some of them were superstitious

The booklet says: some of them were superstitious sitting with their backs facing the orchard all of them with mittens on their hands and feet were waiting there for winter thousands on the freezerail i could never join them there for them we dare not bother but couldn't help but holler yeah there's no use in hiding the joy from the bright of sun i could wait for winter better if it never comes

some of them were superstitious watching them parade around the town square some of them were praising monicle (monocle) men simply cause they don't know better someone to protect them someone to keep track of them no i don't believe them i would rather holler yeah there's no use in hiding the joy from the bright of sun now you say you're leaving but leaving will just bring you down

can you operate machines like that miles a day on tough terrain and grass i'm not sure if we will meet again i guess it depends on which company you're in

when you're gone you're gone so soon so soon so long life it works for someone and you're someone

this song seems more like a story like the majority of the songs they write. and like they're other songs this one feels like it's from some time long long ago in a history no one remembers.

i think there's no real message. it's a story about someone who doesn't fit in with the rest of the village because he doesn't believe in their superstitions. and if you're good with history that's what alot of people were all about back then...just superstitions ruled by thousands of different versions of religions seperate villages had for themselves(and i have this weird distinct feeling this all takes place somewhere in europe). but here we have a man (or woman) who doesn't believe in the ridiculous superstitions, in this case one of them was the coming of winter. he preferred the bright rays of the sun to the dead cold of winter, and who wouldn't? but still, the rule over the village was winter is what's right, what's might, and they were "praising while cold simply 'cause they don't know better".

also there were alot of caravans of nomads traveling this way and that all through towns and villages and the last stanza brings light to someone the man takes an interest to. but he knows they will probably never meet again because people rarely left the village in which they lived. and then that someone is gone and hurts.

it's the same old story of someone who wants to believe what he wants to believe, what he thinks is sensible. he wants to hold the reigns over his own life and break the mold. but there is no contempt in this song...it's just the way things are and people accepted it.

One of my favorites. I did a lyrical analysis of this song for my senior Lit/Comp class in high school, fit the assignment perfectly. But as the poster above notes, it is "praising monocled men" as is a theme throughout the album..."He Tried to Escape" refers to them, for example.

looking to the past, and comparing the cold and poverty some existed within to a relationship and the breaking up of it and how its so small compared to all the history in the world. thats how i interpreted it, its wrong but its mine :)

To me, winter seems like a bad thing in this song. It's always being mentioned when referred to the people the narrator doesn't wish to join. They're freezing and cold.

I think the song can be taken two ways:

Superstitious people are people who don't want to take risk. They sit there being afraid and ignoring the beauty of life b/c of their fear of it. The singer doesn't want to join them b/c he knows that things are okay that something as simple as the sun can make people happy. The very end of the song talks about the "others" again. They're missing out on life and dying off. You only get one life, one chance to live. "When you're gone, you're gone", so make the best of what time you have. Life is going to hurt regardless b/c it hurts for someone (everyone) and YOU'RE someone.

The other, more controversial interpretation:

The singer is denouncing religion. He's saying that the superstitious people need someone to protect them and keep track of them like children. This someone might mean God. But the singer doesn't believe in all that, he just believes in having fun and a good time, enjoying life to the fullest. He can't help but scream YEAH! at how happy he is.

Even though the religion is stupid and irrational, and has stupid ceremonies (outside in the cold of the winter), he would rather shout of in joy with them, even though he doesn't believe a word of it.

It also talks about why these people are religious, particularly in times of need (someone to protect them. someone to keep track of them).

This song is about preparation for war (who are the people parading on the town square?) and how, because people die in war and are separated based on company (i guess it depends on which company you're in), they may never meet again.

When you're gone (dead) you're gone. But I knew you as someone, so you didn't die in vain.

I don't claim to be an expert on the meaning of this song, or whether it has anything to do with religion. However, the line is not "praising while cold and". If you listen, there's an extra syllable in the song. In keeping with the theme of the album, and the songs referencing eachother now and then, it sounds more like he's saying "praising monocle men", just with the syllables stressed awkwardly. I dunno, maybe it's just me. But it seems it would fit better.

Instead of "the bright of sun," I hear "the bright, new sun."

Also, I LOVE the melody, the chords, the lyrics and the build-up of: "And when you're gone you're gone... So soon, so soon, so long... But life it works for someone, And you're someone."

I know this site is for analyzing lyrics...but can I just talk about the music in this song?? It is so breathtaking when that synth comes crashing in when he hollers YEA!! It's like waves hitting rocks. It's so powerful. It makes me remember things I never knew. And then there's the last part of the song. When he sings "leaving will just bring you down..." right at "down" they literally tune their guitar down. In the tabs it says to put a capo on...that is SO rare, you guys, to capo in the middle of a song. This is the only song I've ever seen tabs say to do that in.

Sorry to ramble on but the music is just absolutely amazing and one of the reasons midlake is my favorite band.