"History Sticks to Your Feet" as written by and Johnny Marr Isaac Brock....
At the movies, eyes iced over
Walking sideways, through the gutters
And you realize that the floor sticks to your feet like history
Don't you look at me like life don't hold you any mystery
Bag of splinters boiling over, on your back expose your belly
Optimism doesn't change the facts, just what you're gonna see
Like it was stated that we're walking salt and coal
Plants solidify sunshine; how this started, I don't know
Causing feet and entire chain shoe stores
The sun's diary pulled up from deep canary holes
And when we read it, our skin, it becomes warm
At the movies, eyes iced over
Walking sideways, through the gutters
And you realize that the floor sticks to your feet, your history
I'm gonna slap that look off your face like life don't hold you no mystery
All those red marks on our shoulders
Self back patting, homemade trophies
Well the past only exists as tiny bricks we burn to release all its memories
I've had enough with rolling boulders, I want more moss on me
Clocks to splinters but time goes forward
And when them tree drop leaves your feet collect their memories
I guess all us snakes find our tails pretty damn tasty!!
I heard you mention we're walking salt and coal
Plants solidify sunshine; how this started, I don't know
Causing feet and entire chain shoe stores
The sun's diary pulled up from deep canary holes
And when we read it, our skin, it becomes warm
At the movies, eyes iced over
Walking sideways, through the gutters
And you realize that the floor sticks to your feet, your history
I'm gonna knock that look off your face like life don't hold you no mystery
Walking sideways, through the gutters
And you realize that the floor sticks to your feet like history
Don't you look at me like life don't hold you any mystery
Bag of splinters boiling over, on your back expose your belly
Optimism doesn't change the facts, just what you're gonna see
Like it was stated that we're walking salt and coal
Plants solidify sunshine; how this started, I don't know
Causing feet and entire chain shoe stores
The sun's diary pulled up from deep canary holes
And when we read it, our skin, it becomes warm
At the movies, eyes iced over
Walking sideways, through the gutters
And you realize that the floor sticks to your feet, your history
I'm gonna slap that look off your face like life don't hold you no mystery
All those red marks on our shoulders
Self back patting, homemade trophies
Well the past only exists as tiny bricks we burn to release all its memories
I've had enough with rolling boulders, I want more moss on me
Clocks to splinters but time goes forward
And when them tree drop leaves your feet collect their memories
I guess all us snakes find our tails pretty damn tasty!!
I heard you mention we're walking salt and coal
Plants solidify sunshine; how this started, I don't know
Causing feet and entire chain shoe stores
The sun's diary pulled up from deep canary holes
And when we read it, our skin, it becomes warm
At the movies, eyes iced over
Walking sideways, through the gutters
And you realize that the floor sticks to your feet, your history
I'm gonna knock that look off your face like life don't hold you no mystery
Lyrics submitted by smileforthecamera
"History Sticks to Your Feet" as written by Isaac Brock Eric Judy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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History is a cycle that the speaker is a part of, if not stuck in. The repeated stanza suggests this most clearly. This stanza sounds to me like the speaker is literally walking "sideways" through the aisle ("gutter") of a movie theatre, his feet literally sticking to the floor. This reminds him of history, I suppose, because it suggests all the people who were there before him, who spilt soda, popcorn, candy, etc on the floor, making it sticky. It also suggests an undeniable connection to those people who came before him and those people who will come after him, supposing he adds to the mess. What it ultimately signifies is his place in the cycle of history.
The song is obviously about history, but the story of history is the story of change, and change is the ultimate theme of the song.
But Brock, or the speaker, is ambivalent to the thought of change. He is in awe of it, and the mysteries of life, specifically how we got here, and how things develop. At the same time, he feels trapped in this cycle of change, and regrets the fact that he too is an organic, transforming, thing. Although he is in awe of exterior changes, he is terrified by interior changes, and regrets that he is also changing. He alludes to the old adage "a rolling stone gathers no moss," but flips it, because for him, he'd rather be a moss-gathering stone if it means it would break him out of this cycle of change.
The snake is the central metaphor of the whole song. The image of the snake eating its own tail is called the ouroboros, and is an ancient symbol of cyclicality, self-recreation, and eternal return. But instead of being a symbol of tranquility, it is a symbol of anxiety for the speaker, because change ultimately means death, and death (not change in its own right) is what the speaker fears most; he fears being "history."
I'm gonna knock that look off your face like life don't hold you no more mystery "
GOD I L-L-LOVE IT
Modest Mouse has always seemed to have a sort of bittersweet feeling to their music.
Maybe that's just me though?
And when them trees are leaves your feet collect their memories
I guess all our ... find our deathbed ..."
Is actually...
"Clocks to splinters, but time goes forward
And when them trees drop leaves your feet collect their memories
I guess all us snakes find our tail pretty damn tasty"
Great song.
"And you realize that the floor sticks to your feet like history"
The dirt in your boot contains the history of everything. Isaac always revisits the theme that everything is a cycle and it's connected to everything else. (See Parting of the Sensory)
"Like it was stated that we're walking
Salt and coal"
Energy cannot be destroyed - it just takes on new forms. So our bodies were once other elements/plants/animals. e.g. Salt, coal
"Plants solidify sunshine
How this start, I don't know"
Plants are able to photosynthesize (using sunshine) and grow.
"Cars and feet and then tire change, shoe stores"
Hmm.. not sure. Perhaps rubber can be used for tires and shoes?
"The sun's diary pulled up from deep canary holes
And when we read it our skin it becomes warm"
Sun's diary = history of what it has been able to create
Maybe he's speaking of resources such as coal.
We burn it for it's energy, to keep us warm.
I see this as a more upbeat Parting of the Sensory
I think this is talking about good times in the present, while someone is stuck in the past, and about some adventure to find the mystery in life now, not in the past.
"At the movies, eyes iced over
Walking sideways through them gutters
And you realize that the floor sticks to your feet like history
Well, don't you look at me like life don't hold you anymore mystery"
I think this is talking about how life gets difficult at times, and just hiding thinking of how things used to be doesn't change anything. Being optimistic doesn't change your troubles, just weather or not they really are troubles.
"Bag of splinters boiling over
On your back, expose your belly
Optimism doesn't change the facts
Just what you're gonna see"
Goes back to the present, walking, not even knowing where they are.
The adventure they go on in the present.
"Like it was stated that we're walking
Salt and coal
Plants solidify sunshine
How this start, I don't know
Cars and feet and then tire change, shoe stores
The sun's diary pulled up from deep canary holes
And when we read it our skin it becomes warm"
Repeat
Maybe talking about how the past was fun, all the time's where great, but he is ready for more.
"All those red marks on our shoulders
Self back-patting, homemade trophies
Well, the past only exist as tiny bricks we burn to release all it's memory
I've had enough with rolling boulders, I want more moss on me"
Saying shit happens to everyone but life goes on, just take what you can from the past and let it rest. Not sure about the snakes?
"Clocks to splinters, but time goes forward
And when them trees drop leaves your feet collect their memories
I guess all us snakes find our tail pretty damn tasty"
Repeated to end.
Love this album, great shit.