This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Forever Dream Within A Dream
Of A Certain City In The Sea
As I Walk The Valley Of Unrest
Behind This Mask Of Crimson Death
I Long For A Loss Of Breath
And A Most Dire Predicament
Murders In The Rue Morgue
Silence And Shadow's What I Adore
I Cant Explain Jsut How It Feels
The Thought Of My Premature Burial
Inside This Oblong Box I Lie
With The Hopes I'll Be Buried Alive
The Oval Portrait Upon The Wall
Will Someday Cause This House To Fall
The Power Of Words Left Unsaid
As I Join The Spirits Of The Dead
I Can't Explain Just How It Feels
The Thought Of My Premature Burial
Inside This Oblong Box I Lie
With The Hopes I'll Be Buried Alive
Well, I'm The Man Who's Used Up
Washed Up
Bricked Up
Descent Into Maelstrom
Bedlam
Redrum
Bet The Devil My Head
Misled
Bloodshed
Heart Under The Floorboards
Beats For
Lenore
Nevermore
I Cant Explain Just How It Feels
The Thought Of My Premature Burial
Inside This Oblong Box I Lie
With The Hopes I'll Be Buried Alive
Of A Certain City In The Sea
As I Walk The Valley Of Unrest
Behind This Mask Of Crimson Death
I Long For A Loss Of Breath
And A Most Dire Predicament
Murders In The Rue Morgue
Silence And Shadow's What I Adore
I Cant Explain Jsut How It Feels
The Thought Of My Premature Burial
Inside This Oblong Box I Lie
With The Hopes I'll Be Buried Alive
The Oval Portrait Upon The Wall
Will Someday Cause This House To Fall
The Power Of Words Left Unsaid
As I Join The Spirits Of The Dead
I Can't Explain Just How It Feels
The Thought Of My Premature Burial
Inside This Oblong Box I Lie
With The Hopes I'll Be Buried Alive
Well, I'm The Man Who's Used Up
Washed Up
Bricked Up
Descent Into Maelstrom
Bedlam
Redrum
Bet The Devil My Head
Misled
Bloodshed
Heart Under The Floorboards
Beats For
Lenore
Nevermore
I Cant Explain Just How It Feels
The Thought Of My Premature Burial
Inside This Oblong Box I Lie
With The Hopes I'll Be Buried Alive
Lyrics submitted by musicluver666
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I think the meaning is pretty clear. This person got really burned in a previous relationship, and because of this is unable to love and show care in his present one, even though he so badly wants to. It's lovely song, and very sad. You can really feel how defeated and frustrated he is with himself.
oh and also, i forgot to add before : "will someday cause this house to fall" is the fall of the house of usher.
Haha, I like this, it's a play on Poes works! Awesome!
It IS in fact a play off Edgar allen poe. Not only is it a killer song but the video for it is pure genius and is extremely amazing... I love this band with all my ill beating heart :D
krista
Once people hear them, im sure theres going to be TONS more comments.. because this band is insanely great.
Such grim thoughts. A lively outlook on death.
So very entertaining.
I'm already surprised that they are this popular... Kind of depressing...
i lovvve this song.
does anyone know what they're saying at the beginning of the song. i know the last part of it came out of "the pit and the pendulum" by poe, but where did the rest come from?
lolol. Today in science after I was done with this easy ass test, I was writing down the lyrics of this song by memory and then opened my Edgar Allan Poe and was like, "holy shit I can't believe I didn't notice it sooner." I'm slowww.
The first part is from H.P. Lovecraft, referring to Mighty Cthulhu who is Dead but forever dreaming in his city beneath the waves R'lyeh. Im an avid reader of Lovecraft as well as Poe, so this song is awesome, and I love this band! Im a big fan of almost everything Horror related...=)
actually, "A Dream Within a Dream" and "The City and the Sea" are both poems written by Poe. C: the entire song is filled with allusions to Poe's works, I love it.
**"The City IN the Sea," whoops.