What i know is, Simon Niel's mother Eleanor Niel died of cancer...Folding Stars and Machines is about that period and her death...when you no what the song is about it makes you realise how much of a great song it is.
"Take a long hard look at yourself
how did you end up here"
You can feel that this is Simon talking to himself in disbalief of why his mother is hospital fighting for her life, when perhaps not long ago before being diagnosed everything was perfect.
"the blood drips like red inverted balloons"
This will have been an image that has stuck in his head from visiting her at the hospital, while she was recieving chemotherapy/blood transfusion( to help lukemia).
"tomorrow is a promise to no-one"
This is such a haunting line, becuase you certainly get the seriousness of disease...and that she might pass away at any moment.
"If you want follow me and i'll lead you inside
you dont have to run and hide"
I see this as many people are affraid of the hospital, so i think this is him trying encourage his mother to go through with her treatment/operations.
"Eleanor
I would do anything for another minute with you
because its not getting easier"
This is Simon grieving at the death of his mother.
"In a bedroom with no windows or doors
all the happy people are crying
you can't hold a gaze for a second or two
it always ends in total darkness"
I think this is a memory of the cancer ward and as Simon looks around the ward he sees other patients family and friends that are visting them, are being happy and optimistic about the treatment, and the doctor tells them that it's terminal, then Simon notices that all the happy people he had just saw are now crying at the news.Or maybe it's the patients that are happy and optimistic then get told the awful news. Simon can't bare to look them in the eye with all the devaststing and heartbreaking news. And in the back of his mind he'll be so scared of his mother not making it through.
Hope you kinda get the picture of what i thought of when hearing the song...it's just my interpretation of the facts i know and how i percieve the lyrics.
I've listened to the song many times and it still gives me major shivers.
Oh and for the last bridge...
"It ends in a place with no love only hate
and a mirror reflecting the truth
in your eyes, in your face you can't wash it away from your cold,
cold heart"
I see this as Simon giving up, and being angry that his mother has been taking away from him. And he resents the way things has turned out. He had a bad abusive past relationship with his father, which the song Many of Horror" is about. So i'm not sure if they'd resolved their relationship at the passing of his mum.
What makes me happy is that Biffy are now getting the well deserved recognition they have deserved for years when they were the under commercial radar...immense talent!
Peacee :)
Foofighters9999on November 29, 2010 Link
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