Stab City

This has been one of my favorite songs for years, out of more then 5,000 songs in my Itunes it's definitely in my top 20. Often with songs like this I don't give too much thought as to what they are about and I don't really care, I like the lyrics line by line and I love the sound and thats all that matters. But I was just watching 'Batman the Dark Knight Rises' last night for like the 3rd time and I noticed how similar the dialogue was to some lyrics from this song. Consider the lines from the song: (I capitalize the words that are connected)

and every time we're passing by you FEEL the HEAT of 80,000 burning SOULS asleep

Well, in the Batman film, there is bomb set to destroy the entire CITY of Gotham and a few minutes before it goes off the woman who set it all up says:

'Don't kill him. I want him to FEEL the HEAT. FEEL the fire of twelve million SOULS you failed.'

I just thought those lines were so similar they must be linked, I know the film came out years after the song and obviously the film isn't based after the song so I'm guessing if they are connected the song is based of a Batman comic or something.

Another reason they could be connected is because the song is all about a City and the Batman films are all about Gotham City, A City filled with crime for most the duration of the 3 films, a City 'where every single you breathe you take could be your last'.

And the line 'And even when you find the love it's fake' could relate to the scene in the Dark Knight Rises where Bruce sleeps with Miranda who later turns out the be to one who set up the bomb and literally STABS him in the stomach - STAB city.

This whole song seems like it could be from the point of view of Batman in the moment after he gets stabbed by Miranda. I think the lines:

and everything I want to touch would break

In some strange way it's like you're never there You just float by crawling in the air

could be about Rachel.

Is there anyone else who when they heard that dialogue in the third Batman film thought this song could be based on it?

i'll back up floz on that one. this album is worth the purchase

post the rest of the lyrics :)

I think the lyrics are pretty clear, he's singing about how the city he lives in doesn't let him find love ("'cause even when I find the love it's fake"). He's not exactly mad, his tone is more sad and resigned about his situation.

"Our crooked feet burn up the street and every time we're passing by you feel the heat of 80,000 burning souls asleep There's 50,000 crying out to me"

This last stanza seems to compare the city he lives in to hell. I'm pretty sure he sings 50,000 twice, not 80,000.

When they repeat the line "So don't say you'll see me", its like the songwriter is directing his bitterness towards a specific girl.

Lol, good response flo.

For the record, my lyrics book says 50,000 twice, not 80,000 then 50,000.

As for the meaning, I think he strongly dislikes some city he had to live in- perhaps when they had to record in the midwest or a city they toured at. Past not liking the city I'm a bit confuzaled. I think maybe he believes the city has sunk into the sea (metaphorically) like he wishes for in the first verse for he says "You just float by crawling in the air." Grrr, its frustrating, I just confuzaled myself.

I definitely agree with the comparing the city to hell bit though. How 50,000 burning souls crying out to him relates to him not being allowed to find love, as ganhidog said, I do not get. Help the thought process please, post away.

It seems pretty obvious to me that this song is about LA, not about a city in the midwest, as I don't see Chicago "sinking into the sea" anytime soon...Also, the references to fake love, skeleton town, and snakes in the grass sound like most people I've met in LA.
"I can barely breathe Open your eyes Once and try to see" This has got to be a reference to LA smog....I rest my case.

at the chicago show, saen fitzgerald told the crowd that this song was about a small town in ireland. obviously one that has gone through war and is still suffering from it.

and ps. snakes in the grass.. thats the whole story behind st. patrick. he drove the snakes out of ireland.

This song is about the city of Limerick, Ireland, commonly referred to as Stab City, due to high crime. Look it up on Wikipedia.org, or Google it.

I totally get how this song is about a city, it makes sense and obviously the reference is toward "stab city"

but the first time I heard the song, before I knew all that, it meant something a bit different to me. I felt like it was talking about someone who is just completely frustrated about being alone, exhausted from searching for their someone. "I've been so tired, I can barely breathe"

and every time they get close to love, it just falls apart or was never even there in the first place. "'cause even when I find the love it's fake, and everything I want to touch would break"

and you're just begging the person you love to see how you feel and understand "Open your eyes, Once and try to see"

it's a bit of a stretch when he talks about the town with snakes in the grass and the souls crying out, but it makes total sense to me because of the town I am in right now, with so many souls and negative connotations to me - especially now that I've gone through heartbreak again. and the guy will always be associated with this town and the places we've been in it and all that...

"So don't say you'll see me" - this line just kills me, the way he's almost screaming it, but still it's so softly spoken...like he's about to break down every time he says it, it's so desperate.

amazing stuff.