Masterpiece Theatre I

I think this song, along with Masterpeice Theatre II and III, is about something like depression, maybe over a person or just life. It could mean how depression doesn't just hit you fast, but comes at a slow pace. How you try so hard to make it seem like you're really happy, "calculating" every word you say so no one will notice, but it's really just something you portray to everyone else. You think that you could hide it as long as you want, but really, people are already starting to notice, and your "masterpiece will fall apart". Thats my interpretation. :)

"The first one, the melody and lyrics are like the statements of character. The point of the first one was really to set the stage and kind of have some melodies and themes that could show up again." - Josh Ramsay.

This song is setting up for MTII and MTIII, and for the rest of the tracks on the album. This song, as I see it, doesn't have a set meaning. It wasn't necessarily written 'about' anything.

If anything, I can see it tying in to a person trying to build up who they are and try to find out who they are. It's like the narrator is attempting to make himself, and feels so empty, insecure, etc... like whoever they end up being won't be good enough.

Then again, I figure that from knowing about who Josh Ramsay is. It makes sense when you remember that he's the one who wrote it.

"You're beautiful, can I hide in you a while?"

one of those many songs that compltely relate to my life. :)

these guys are magic.

i absolutely love the beginning to this song i literally just play the first like the first minute of it over and over again i just love how different it is yet how perfectly it fits such a talented group of people!!!!!! i really want them to come back to toronto so i can catch their show!!!!

To me, Masterpiece Theatre 1 is about a man who is obsessed with a role he portrays in a show. He is obsessing about this role because he is not happy with his own life hence the line "I could wreck it if I had to but I'm the wreck so what would that do" and the line "You're beautiful, can I hide in you a while?"

The first part, "First it comes on quiet..." talks about how his obsession starts and the "you" he talks about is his own character. When he says "Every word is calculated" he is talking about the script because a character doesn't their his own voice. The writer writes the script.

His "Masterpiece" is his beautiful performance and "it was over before the start" because a show doesn't go on forever, there is a beginning middle and end. This means he can't be his character forever.

The second verse is talking about the audience who watches him perform. "They keep mostly to themselves. Don't make a sound in case they hear you" is talking about how the audience judges the actor's performance on stage. But to the actor, they are judging him because he wants to BE his character and not just portray the character. The last line "If this is just a part I portray, I don't know how it got this way" means that he doesn't understand how he got so obsessed with the role.

Favorite song in the world!

I feel like this is about addiction. Musician writing and performing but the audience only hears the music and the voice. Not the meaning. So they hide in their addiction to find the beauty of life. To escape. But only bringing themselves down. It's not who they are but their way of life. The part of them that we see.

In my opinion, which could be completlely wrong, i kind of get the impression from a few lines that this is about Josh's herion addiction.

First it comes on quiet, creeping slow Clever words and phrases only stain I remain so lost and buried under everything that I need When all I want is you [the addiction slowly began to form, slowly. he knows he doesn't need it, but he wants it. so he is buried under things he needs, because he feels like he wants the drug, and it is the only thing he wants( if that makes any sense)]

I've been here so very long and every word is calculated Never questioned or debated All these practice poses I could wreck it if I had to But I'm the wreck so what would that do? [he has been stuck in self destuction for so long. he never questioned or debated if he shouldn't do heroin. he feels like heroin could wreck his life, but he feels like he already is a wreck, so why does it matter?]

My masterpiece will fall apart It was over before the start [his days of being clean, and maybe happy will be over, but he knew he wasn't even happy to begin with]

If I burn out and slip away This is just a part I portray And this is just a part I portray You're beautiful, can I hide in you a while? This is just a part I portray And this is just a part I portray [josh is portraying someone who doesn't do drugs, so no one would ever find out he was hurt again. this part could be wrong. but i feel like the "you're" is heroin. so he wants to hide in it to distract him from everything else.]

Making mostly to themselves Don't make a sound in case they hear you It only hurts me to be near you Keep those tired eyes closed Careful, follow my instruction And I will show you self-destruction [he doesn't want to make a sound (show any sign of there being a problem) because it would hurt them. now, he realizes that heroin is hurting him, so it hurts him to be near it. josh always talks about how everything he did was a way to destroy himself, so he hints at this here]

This masterpiece is only mine Entirely guilty by design [this problem is his, not cause by anyone else]

If I burn out and slip away This is just a part I portray And this is just a part I portray You're beautiful, can I hide in you a while? This is just a part I portray Can I hide in you a while? [view above]

I just can't let it, let it out No, I just can't let it out I just can't let it, let it out No, I just can't let it out I just can't let it, let it out No, I just can't let it out I just can't let it, let it out No, I just can't let it out This is just a part I portray You're beautiful, can I hide in you a while? You're beautiful [he is arguing with himself. he is considering telling someone he has a problem(let it out) but then he decides it is just another one of his "faces" or "roles" and he decides to stay with it.

If this is just a part I portray If this is just a part I portray I don't know how it got this way [heroin used to only be some of his life, a part of it. but now it is beginning to take over his life.]

hope this helped anyone!

the harmonies in this song: freaking fantasitic.

seriously, i'm an alto in a choir. and my friend doesnt even like punk/pop music and she loves them. beause of the harmonies.

i think masterpiece theatre III is the best, but i love all three.

I was listening to this song, and my sister heard, and she was like 'Whose song is this?' and she loved it..

The harmonies are absolutely beautiful.

i absolutely love the beginning to this song i literally just play the first like the first minute of it over and over again i just love how different it is yet how perfectly it fits such a talented group of people!!!!!! i really want them to come back to toronto so i can catch their show!!!!