Off the Record

No one else thinks this could be about a "secret relationship"???

"Sorry bout the things that I had to say - And I'll make it up to you right now at the penny arcade" Maybe he saw her in public and had to say something so that no one would think they knew eachother.

"Well I really don't need the confusion - And you know I just ain't the type To get all wrapped up in the illusion Of doin' something that I know ain't right - Right Right???"

Saying that it's hard and confusing becasue they both know it's wrong and it's not like them to do something they know isn't right....

This smacks of an affair of the heart. He sees her swoon by the box of boom. At a party, standing by the music, she looks at him and they each know how the other feels. But they're at a party. Everybody is watching. They have to behave.

They've had ideas, though, and they've kissed on it. She's pissed because her life has gotten ridiculously complicated. Maybe he's already made his decision, and he's just grinning at her, because he knows that he's making her think about rearranging her life, as he is his, to make room for him.

She's confused, but he knows he's right, (right, right?) He wouldn't get wrapped up in it otherwise.

It's a beautiful song about the right love at the wrong time. Takes a lot if discipline to keep feelings like this gt off the record until the time is right.

Pairs really well with Evil Urges, and there are traces of this sort of semi-requited relationship in Wordless Chorus as well.

I think the songs about the difficulty of interpreting the world as a static thing when we are always changing, and I think he’s using the idea of translating a song,s meaning/lyrics to make this point. As Roland Barthes said, “the author is dead”. Even the the writer of the tune is sometimes not the “authority” on meaning, be it Jim James or...God? There’s nobody to turn to for truth, just keep an open mind and the world will be translated in different ways at different times, just like a song. You’ve got to keep it off the record...as in this record, the one you’re playing (or any of the writers albums). May be by a jukebox, may be in a car... I could translate every line by this logic but, that’s just my interpretation today. You’ve got to know that my story could change, so don’t quote me, keep it off the record. It’s really the perfect song for songmeanings.

seems to me like the guy is talking about how he wants this "relationship" to be off the record and nothing official because he knows its going to change... i dont think he has any intentions of committing to anyone.

I never thought this band would be able to pull off Reggae....and sound so damn innovative at the same time. Crazy.

Actually, I was trying to get more conversation and comments started about this song, because it has me stumped a little. I believe it is about a relationship. He doesn't want to put up with the confusion of being in a relationship, so instead he is saying let's keep this relationship on the low and not get attached to eachother. ?? Help. Comments back about it?

A reference to the media, perhaps? Suppose they're taking his words and playing with them?

Although they're not a very big band, so its likely the newspapers wouldn't sell if he said anything controversial. The last half of the song kind of eludes to recordings being played with to have you believe that you're hearing something when you're actually not, like a "Paul is dead" sort of thing.

yeah, the backmasking at the end almost sounds a little french, and considering that part of the song sounds a lot like air...

That's so stupid, but you never know.

This song feels a bit to me like he's saying, "this relationship was a total failure/disaster, and we knew it all along, so let's just pretend it didn't happen."

this song is so catchyyy