This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
She homed with thieves
Kicked up dirty leaves
She was a maniac
No one's heart attack
She got around
Slept on the bad side of town
She was cooler than you
Way cooler than me
She was true, all blinded and bruised
She didn't give a fuck
No she had given up
She was alive
She was caught on fire
She was everything
She was all of this
She opened up and laid it all right there
She said, "I don't mind
No, no I don't care
I'll help you shovel out my shallow hole
And I know I know they're threatening
But at least we're not the ones carrying
Such heavy heavy heavy stoning stones
And yeah I know they'll get you down
They'll do you in and they'll drag it out
'Cause me and you, we are one of a kind"
She liked to lose
Never wore Sunday shoes
She found her luck in wells and corner stores and jails
She was crazy
A downtown kind of baby
Always dangerous, she got me down on my knees
She made it rain
She called the wind and then it came
Oh with the wave of her hand
She brought the sunshine right in
She was the sky
Beyond steeple and the choir
Oh, the preacher's amen
His hallelujah child
She opened up and laid it all right there
She said, "I don't mind
No, no I don't care
I'll help you shovel out my shallow hole
And I know I know they are threatening
But at least we're not the ones carrying
Such heavy heavy heavy stoning stones
So when your bones are broke and you're all alone
And the fog's so thick you can't see up close
Just know that I will end up strangled too
And when the floods they come all rushing in
And the boat is full and you can't get in
Oh, it's okay if you don't want to swim
And when you're swallowed up, oh, don't you cry
Just give right in, don't try to fight
'Cause baby I wouldn't pay no mind
There's nothing you can do"
They'll have you coughing up your colors
They'll have you coughing up your colors
She sang the blues
Out of time and out of tune
Spoke no silver spoon
Only simple truths
She was a friend, stabbed backs and broke plans
She would give you his coat
Or put nails through his hand
She was wise, full of magic and life
Oh you could see it in her eyes
Oh yeah I saw it in her eyes
She was more than this
Oh way more than this
She was everything
She was all of this
Kicked up dirty leaves
She was a maniac
No one's heart attack
She got around
Slept on the bad side of town
She was cooler than you
Way cooler than me
She was true, all blinded and bruised
She didn't give a fuck
No she had given up
She was alive
She was caught on fire
She was everything
She was all of this
She opened up and laid it all right there
She said, "I don't mind
No, no I don't care
I'll help you shovel out my shallow hole
And I know I know they're threatening
But at least we're not the ones carrying
Such heavy heavy heavy stoning stones
And yeah I know they'll get you down
They'll do you in and they'll drag it out
'Cause me and you, we are one of a kind"
She liked to lose
Never wore Sunday shoes
She found her luck in wells and corner stores and jails
She was crazy
A downtown kind of baby
Always dangerous, she got me down on my knees
She made it rain
She called the wind and then it came
Oh with the wave of her hand
She brought the sunshine right in
She was the sky
Beyond steeple and the choir
Oh, the preacher's amen
His hallelujah child
She opened up and laid it all right there
She said, "I don't mind
No, no I don't care
I'll help you shovel out my shallow hole
And I know I know they are threatening
But at least we're not the ones carrying
Such heavy heavy heavy stoning stones
So when your bones are broke and you're all alone
And the fog's so thick you can't see up close
Just know that I will end up strangled too
And when the floods they come all rushing in
And the boat is full and you can't get in
Oh, it's okay if you don't want to swim
And when you're swallowed up, oh, don't you cry
Just give right in, don't try to fight
'Cause baby I wouldn't pay no mind
There's nothing you can do"
They'll have you coughing up your colors
They'll have you coughing up your colors
She sang the blues
Out of time and out of tune
Spoke no silver spoon
Only simple truths
She was a friend, stabbed backs and broke plans
She would give you his coat
Or put nails through his hand
She was wise, full of magic and life
Oh you could see it in her eyes
Oh yeah I saw it in her eyes
She was more than this
Oh way more than this
She was everything
She was all of this
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
"Coughing Colors" kind of reminds me of Pleasantville. The ones with the color were the ones persecuted against, because they were outside of society. They were the ones experiencing life in the way that no one else was. So, coughing up the colors would kind of be like giving up, giving in and living how others want you to.