Criminals

I think the song is about a persons sub conscious/inner monologue. Its about an artist or anybody that has potential to make something of their lives with the talents they are born with. But in actuality the person is lazy, apathetic or maybe they just don't want the talets they are born with. They walk in on themselves and tell themselves "Think of all you could have." "Why do you live this way?" The subconscious self would take advantage of all of their abilities. Just imagine "what they would take." The criminal in the end is the speaker who robes himself of the life he could have had if he would have hardest all of his/her abilities.

well halfway through writing this thing i changed my opinion but i think ill just leave the first part anyway. Because the criminal can still be either or.

The song is really about the pressure that people that are talented may face in the world. When someone is born with a talent, their parents/society may push them to a life that harness their talents and abilities. The person may not care for or want to pursue that path. (think of of good will hunting). People keep telling him why doesn't he use his talents why does he live the way he lives. He responds with "you think that I don't know, You're wrong" He knows the things that he is capable of. He knows the life he could have but he does not want it. He begins to question his purpose in life. Why must he walk the route the society thinks he must follow. "whats in it for me?" he asks. If he follows that route, society will steal his very own purpose of existing. Society becomes the the criminal that robbed his/her life's purpose. At the end the speaker finally says to tell god he called out on the plan God set out for him. And if he couldnt control the life he was born into he could control the way he gets out. He kills himself. "And it was MY end"

I personally would prefer if he didnt kill himself.

Amazing song, my favourite off Logos. I think this song has to do with resisting temptation, and wondering if it is worth it.

wow this is a really nice song!
The temptation theme you mentioned is certainly an element. I like what I view as the 2 main parts to this song: a criminal breaks into his place, robs and kills him, but also, there are general philosophical questions dangling throughout the lyrics--"why do you live this way?...At least I called into question why we walk this route"

These are the lyrics for 'Attic Lights' and not 'Criminals'; cheers.

me loves this mans voice!!

i think i appreciate this song more than before having read the lyrics. this song is great to say the least. the lyrics gave me chills reading them. i'm not sure though if i get the same idea of "temptations" and trying to overcome them. what i get from the song is that he's comparing himself to a criminal. he's no different... hence "criminals", so maybe he's including himself in the title. but what did the criminal see that made him judge him when he walked into his room? maybe the room is a metaphor to his mind. maybe the criminal was terrified when he saw what was in his mind, so he asks "why do you live this way?" maybe the criminal tells him his near death experience and compares it to the writers own life, and his own existence and then says "at least i called into question why we take this route". and the writer simply says, "you think that i don't know?" or "you think i don't think the same things? you think that i don't call into question why i walk this route? well, you're wrong."

i dunno, so many things to explore... maybe the temptation you guys are referring to is that he's also comparing himself to the criminal in the sense that he wished he had something more... what it is, i dunno. this song sounds very personal and perhaps bradford cox is singing about his personal demons that it would only take him to explain it more thoroughly. great great song!