Satellite Skin

So, I will give a stab at what this means. To me Isaac is talking about religion in this one. Could just be me but it all makes perfect sense. Moth-wing feelings seems like, this very fragile topic. It is heally hard to talk to some people about religion because they are so closed minded about what they believe and it can cause you to loose friends.... even start wars (powdery dust on your fingers).

"No we're not praying we're kneelin Hard enough just say you believe them"

Religion is sometimes thought to have been created to help people cope woth their fear of death so many people just find something that makes them feel good about "whats on the other side" and then just go along with the motions so they dont have to worry about their inevitable death. Many people dont even know what they believe, they just know what they are supposed to be doing.

"Well how the heck'd you think you could beat them at the same time that you're trying to be them"

Ever gone to church and listen to people brag about there new car or new house or how the lord has blessed them??? It always seems to me that people are trying so hard to be better than everyone else and at the same time, they are doing it so that they will fit in (trying to be them)

"You can say what you want you're forgiven Well happy fuckin congradulations"

HAHAHA this is my favorite part! Many believe that they can do what they want and say what they want just to trun around and "ask for forgiveness" and everything is better. Well happy fuckin congradulations to them.

"Well everyone, everyone wins Just like being in my own solar system Doing good things but then totally eclipse them Oh what the use, oh what the hell"

Everyone who does what they are supposed to, acording to each religion, goes to a better place (everyone wins) I think the next line is meant as I just like being in my own solar system, kinda like being in your own world and and trying to live your life and do whats right but then someone comes along and tells you that what you are doing is not enough (doing good things but the totally eclipse them). So whats the point whats the use, and what the hell? If some diety out there gave us life, do you really think that it would want us to worry about things or to live this one life we were given!?!?

"If you sweep up this mess I've created Nothing's left to show I existed"

After we die its up to others to tell how we lived. Ever been to a funeral and heard a million good things about someone that was average? I see it as if we dont live the way others want us too, when we die, they get the chance to sweep away all that we were so that, at least in their minds, they won us over to being exactly like they wanted us to wether that was how you were or not. Besides after your gone it doesnt matter anyways right?

"Asking for a question Was it easier said than was actually done Do you even believe that Do you even believe that there's a race to be won"

I have heard several times that it is really hard to share your religion with someone else. How it's easy to talk about in a church setting but when your out side of it, it becomes hard to tell even your closest friend. BUT, if not telling your friends what you feel REALLY meant damnation...... why would it be so hard??? Could be that these people (religous ones) arent even sure what they believe themselves and so are unsure of how to comunicate their thoughts? Or is it because religion is so sensitive that a freindship is more important to them than loosing it over something that NO ONE is sure about?

"Get stacked in all those usual avoided spots Just to tell you how I could not have seen Through to the gist of those unhappy Happy accidents"

WOW have I heard this one before!!!! Someone close dies or something horrible happens and people love to jump to, "Well, it happened for a reason, God works in mysterious ways and this is just a BLESSING in disguise" I feel just like this line sometimes. I just cant see through to the gist of those unhappy happy acidents!

Dont know if this makes sense to anyone else but thats what i hear. Also, i am not sure what Satelite skin is refering to. I was thinking maybe it has to do with something in the sky that people tend to rely on and give this notion of having skin or being real in a sense..... I dont know.

Either way, Isaac Brock is the greatest ever!!!

These are the correct lyrics.

If you break these moth wing feelings Powdering dust on your fingers We know we're not praying we're kneeling Hard enough just to say you believe them Well how the heck did you think you could beat them At the same time that you're trying to be them Hard enough just to say you don't need it when they Took it up while you were still eating Well satellite, satellite skin

Just enough just to say you don't mean it Well, when everybody's willing to listen Oh satellite, satellite skin You can say what you want you're forgiven Well happy fucking congratulations Well everyone, everyone wins Just like being in my own solar system Doing good things but then totally eclipse them Oh what the use, oh what the hell

If you break these moth wing feelings Butterfly knives in the ceiling Well everyone, everyone's waiting Detachments get praised and completed You can say what you want and not mean it When no one really seems to be waiting If you sweep up this mess I've created Nothing's left to show I existed Except satellite, satellite skin

Asking for a question Was it easier said than was actually done Do you even believe that Do you even believe that there's a race to be won

If you break these moth wing feelings I have seen it all because satellite skin Over innocent eyes I'd like to know these morbid opinions Get stacked in all those usual avoided spots Just to tell you how I could not have seen Through to the gist of those unhappy Happy accidents

Seems to me this song is an ode to a love gone wrong. I get the sense that this is a song about a break-up that wasn't expected by one of the parties (the singer). Love was given in its wholest, truest form and because of outside influences not appreciated or not accepted.

If you break these moth wing feelings The writer has given their love and trust so intensely, they have are defenseless to being hurt.

No, we're not praying we're kneeling

For those who care to read this interpretation:

If you break these moth wing feelings Powdering dust on your fingers

This talks about the "fragile" feelings For those who have never done it: when you touch a moths wings it sort of breaks down and your fingers get full of dust.

We know we're not praying we're kneeling Hard enough just to say you believe them

The singer is expressing perhaps the level of commitment they might have already reached... not just hoping for somthing to happen. Singer is having trouble thinking that the other person believes the outside influences

"Well how the heck did you think you could beat them At the same time that you're trying to be them"

How could the other person think that she could continue unaffected by the outside influences if it continues in contact with them?

Hard enough just to say you don't need it when they Took it up while you were still eating Well satellite, satellite skin

The other person knows it wants its relationship but is pushed to saying it doesn't. The other participant of the relationship didn't protect its interests The "satellite skin" is the how broken up the singer is after what was done

Just enough just to say you don't mean it Well, when everybody's willing to listen Oh satellite, satellite skin

The other person saying that they don't really feel the same for the other person This is what others want to listen This hurts the singer, sucumbing to peer pressure in such a way

You can say what you want you're forgiven Well happy fucking congratulations

The singer still loves the other person regardless of what is said, its kind of hard to get mad for long with someone you like. Singer is frustrated with this advantage the other person has

Well everyone, everyone wins Just like being in my own solar system

Sarcastic. Singer doesn't Being left alone

Doing good things but then totally eclipse them Oh what's the use, oh what the hell (Lost before we had a cause, had a cause)

Others don't let the singers partner see the good in him despair Remembering when there was a reason for their feelings

If you break these moth wing feelings Butterfly knives in the ceiling

If you break this delicate feelings... somthing that wasn't supposed to happen (???)

Well everyone, everyone's waiting Detachments get praised and completed

Sarcastic. The pressure the other person is feeling or has felt You, the detachment, will get support

You can say what you want and not mean it When no one really seems to be waiting

You can always lie, no one will really know. This includes yourself But there is no real pressure

If you sweep up this mess I've created Nothing's left to show I existed Except satellite, satellite skin

If you erase my effect on you It will be as if i never existed except the bits and pieses after you've broken me up

Asking for a question Was it easier said than was actually done? Do you even believe that Do you even believe that there's a race to be won?

Did it really satisfy you to cave in?? Do you really think this is a competition?

If you break these moth wing feelings I have seen it all because satellite skin Over innocent eyes

If you go through with this i have seen it all because i haven't done anything wrong

I'd like to know these morbid opinions Get stacked in all those usual avoided spots

I would like to know what they say and how you let them build up

Just to tell you how I could not have seen Through to the gist of those unhappy Happy accidents

to point out that i wouldn't have fallen for those things and ignored all those experiences we lived through toghether

what the fuck does this song mean..yes im to lazy to think about it.

ok, is it just me or does this song sound EXACTLY like "here" by pavement?

I think Issac/MM are capable of writing songs than can hold water on different levels - for example metaphysical, emotional, random words scribbled down - all in the same lyrics. I somehow was unaware of this song despite being a MM fan, but I think it's fits in that category.

The faith angle makes sense for some lines, but in its entirety this song seems to me be about what comes next. Which makes sense, you don't believe in the faith you were raised in - so now what?

"Like being your own solar system...." he does good deeds, but totally eclipses them because he is not dwelling on being the doer of good deeds, but rooted in our basic on-ness or whatever name you want to give - so what's the use?

At the end "I could not have seen through those " again, it's not moth wing feelings, not the hidden opinions, but coming full circle in the, some sort of faith in not being able to see through, which ties back into "what's the use," giving up.

Satellite skin could be the thought system or ego. Referencing detachment, not waiting is zen type stuff. Saying what you want without meaning it, asking if there is a race to be won? Everyone wins when we see through our thought systems, you're enlightened - well happy fucking congratulations.

Some of the things I hear as metaphysical in MM's music might not be intentional, but just musing coming through.

hey so i got these lyrics form a live preformance i saw on u tube so these may be inncorrect... i decifered most of it but it was hard so the rest of the lyrics i got from interstate-8. com which is an amazing Modest Mouse fan site that i recomend to any obsessed MM fan.

if you where wondering this song is soposed to be on the new ep that no knows when it will be releaced anyway if u wana listen to it on u tube be sure to check out The Whale Song as well and that should be on the ep too.

oh and if anyone wants to help me correct the lyrics PLEASE DO!

the version brock sang on david letterman (march 18th) was slightly different (especially the ending) but the lyrics are more or less the same. It took me a few listenings to realize what the satellite skin is. I was thinking satellite as in the spaceship kind of deal but it's supposed to mean the small pieces that orbit something. i think in this case the satellite skin is just the little pieces that are left floating around after he is broken.