChild (6:48:53 AM):
    Zoroastrianism:
    Noun
    The religious system founded by Zoroaster and set forth in the Avesta, teaching the worship of Ahura Mazda in the context of a universal struggle between the forces of light and of darkness.

    Maybe it's a stretch but it's interesting.. Also, spell check doesn't believe zarathustra is a word, if that means anything.
    Sarahluvsu182on February 09, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentis it about troubled lovers?

    he keeps talking as if she's telling him to leave and stuff, that theyre better off seperate, but he's convinced they can keep going. thats why he asks if its love.

    the last few lines before the outro sound like he's saying 'we can go through all the motions but we'll end up together again'.
    blanktomon February 18, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentanalogue's right. In the book Zarathustra is more or less a sage that goes into the wilderness for 30 years and "goes under" and eventually becomes the ubermensch. He returns to civilization to teach his philosophy and guide humanity from the current stage of human consciousness to a more advanced stage. Knowing this, I'm still not sure exactly how it fits into this song...
    justaguy81on February 21, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis is my favorite song on the album!

    I just love the line

    "And you say I'd be better of dead
    this I know
    But it's no use hiding this pretty
    head in the ground"
    phillyfroon April 07, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentthe opening guitar reminds me of pavement's "box elder"
    eltasty12on June 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI agree with blanktom in that this is about a guy who's either too stubborn or too naive to realize that the girl he's going after isn't into him. The wavering chorus goes from the rhetorical question "is this love?" to various positive affirmations persuading himself that this girl truly likes him.

    I have no idea what the Zarathustra or Broken Fist has to do with anything though unless he's suggesting they either read Nietzsche together or do whatever has to do with Broken Fist.
    overkill94on September 11, 2006   Link

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