Stupid on the Steinway
So sick upon a steinway
The sailors drown
See them talk and see them drown
And see them drink and fall around
Upon the floor

Sister of mine, home again
Sister of mine, home again

Lonely in a crowded room
The radio plays out of tune
So silently
The radio upon the floor
Is stupid it plays Aznavour
So out of key

Sister of mine home again
Sister of mine home again

Broken on a ship of fools
Even dreams must fall to rules
So stupidly
Words are all just useless sound
Just like cards they fall around
And we will be

Sister of mine home again
Sister of mine home again

Buy a car and watch it rust
Sister see them fall to dust
They fall around
In another crowded room
Paint me like the shirt I'm in
Honestly

Sister of mine, home again
Sister of mine, home again

Sister of mine
Sister of mine
Sister of mine
Sister of mine
Sister


Lyrics submitted by iheartmemynirvana45

Sister Europe Lyrics as written by John Ashton Duncan Kilburn

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Sister Europe song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    I think it is about the continent of Europe. I think a lot of the song is from the point of view of the land. Europe is seeing all these people doing stupid things and acting out their petty, futile dramas. Europe is there the whole time through many generations and sees the same mistakes being made over and over and how everyone dies with nothing to show for it and everything eventually falls to dust. I think the person is calling Europe "sister of mine" because he sometimes steps back and sees the big picture and starts to identify with things that are less transitory like the land which could represent the eternal witness or something. When he does this he feels like he's home. I think this song is related to their song Highwire Days (I think it's called). Both songs seem to express seeing more clearly and "seeing through the games we play" to quote the other song I just mentioned.

    thebodiesobtainedon April 30, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think Butler mentioned in an interview that it was written about his girlfriend at the time who was always jetsetting about Europe, he never knew where she'd be one day from the next. Though I have no bloody idea what this part means in that context: "buy a car and watch it rust/ sister see them fall to dust/they fall around /in another crowded room/paint me like the shirt i'm in/honestly "

    FolsomFredon July 07, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "even dreams must fall to rules". <3

    liktheangelon March 06, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i first heard the foo fighters cover of this, i think its a cool song. what it means i've no idea, any help out there?

    wildyon April 02, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love the song and the video clip. So...murky.

    mirandajuneon September 23, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Now this one could be about "The New World Order",ya crackpot!

    emuInAmuumuuon May 28, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Someone below comments it is about a euro girlfriend always travelling. Then the line about buying a car and watching it rust becomes literal - she's not there to drive the car and it just sits somewhere gathering dust. I saw this in blocks of flats in London, top end Mercs just sitting in the car park unused for months...

    Beyond this, the song does sound metaphysical somehow, and makes me think of my sister, even if that's not what it's about.

    feufolleton August 26, 2020   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Butler was into cut up lyrics, impressionistic. The lyrics scan well, a rare thing. The gf jetting around sounds right. Maybe Google would resolve

    DaySleeper72on June 29, 2023   Link

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