Radio waves are coming miles and miles
Bringing only empty boats
Whatever feeling they had when they sailed
Somehow slipped out between the notes

Out on the desert now and feeling lost
The bonnet wears a wire albatross
Monster ballads and the stations of the cross
Sighing just a little bit
Sighing just a little bit

And I was thinking about what Katy done
Thinking about what Katy did
The fairest daughter of the Pharaoh's son
Dressed in gold beneath pyramids

Out on the desert now and feeling lost
The bonnet wears a wire albatross
Monster ballads and the stations of the cross
Sighing just a little bit
Sighing just a little bit

Ones and zeroes bleeding mesa noise
And when you're empty there's so much space for them
You turn it off but then a still small voice
Comes in blazing from some vast horizon

And I was thinking about my river days
I was thinking about me and Jim
Passing Cairo on a getaway
With every steamboat like a hymn

Out on the desert now
I'm feeling lost
The bonnet wears a wire albatross
Monster ballads and the stations of the cross
Sighing just a little bit
Smiling just a little bit


Lyrics submitted by EffulgentEnnui

Monster Ballads song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

19 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +3
    General Comment

    some things i was thinking about this song:

    1. "i was thinking about my river days, i was thinking about me and jim" probably a reference to huck finn, which fits right into the journey motif.

    2. "ones and zeroes" the two numbers of binary code, which make up computer programming. could be josh is saying that to him the music on the radio has become reduced to some static formula that makes him empty more than moves him like music is supposed to.

    3. "i was thinking about what katy done, i was thinking about what katy did" i bet just a cute reference to the bugs called katydids. he probably couldn't resist after writing "what katy done."

    4. this song, as well as many others on the cd, has a ton of references to Egypt. i don't know why, just bringing it up.

    this song is so lovely.

    infinitepet85on August 17, 2007   Link

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!