Shade

When I first heard this song (on one of those summer sampler CDs that record labels used to pass out for free at warped tour IYKYK) someone told me this song was about the northern lights, which makes sense considering the reference to lights in space (and the fact that some of the band members are from alaska.) I’m in alaska now and thinking about this song. It’s so good even after all these years

Isn't it about slavery around the 1900's, when the factories rised and lots of slaves went to the North to work, and the factory owners hired them because they could pay them a lot less than the white workers, but they were still just disposable?

I don't fully know but I have a feeling it's about people settling in places (maybe Alaska, maybe not) expecting a new, better life just to have to work their ass off until they're "swallowed up" by the shittiness of a job or that society. I also suspect he wants to go back to a simpler time (maybe a simpler time in Alaska).

"Where no one knows if they'll ever need again (I want to)"

I also wonder if this line means maybe people forgot about the good, happy life they wanted. Because now those same people just want to survive so they don't care about being satisfied anymore as long as they live. And he's saying, he still wants that happy life.

Anywho, that's my guess.

Just some minor corrections (removal of some unsung words, etc). Great job on getting the lyrics down. Couldn't figure out what they were singing ><

==

Claims, they crawled from those clouds, over mountains cried into the streams where they ran the length of past and time that called out with their hands beside you as all the people shouted up to the "northern" territories My, they glowed like a bug burning at the ends of shade covered crowns whose only words were wicked mumbles shake unstable manners brought these thoughts about you lights up like flies and ants that dip about and aim to to swallow us up like the bread baked gums

Now I remain glowing at the ends I remain glowing at the ends It's because it's you they've became

Shade drifts around, southern where the sheets are growing ash and steeple factories old boy you'll never know just what they think, it never finds you cheap work finding pockets only when we're aimed to to swallow them up like the bread baked gums

Now I remain glowing at the ends I remain glowing at the ends It's because it's you they've became

These lights were waves that spilled through my space (in the plains) Where no one knows if they'll ever need again (I want to) These lights were waves that spilled through my space (in the plains) Where no one knows if they'll ever need again (I want to) (come and get and take me home)

==

I can't begin to interpret this.

one of my favorite songs off the new album. portugal. the man is brilliant.

one of my favorite songs off the new album. portugal. the man is brilliant.

i think this song is written a lot about Alaska. like the gold rush and such and i think this song is also trying to capture the natural beauty of Alaska which makes sense since John and Zach are from there

Haha. Is it just me Or is the beginning riff somewhat very similar to Stairway to Heaven?

Hmm.

yep lyricalfraud, that's just what I thought :) it's beautiful still

Definitely talking about Alaska. "Northern Territories" is a term typically used to describe Canada. This includes the harsh winters and the distinct difference between the north and south of a country that is already pretty cold and dreary. Pretty much describes Alaska. Most of the people live in the south where there are "factories" and low paying jobs "cheap work."

A lot of people come into Alaska from the mainland states to work in oil or fishing or build buildings in extreme cold temperatures all to make a buck. It's a lot to these low-skilled workers, but to the average American it's "cheap work."

Then when you live so far north, you have very long days of sun and also very long days of night "shade." Where literally in the north of Alaska they have a month of total sunlight and a month of total darkness the "shade."

If this is your life, the "shade," would be a common topic on your mind, because it doesn't seem like complete darkness in the day during the winter, but a really cloudy shade.

From the people I know who've moved there, people that tend to move to Alaska do so for opportunities (in natural resources?) and to get away for a better life where it's cheap to live and safe. But maybe it's a place where people get stuck. So they go there for an idealistic, natural, winter haven. Then they have kids (the band members) and their children are disenchanted and see it as a boring, depressing place as energy draining as a heavy shade would be on a summer's day. Thus this song.