Conor Oberst

Things You Know

3 Meanings

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Things You Know Lyrics

Stealing quiet on my bed
And fighting wars inside my head
While counting footprints on the ceiling
Blank and colorless tapestries
The voices yell inside of me
And I knew then the paint was peeling

You say you know this misery
Well that's no more than sympathy for me
Because this time you were faking
Your motive very questioning
This silence is so defining now see
You see you've got me shaking
Screaming cursing then you spit
And saying all your worthless shit
And I, of course, I'm worth hearing
And I don't know of what I sing
But you, my friend, don't know anything
And that's what makes you not worth fearing

And I've been lying here for a while now
Sitting and acting like a child
And if you find my garden, could you bring it back?
Because I've been lying here for a while now
And I, I've been dying here for a while now
And I, I've been dying for a while, for a while now

If your finger is an untamed beast
Then I am just a centerpiece
On the table of your feelings
I find it sort of an interlude
It's just that helpless attitude of mine
Because there's no footprints on your ceiling

And everything slips through my hand
I'm sorry, I don't understand
Those points I should be making
Your selflessness I should have missed
I never knew this emptiness
Like a child been mistaken

That all the things you never take
The toys you purposely would break
Like a gift that I was giving
I know I just did hear and stare
Never thinking about how unfair it was
Like a light that was leaving

And I've been lying here for a while now
Sitting and acting like I was in exile
But if you see my sister could you send her home?
Because I've been dying here for a while now
And I, I'll be dying here in a while now
Dying for a while, for a while now
I'm dying for a while, a while, a while now
For a while, for a while now

Submitted by

remembermaine On Jul 27, 2008

Lenders in the Temple

Stealing quiet on my bed 
And fighting wars inside my head
While counting footprints on the ceiling
Blank and colorless tapestries
The voices yell inside of me
And I knew then the paint was peeling

You say you know this misery
Well that's no more than sympathy for me 
Because this time you were faking
Your motive very questioning
This silence is so defining now see
You see you've got me shaking
Screaming cursing then you spit 
And saying all your worthless shit
And I, of course, I'm worth hearing
And I don't know of what I sing
But you, my friend, don't know anything 
And that's what makes you not worth fearing

If your finger is an untamed beast
Then I am just a centerpiece 
On the table of your feelings
I find it sort of an interlude
It's just that helpless attitude of mine
Because there's no footprints on your ceiling

And everything slips through my hand
I'm sorry, I don't understand 
Those points I should be making
Your selflessness I should have missed
I never knew this emptiness 
Like a child been mistaken

That all the things you never take 
The toys you purposely would break
Like a gift that I was giving
I know I just did hear and stare 
Never thinking about how unfair it was 
Like a light that was leaving

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When in doubt, ask the crowd

Not sure what they’re singing in that fuzzy bridge? Drop a question in the comments and let the music nerds swarm. Someone always knows.

remembermaine

Submitter

2008-07-27 02:50:35

3 Meanings

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by dixy

17y ago

Powerful song, full of a lot of strong, raw emotion that just fills me with goose bumps....which is pretty impressive for the age at which he wrote it. It's funny to listen to this song and hear how much Conor's voice changed.

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by EverythingYouWant

17y ago

This song gives me chills.

"Screaming cursing then you spit And saying all your worthless shit And I, of course, I'm worth hearing And I don't know of what I sing But you, my friend, don't know anything And that's what makes you not worth fearing."

That describes one of my friends so well...

Does anyone know what the references to "footprints on the ceiling" mean?

Memory

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by -Firefly-

12y ago

The lyrics are actually a bit messed up which destroys the meaning at some points. I think the correct words should go like this:

Still and quiet on my bed And fighting wars inside my head While counting footprints on the ceiling Blank and colorless tapestries The voices yell inside of me And I knew then the paint was peeling

You say you know this misery Well that's no more than sympathy for me Because this time you were faking Your motive very questioning This silence is so deafening now You see you've got me shaking Screaming, cursing, then you spit And saying all your worthless shit And I, of course, I'm worth hearing And I don't know of what I sing But you, my friend, don't know anything And that's what makes you not worth fearing

And I've been lying here for a while now Sitting and acting like a child And if you find my garden, could you bring it back? Because I've been lying here for a while now And I, I've been dying here for a while now And I, I've been dying for a while, for a while, for a while now

If your finger is an untamed beast Then I am just a centerpiece On the table of your feelings A funny sort of an interlude It's just that helpless attitude of mine Because there's no footprints on your ceiling

And everything slips through my hand I'm sorry, I don't understand The point I should be making Your selflessness I must have missed I never knew this emptiness Like a child been forsaken

That all the things you never take The toys you purposely would break Like a gift not worth giving I know I just did hear and stare Never thinking about how unfair it was Like a life not worth living

And I've been lying here for a while now Sitting and acting like I was in exile But if you see my sister could you send her home? Because I've been dying here for a while now And I, I'll be dying here in a while now Dying for a while, for a while now I'm dying for a while, a while, a while now For a while, for a while now

The lyrics are actually a bit messed up which destroys the meaning at some points. I think the correct words should go like this:

Still and quiet on my bed
And fighting wars inside my head
While counting footprints on the ceiling
Blank and colorless tapestries
The voices yell inside of me
And I knew then the paint was peeling

You say you know this misery
Well that's no more than sympathy for me 
Because this time you were faking
Your motive very questioning
This silence is so deafening now
You see you've got me shaking
Screaming, cursing, then you spit 
And saying all your worthless shit
And I, of course, I'm worth hearing
And I don't know of what I sing
But you, my friend, don't know anything 
And that's what makes you not worth fearing

If your finger is an untamed beast
Then I am just a centerpiece 
On the table of your feelings
A funny sort of an interlude
It's just that helpless attitude of mine
Because there's no footprints on your ceiling

And everything slips through my hand
I'm sorry, I don't understand 
The point I should be making
Your selflessness I must have missed
I never knew this emptiness 
Like a child been forsaken

That all the things you never take 
The toys you purposely would break
Like a gift not worth giving
I know I just did hear and stare 
Never thinking about how unfair it was 
Like a life not worth living

Reason:

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