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Careful Lyrics

Every year, exactly this time of year
They go a balloon up into the air
And hold on to what all is near
Remember everything is here

Every year, about this time of year
I am with you as if you are here
I remember the way it fell through
You were all we all could do

Watch your step
Take a cab
Don't touch that
Don't stand there
Life is hard
Steal that car
Bus will break
Give me your knife

I hope that you're with me then
A story to tell her boyfriend
I hope that they aren't just (unforgiving?)
I hope you will be careful
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Cover art for Careful lyrics by Hot Chip

This is a great opener to 'The Warning'. I love the middle verse, but i thought it went "Watch your step, take good care, don't touch that, don't stand there, fire's hot, steel can cut, glass will break, if your not..."

Cover art for Careful lyrics by Hot Chip

i think the beginning is supposed to be:

every year, exactly this time of year let go a balloon up into the air and hold on to one who is near

Cover art for Careful lyrics by Hot Chip

The first verse reminds me of a memorial, releasing balloons into the air...since it's a commemoration of a specific event, it takes place on a specific date. The second reminds me of visiting a grave. It seems like (in my experience) you'd visit around the same time every year, but not necessarily on a specific day. So it begins with two reminders of death, then goes on to point out various dangers ("watch your step/take good care/etc"), then finally comes out and says out loud what's kind of been running in the background the whole time: "be careful". I'm pretty sure the previous two comments are right, and I think the very end of the song goes:

I hope that you would be careful The stories you told were awful I hope that they aren't just artful I hope that you would be careful.

It sees to me the song is thinking about death and worrying over the well being of someone you care about...

One line that confuses me is "I remember the way it fell through/You were all we all could do"...not sure what that means.

 
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