Chris Garneau

Island Song

4 Meanings

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Island Song Lyrics

And oh, the rage is gone
And oh, the sorries begin
And though the drinking has thinned
Oh, still I wrestle
I wrestle within

And then to you
I don't look so good
Like I did what I felt like
Like I did what I would

But I don't have my dog
And I don't make a sound
I live on an island
In the middle of town

So if you've got a thing
With me or my friend
Remember what we've been through
Remember where we've been

We don't have our dogs
And we don't make a sound
We live on an island
In the middle of town

And oh, the rage is gone
And oh, the sorries begin
And though the drinking has thinned
Oh, still I wrestle
I wrestle within

And then to you
I don't look so good
I got what I asked for
I got what I deserved

But I don't have my dog
And I don't make a sound
I live on an island
In the middle of town

Don't have my dog
Don't make a sound
I live on an island in the middle of town

Submitted by

post.paint.girl On Oct 28, 2007

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When in doubt, ask the crowd

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Stockholm

2013-08-01 11:20:01

Stockholm

2012-12-25 15:12:29

post.paint.girl

Submitter

2007-10-28 23:39:34

4 Meanings

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by charosaurus

17y ago

i really like this song, but i don't get the part about the dogs...

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by AFI_STS 16y ago

the part about not having his dog and living on an island in the middle of town... i think Chris is saying that he's alone, or feels alone.

by Bapers 15y ago

I believe the part about his dog symbolizes he doesn't have a best friend. Mans best friend is a dog.

by onearmedpanda

17y ago

i think this song is about his sexuality, especially this verse:

"So if you've got a thing WIth me or my friend Remember what we've been through Remember where we've been"

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by AFI_STS 16y ago

could be. but i think the song is more centered on feeling isolated and distant by how weird and different you are or feel to be.

by blue25000000

16y ago

These lyrics are wrong, particularly in the chorus. This is more correct:

And oh, the rage is gone And oh, the sorries begin And though the drinking has thinned Oh, still I wrestle I wrestle within

And then to you I don't look so good Like I did what I felt like Like I did what I would

But I don't have my dog And I don't make a sound I live on an island In the middle of town

So if you've got a thing With me or my friend Remember what we've been through Remember where we've been

We don't have our dogs And we don't make a sound We live on an island In the middle of town

And oh, the rage is gone And oh, the sorries begin And though the drinking has thinned Oh still I wrestle I wrestle within

And then to you I don't look so good Like I did what I felt like Like I did what I would

But I don't have my dog And I don't make a sound I live on an island In the middle of town

No I don't have my dog And I don't make a sound I live on an island In the middle of town

Pretty simple message. His alcoholism is no secret; it's about relapse from a supposed recovery, or even just a moment of sobriety. The rage is gone, but only on the surface. He's apologized it all away, and even "thinned" his drinking. Everything's better. But then...he starts to not so good. Like he's gone and done what he felt like. Like we all knew he would.

The part about not having his dog, I think, is a moment of feeling bad for himself, and also a bit of a red herring for anyone who wants to know what's really wrong. I miss my dog, he says. That's all. And then he withdraws back to his little island where no one can touch him. That's the significance of an island in the middle of town: it's where you withdraw to from all of the people who care about you.

These lyrics are wrong, particularly in the chorus.  This is more correct:

And oh, the rage is gone
And oh, the sorries begin
And though the drinking has thinned
Oh, still I wrestle
I wrestle within

And then to you
I don't look so good
Like I did what I felt like
Like I did what I would

But I don't have my dog
And I don't make a sound
I live on an island
In the middle of town

So if you've got a thing
With me or my friend
Remember what we've been through
Remember where we've been

We don't have our dogs
And we don't make a sound
We live on an island
In the middle of town

And oh, the rage is gone
And oh, the sorries begin
And though the drinking has thinned
Oh still I wrestle
I wrestle within

And then to you
I don't look so good
Like I did what I felt like
Like I did what I would

But I don't have my dog
And I don't make a sound
I live on an island
In the middle of town

No I don't have my dog
And I don't make a sound
I live on an island 
In the middle of town

Pretty simple message.  His alcoholism is no secret; it's about relapse from a supposed recovery, or even just a moment of sobriety.  The rage is gone, but only on the surface.  He's apologized it all away, and even "thinned" his drinking.  Everything's better.  But then...he starts to not so good.  Like he's gone and done what he felt like.  Like we all knew he would.

The part about not having his dog, I think, is a moment of feeling bad for himself, and also a bit of a red herring for anyone who wants to know what's really wrong.  I miss my dog, he says.  That's all.  And then he withdraws back to his little island where no one can touch him.  That's the significance of an island in the middle of town: it's where you withdraw to from all of the people who care about you.

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by annetteabma

14y ago

I think the speaker in this song is talking about having to leave certain people behind who have failed to understand or accept him. He has expressed his rage about something and feels bad about that ("all the sorries begin"). He has made a choice and is starting to come to terms with it ("the drinking has thinned") but he still "wrestle[s] within". The people he has left behind accuse him of being selfish ("to you, I don't look so good / Like I did what I wanted. Like I did what I would") but he points out that he has lost a great deal by making this choice. Saying that he doesn't have his dog and doesn't make a sound suggests that he is isolated and silenced. Though he is in the "middle of town," he essentially "live(s) on an island" because he is cut off from the "mainland" of society.

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