The stripes you wore
The lines you get
The holes in your sleeve
You told me to leave them alone

Does "House of Leaves"
Still lie on your bed?
You told me to read
But I still never read
Your mind

When I look at my city
Something's not right
No doubt it's so pretty
But they turned out the light
And instead of good morning
They tell you goodnight

You hung yourself
On the wall up above
The bed you made love
The girls you don't love
To touch

And they never guessed
The girl you loved best
To draw, always drew
Pictures of you
Undressed

When I look at my city
Something's not right
No doubt it's so pretty
But they turned out the light
And instead of good morning
They tell you goodnight


Lyrics submitted by delial

Big Ben song meanings
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    General Comment

    it's about suicide.

    "the stripes you wore, the lines you get" --> perhaps the stripes represent a critical, b&w view on the world which leads often to depression and the lines are either a cocaine reference or about the various relationships Ben was in

    "the holes in your sleeve you told me to leave them alone" --> the holes are difficulties in his life, troubles, problems, etc. that jamie wanted to help him solve; he shunned her away

    "house of leaves"--> i read this book. i will be honest, i considered suicide while reading it. it is an emotionally warping book.

    "never read your mind"--> she never understood him quite fully.

    "instead of good morning, they tell you good night" --> they are saying goodbye to Ben instead of hello, being as he is dead

    "you hung yourself on the wall up above" --> this is rather directly referencing the act of him hanging himself from the ceiling/ or it's indirectly referring to the way he set too high expectations for himself

    "you don't love" --> he never loved anyone fully.

    either jamie is the one person he connected closest to or something else...still not sure but I got that general gist from the song.

    "big ben" refers to how he committed suicide, such a small, selfish act; his name is Ben

    she references him in her song "You'd rather run", as well: "If we are to meet on Ludlow ever again, don't mention Ben" suggesting there is a negative connotation

    very very very sad but a masterpiece

    AlecsPenon July 11, 2010   Link

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