This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
You look so defeated lying there in your new twin size bed
With a single pillow underneath your single head
I guess you decided that that old queen was more space than you would need
Now it's in the alley behind your apartment with a sign that says it's free
And I hope you have more luck with this than me
You used to think that someone would come along
And lay beside you in a space that they belong
But the other side of the mattress and box springs stayed like new
What's the point of holding onto what never gets used?
Other than a sick desire for self-abuse
And I try not to worry, but you've got me terrified
It's like your some kind of hurry to say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye
You look so defeated lying there in your new twin size bed
You look so defeated lying there in your new twin size bed
With a single pillow underneath your single head
I guess you decided that that old queen was more space than you would need
Now it's in the alley behind your apartment with a sign that says it's free
And I hope you have more luck with this than me
You used to think that someone would come along
And lay beside you in a space that they belong
But the other side of the mattress and box springs stayed like new
What's the point of holding onto what never gets used?
Other than a sick desire for self-abuse
And I try not to worry, but you've got me terrified
It's like your some kind of hurry to say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye
You look so defeated lying there in your new twin size bed
You look so defeated lying there in your new twin size bed
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I'm liking their new songs, however DCFC's lyrics seem to becoming more basic and simple than previous albums.
I feel this song is about a person who has given up on themselves and has given up on love... I can relate to this song because I was in love with this guy and he just decided to give up, give up on school, himself and us....
"You look so defeated lying there in your new twin size bed"
This person is sad/ depressed and lying there in there new twin sized bed.... They have given up on finding someone...
"With a single pillow underneath your single head"
They have given up on finding someone to be with and now only reserve space on there bed for themselves... (btw in feng shui they say if you would like to find the right person to be with you have to make room for them i.e. make space for this person on your bed, clear out a drawer for this person)...
"I guess you decided that that old queen was more space than you would need Now it's in the alley behind your apartment with a sign that says it's free"
They have given up on love, and think they will never find someone to be with. So they give up and throw the mattress away...
"And I hope you have more luck with this than me"
I think this line signifies that Ben still cares for this person, but he is trying to get over the breakup and knows they'll never be together again...
"You used to think that someone would come along And lay beside you in a space that they belong"
They had hope in finding love, but the hope of finding love had diminished...
"But the other side of the mattress and box springs stayed like new What's the point of holding on to what never gets used?"
They have given up on the relationship and realize they'll never find someone again.
"Other than a sick desire for self-abuse"
The answer to "what's the point of holding on to what never gets used?". They don't want to go through the pain of loneliness, self abuse, so they give up and throw the mattress out, knowing they'll never find someone...
"And I try not to worry, but you've got me terrified It's like your some kind of hurry To say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye"
These lines have me confused. I think it's a memory of their ending relationship. He notices this person is planning to leave them soon, he tries not to worry, but he is scarred of their relationship ending...
"You look so defeated lying there in your new twin size bed You look so defeated lying there in your new twin size bed"
This person is sad, defeated, and has given up on love....
Well there is my take on one of the best songs off of their new album!! :) Not that there album isn't amazing!! :) lol
I don't think this one is too complicated. It's about somebody who always expected to have somebody else with them in their "bed". I doubt it's literal, but that's irrelevant anyway. This person simply realizes that they have been having false hopes about having somebody, and are depressed or possibly slightly accepting of the fact that they are to remain alone as they have all these years or that they are giving up trying to find somebody to share their bed with, so they are getting rid of the unneeded space.
Just my take.
-Brian
Ok i get that part, but where does he come in? the "And I try not to worry, but you've got me terrified<br /> It's like your some kind of hurry<br /> To say goodbye, say goodbye, say goodbye"<br /> fit in. Thats what i want to know
i think that part comes in because they're breaking up, and she's already moved on with the new bed and everything. he wasn't the one to fill the space beside her.<br /> the whole thing is just such beautiful symbolism in the way that it's so simple. just a new bed, but with it it shows how she's accepting being alone, and at the same time moving the guy from her life. she's saying goodbye, and he's witnessing all of this.<br /> 'you look so defeated lying there in your new twin-sized bed'<br /> she's surrendering. she's alone.<br /> beautiful beautiful song
i can't quite grasp the lyric 'other than a sick desire for self-abuse.' is Gibbard referring to self-injury? and when he says 'it's like you're in some kind of hurry to say goodbye' is it possibly a girl who also struggles with self-injury, that, after time/him leaving her, develops into suicidal tendencies? just my thoughts, i may be totally wrong. but...i can't help but think...<br /> <br /> incredible song, one of my all time favorites
@jikiwaka i see that as the main character becoming more and more anti-social, they just want to be alone all the time. <br /> <br /> @padfoot Not actual self-injury i think, but the main character is just made sick by his false dream of having someone.
"other than a sick desire for self-abuse" completes the song. without that lyric, it's not so good.
Did you ever notice how single guys own twin beds and single girls own doubles? It's like they're expecting something to happen, where as guys are expecting to just get up and go to work the next morning.
The pity is the same, however. The expectations of love are rarely met. Another song about growing older and not finding that special someone, despite all intentions.
I guess it doesn't work that way.
Sigh...
The lyrics in this song are fairly straightforward but I think this simplicity works in its favour. The simple nature of the song makes the message more devastating. There are no complicated lines or elaborate imagery; it's just delivered in a matter-of-fact way, as if somebody is telling the singer the harsh truth directly and there's no other way to interpret that painful fact. As a result, it's one of the most bittersweet and sad songs I've ever heard.
Without doubt it's one of my favourite DCFC songs.
This is definitely a much darker record. And chelseaz, I agree with you about Ben Gibbard downliving his lyric writing reputation, I was kindof disappointed... but there are a few songs yet to be leaked and I think this song is great. It captures the defeat of being alone so perfectly: "With a single pillow underneath your single head." And lines like "What's the point of holding onto what never gets used?" are a bit of a stab in the back... life sucks, thanks death cab.
Ben has said he wanted his lyrics to be more literal. I personally love the new lyrics.
Tessd, the only song we haven't heard is "You Can Do Better Than Me", which includes a great line about clothes in closets. ^_^
Anyway, these lyrics don't strike me as much different at all. You've still got the great descriptions. This song is a little more bare-bones, though, I'll give you that.
Also, good goodness, there are mistakes on these lyrics too! Was the uploader just racing to be the first one on?
Nimby, what mistakes? I transcribed these from a live recording, so they might have been slightly different from the album version, but I've corrected them. I'm still not 100% on the line "Other than to sit and desire for something new." But otherwise, they are correct.