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Reading in Bed Lyrics

Who's in a bad mood?
Who's in a taxi?
Turning the clock back,
Avoiding a fight with this man
He is meeting, stands in the lobby
Counting his questions in the neon light

Sinking under the river
Sewer line touches the edge of the suburbs
Back to the beach where
A family is waiting
On rumors of summer
Lay out a blanket, bring something to feed the birds

With all the luck you've had, why are your songs so sad?
Sing from a book you're reading in bed and took to heart.
All your lives unled, reading in bed
Song Info
Submitted by
tinylittlewords On Sep 03, 2006
18 Meanings

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Cover art for Reading in Bed lyrics by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

I love this song, but I love the remix to it even more. There is just something about it...so beautiful. It reminds me of a sunny, warm day that is still unshakeably melancholy. Emily's voice is lovely.

Cover art for Reading in Bed lyrics by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

This line pretty much sums up the meaning of the song:

"All of your lives unled, reading in bed"

I think the song is about letting life pass you by, missing out on opportunities. The first verses are like glimpses of some people's lives.

I agree - to me it's about introspection and distraction that's gone a bit off the deep end into what some people would call "wallowing" - we all need to wallow a bit when we're feeling low or heartbroken, but at a certain point, musing about what could have been, or losing ourselves in books and never leaving bed - is a way to let your life pass you by without living it. It's a beautiful, sad, poignant song- one of my favourite bits of poetry by Emily Haines, among many.

Cover art for Reading in Bed lyrics by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

haunting... i can't grapse the entire meaning of the lyrics, i guess only emily knows what they truely mean

"With all the luck you've had, why are your songs so sad?"

best part... beautiful

Cover art for Reading in Bed lyrics by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

I saw her in concert last night here in DC. They added an extra verse and more music to the end. It was so good. I don't really remember any of the lyrics except part about "A house in New Orleans."

It's such a new experience seeing her in this type of venue, sitting there playing piano the whole time, instead of dancing around like in Metric. I would recommend seeing her if anyone gets the chance. It was a beautiful concert.

Cover art for Reading in Bed lyrics by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

I just saw her last night in Calgary, The extra verse she adds is a mix between her own and lyrics from The house of the rising sun by The Animals, which is a direct refernce to ruining your life to drugs and gambling, i dont know if that has anyhting to do with her but its a cleaver sample.

Cover art for Reading in Bed lyrics by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

yeah i thought the rising sun part was pretty cool i didnt see it coming...i think shes saying that everybodys in a fantasy world trying to pretend everything thing is good by escaping reality and reading sappy novels and she just cant do that it would be fake to write a song like that. shes so sad on this album haha

Cover art for Reading in Bed lyrics by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

I kind of always thought of the first two verses coming -after- the last verse. What I mean is the first two verses are about the "lives unled." It's saying, Get out of bed, get out of your stories and instead, get out there and make your own happiness and stop hiding.

To me, it's a cheer up song. I've been addicted to it. With all the luck I've had, why are my songs so sad?

Cover art for Reading in Bed lyrics by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

Ooh I really love this song. I don't know why but it makes me feel all warm and happy. hehe. My favourite line is "With all the luck you've had, why are your songs so sad?" too.

Cover art for Reading in Bed lyrics by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

i think the first two choruses are all the stories and lives that the protagonist is reading about

Cover art for Reading in Bed lyrics by Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

alot of her songs could about her father. and i kind of think of this song as the emily version of Love Is A Place by Metric, they're both beautiful and somewhat abstract.

btw this is probly my favourite Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton song.

 
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