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The Real Lyrics
I don't know the real from what I know I saw
I can't remember where I went
Where I was
I'm gonna move towards a point in time
Where where you are is a state of mind
And anytime I can read your thoughts
Some of them yours and some I thought up
There's no good reason for heartbreak
Nothing's repeating every Monday
It's no good saying you'll always be mine
These jokes life's playing they make me so tired
It's already too much to always see you off
The sense that hours go back is enough
I like to fade when I write this line
There's every reason to paint a decline
And every mile I walk is five
I'll get where I'm going in the next life
And all the while there's a false face
This every killing is left untraced
This kind of falling saved my son
This constant longing for what's gone
I can't remember where I went
Where I was
I'm gonna move towards a point in time
Where where you are is a state of mind
And anytime I can read your thoughts
Some of them yours and some I thought up
There's no good reason for heartbreak
Nothing's repeating every Monday
It's no good saying you'll always be mine
These jokes life's playing they make me so tired
It's already too much to always see you off
The sense that hours go back is enough
I like to fade when I write this line
There's every reason to paint a decline
And every mile I walk is five
I'll get where I'm going in the next life
And all the while there's a false face
This every killing is left untraced
This kind of falling saved my son
This constant longing for what's gone
Song Info
Submitted by
wanderweird On Sep 12, 2005
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"It's no good saying you'll always be mine. These jokes life's playing they make me so tired"
"This constant longing for what's gone"
Frusciante can't be touched. This is such a beautiful song, i think it's about regret and confusion and just the strain of getting through life. But he sees a purpose to it. He may not know the real from what e thought he saw, but he's "moving towards a point in time" and "i'll get where i'm going in the next life."
God bless John Frusciante.
Yep, definatley thought. Nice song:) John Frusciante = my drug
Guys, I'm almost certain that this song was written after Frusciante either read, studied, or investigated Lacanian psychoanalytical theory.
"The Real", a category established by Jacques Lacan, can only be understood in connection with the categories of the symbolic and the imaginary. Defined as what escapes the symbolic, the real can be neither spoken nor written. Thus it is related to the impossible, defined as "that which never ceases to write itself." And because it cannot be reduced to meaning, the real does not lend itself any more readily to univocal imaginary representation than it does to symbolization. The real situates the symbolic and the imaginary in their respective positions.
Go read "the mirror stage" and other essays by Lacan and you will see what I mean. I believe this to be Frusciante's interpretation and musical expression of these Lacanian ideas. In fact, the whole album "Curtains" may revolve around the similar subject. This whole business of disassociation, and not knowing who you are, and blending and bending in and out of "reality" I think contribute to this notion.
"These jokes life's playing..." may be indeed a "re-presentation" of John's struggle with these ideas. All of life is a joke because we can never attain "The Real."
Really wish I could get some clarification from John himself, but I'm almost certain I'm correct.
I've kinda put this song into a relationship way. Especially something like a failing relationship he can't save.
"Any time I can read your thoughts, some of them yours and some I thought up" - It's like he's over analyzing everything that is happening between them and he's making up these thoughts she's having.
"There's no good reason for heartbreak, nothing's repeating every monday" - Why end it, but there's no real pattern to their relationship it's kind of all over the place.
"It's no good saying you'll always be mine, these jokes life's playing they make me so tired" - He's saying that he knows she's gonna be with someone else and that he's been fooled by himself into believing they would've been fine.
"It's already too much to always see you off" - Perhaps a long distance relationship where he only sees her for a brief period of time or that when she's with him she doesn't always seem like she's there.
There's a few other examples but this is just something I've been really personally feeling when I listen to this song
@Robbyace21 this is almost exactly the same way I feel about this song.
@Robbyace21 this is almost exactly the same way I feel about this song.
Though my interpretation about the line "it's already too much to always see you off" is more like, everytime he had to say goodbye to her he almost can't handle to be alone afterwards. He misses her so much already after parting ways that is becomes too much.
Though my interpretation about the line "it's already too much to always see you off" is more like, everytime he had to say goodbye to her he almost can't handle to be alone afterwards. He misses her so much already after parting ways that is becomes too much.
Anyways that's how I feel about that part. This song has such a feeling I could never describe it.
Anyways that's how I feel about that part. This song has such a feeling I could never describe it.
it should say "I don't know the real from what I THOUGHT I saw"
and I love this song.
to me, it means that ehres something that u yearned for and it got away from u and u regret not keeping it close
does anyone have any idea wat "This kinda falling saved my son" means?/
john doesnt have a son does he??
no i don't believe john frusciante has a son, however there have been weirder things kept secret and hidden from the general public...
but that lyric really intrigues me as well: "this kind of falling saved my son"
to me it is almost an inversion of the christian belief, humans are fallen and the son saved them....i'm not sure though
The end of a relationship, one that very clearly meant everything to him. Love blinds us sometimes, especially when that love isn't returned. When things started, he fell in love, and was almost positive she loved him back. Now things have changed, and he is facing the reality (hence the title); all along, it was one-sided. This is him differentiating that reality from what he thought he had (first two lines). He can't see the reason for heartbreak, even though it is real. You can never know for sure how somebody feels about you (any time I can read your thoughts, some of them yours and some I thought up). He's disappointed that what they had wasn't all that he made it out to be (its no good saying you'll always be mine, these jokes life's playing they make me so tired/and all the while there's a false face etc), but no matter how much he tries, it'll always be in vain (every mile I walk is five, I'll get where I'm going in the next life). This is post-euphoria, post-love when "the real" comes along and smacks you, and the emotional aftermath and tears that you have to deal with, no matter how much you want it back (this constant longing for what's gone).