In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I have a sequin for an eye
Pick a rose and hide my face
This is the bandit's life
It comes and goes and them's the breaks
Under a molten sky, beyond the road, we lie in wait
You think they know us now?
Wait 'til the stars come out
You see that
Well, I made you and now I take you back
It's too late but today I can define the lack
I made you and now I take you back
Sun, you sleep in clouds of fire
That's all and that's right
My sun, you sleep in clouds of fire
That's all and that's right
I can still feel it when you lie
Pick a rose just to hide my face
Well, if there's something I should know
I seek no science when there is no shape
Under a molten sky, let the days collide
Well, I made you and now I take you back
Sun, you sleep in clouds of fire
That's all and that's right
My sun, you sleep in clouds of fire
That's all and that's right
Pick a rose and hide my face
This is the bandit's life
It comes and goes and them's the breaks
Under a molten sky, beyond the road, we lie in wait
You think they know us now?
Wait 'til the stars come out
You see that
Well, I made you and now I take you back
It's too late but today I can define the lack
I made you and now I take you back
Sun, you sleep in clouds of fire
That's all and that's right
My sun, you sleep in clouds of fire
That's all and that's right
I can still feel it when you lie
Pick a rose just to hide my face
Well, if there's something I should know
I seek no science when there is no shape
Under a molten sky, let the days collide
Well, I made you and now I take you back
Sun, you sleep in clouds of fire
That's all and that's right
My sun, you sleep in clouds of fire
That's all and that's right
Lyrics submitted by Artichoke
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Great version of a great song,
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'the not uncommon reminder that in cases of doubt, the scale should be allowed to turn in favour of the accused.'
I'm pretty convinced the song in some way is tied to this, but from what angle I'm not sure.
I'm thoroughly agree with your theory.<br /> it just fit.
@srbsam "I made you... and now I take you back."<br /> <br /> Makes sense.
@Crane42<br /> <br /> Plus:<br /> <br /> "It's too late, but today I can define the lack"<br /> <br />
Its just my opinion but I dont think its about abortion (or at least Im just not convinced by it). What I actually think is that this could be some kind of a religious song showing a scenario like the day of the lord. These are of course just my thoughts towards this song and Interpols lyrics are always so nebulous the whole song could be about something completely else =D
but anyways, I think its a monologue and God is speaking about the failures he made when he created humanity what finally leads into the destruction of the world. At first, he is talking like a normal human being, he is explaining the things that are now defining the everyday life of everyone...
I have a sequin for an eye = I think this represents Greed; human beings are corrupted by the ,,shiny things" they see, they cant see something else anymore and strive to get more and more
Pick a rose and hide my face This is the bandit's life = They also betray each other and hide their true intentions beyond masks
This is the bandit's life It comes and goes and them's the breaks = But he doesnt blame them for it, its his fault they are behaving like bandits since he failed in creating perfect beings
Under a molten sky, beyond the road, we lie in wait = they lie in wait for all these things and actually they seem to have lost the right direction, the right way of living since they are BEYOND the road
You think they know us now? Wait 'til the stars come out = I always thought that this represents everyones strive to be someone, to be seen, like ,,stars"
You see that? = Now God is switching to his point of view after he told the humans that this is the life they use to live right now and this is one of a corrupted and false way what leads him into ,,Taking them back"
Well, I made you and now I take you back It's too late but today I can define the lack I made you and now I take you back = he now knows the mistake, the lack he has made and he takes back mankind and since he made mankind he is ,,allowed" to take them back without further backing it up (since he actually doesnt need to back sth up), leading him just to say ,,Well, I made you and now I take you back"
Sun, you sleep in clouds of fire That's all and that's right My sun, you sleep in clouds of fire That's all and that's right = this is the sentence hes saying after the day of the lord; the universe is now in the state it was before mankind, when just sun, the space ant he planets, but no humans existed. And ,,thats all and thats right" this way.
Under a molten sky, let the days collide = this basically the beginning of the day of the lord, the collision of days, leading to the biblical burning, molten skies.
The molten sky and the clouds of fire are the two things that kept me away from believing in the abortion theory. They are just such common symbols for the end of the world ans also they give the whole song so much of a religoius vibe and differ so strong in the mood a song about abortion would create.
Anyways, this is just my interpretation and Im not sure whether I should be concerned about it or not, like I said in the beginning....
Before I give my thoughts I'd just like to say that Interpol is truely something special. They ARE the best band I've ever heard. Now...
This song is obviously about an abortion or a miscarriage. It's pretty straight forward. "I have a sequin for an eye" - he doesn't see clearly. His eyes are purely decorative. "Pick a rose just to hide my face" - just as was said before, kill something beautiful to hide your mistakes (pregnancy not desired). "This is a bandit's life and them's the breaks" - life is unjust and the unborn child has got a bad 'break'. JUST AS SMEISTER SAID. "Under a molten sky, beyond the road, we lie in wait You think they know us now? Wait 'til the stars come out You see that"
Anyways, thats my interpretation. BEAUTIFUL SONG...very meaningful. Interpol is GENIUS.
I don't really agree anymore with the abortion idea. I don't think Paul would write something that literal.
I get a story from this though...like it's someone on his deathbed, who has lived a bit of a rolling stone, devil-may-care lifestyle or whatever you'd say, never staying in one place, doing whatever he wanted without thinking about the consequences. And as he is dying he starts to consider all of the things he has done and wants to take them back. He feels like the world is coming down on him and he doesn't know how to deal with it, and he's regretful....the images of the clouds and the sun on fire seem to me to be that regret coming over him, or maybe it is his fearful image of death overtaking him.
"Pick a rose to hide my face"--I don't know. It just brings up this idea of following passion, to me.
paul fucking banks
great song
this song is amazing! long live interpol
One of my favorites off the new album...I've seen the lyrics posted as "Son, you sleep in clouds of fire" as opposed to "Sun, you sleep in clouds of fire." I wonder which one it is?
I think it's son. Like "I made you, I take you back" like a father saying he has the right to kill his son since he gave him life in the first place.
I think this is amazing so beautiful like the rest of the songs on the new album are