Bright Bulbs and Sharp Tools

The second verse is ive got my best smile

I havent been able to figure some of the lines out but from what i can tell there are 2 point of views. one is an alcoholic (speaker 1) and the other is an abuse victim (Speaker 2). i think. heh.

(Speaker 1:) Now heaven knows I've got one short damn fuse So come sit down a spell while I light up the room (the speaker has anger issues and need alcohol to calm him down. when ppl get a buzz they say they are "lit up" so i think thats what he means when mentions light or bright bulbs. When he says "come sit down a spell" he means he wants a drink.) If walls could talk, they'd be know-it-alls So we live in the sticks, and aren't some fish you can catch (speaker 1, the alcoholic, abuses speaker 2. and its kept a secret. only the walls in their house know about it.)

(Speaker 2:) And it makes my skin crawl I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, so what's the use? And she knew, she knew... (the victim is too scared or loves speaker 1 so much that he/she will not report it.)

He fights like hell because he wants to glow And would tackle the sun to be a bright bulb (he starts shit with speaker 2 and gets mad so he can have an excuse for a drink. and will drink til his death if it means feeding his addiction) I wonder if he'll wake us up in time? (speaker 2 wonders if his bullshit will push him/her to help speaker 2 conquer the addiction b4 its too late.)

CHORUS: He's gray And has to hide somewhere in between black and white Cause it's safe, but never ??? before it's over I hope he takes you too

(Speaker 1) They say attack can be your best defense (if u "attack" the addiction with rehab it will probably save your ass from getting hurt by the alcoholic) And I've got my best smile, both my dad's fists (hes happy with beer and maybe his dad was an alcoholic) John Doe escapes, carry his name And when it's time to sign, ask where, not why (i think it means speaker 1 goes to rehab....idk beats me.)

And it makes my blood boil Those black letter days all their mail just winds up lost

(CHORUS)

You see whispers in the winter The temper doesn't laugh

And every spring, I hear them sing, I hear them sing (Oooh-oooh-oooh oooh-oooh-oooh-oooh) Every spring, I hear them sing, I hear them sing Every spring, I hear them sing

If he's going down If he's going under the ground I hope he takes you too

Whoa, whoa, whoa (hes says "whoa" cuz hes ridding his girlfriend like a pony....hahaha jk ignore that!)

I hope he takes you too

Ill finish the rest some other time.

Unless someone wants to finish it for me then be my guest.

hmm the "???" phrase?

maybe it's "never was played"

or a similar sounding word.

He's gray, has to hide somewhere in between black and white Is he insane? But never was prayed before it's over. I hope he takes you (me) too.

This song almost has the feel of another small-town controversy song, like "Wifey" and "Vice/Versa" were. There's definitely some hint of a scandal in here ("If walls could talk, they'd be know-it-alls," "And she knew, she knew."), and if that's true, some of the lyrics become a little easier to figure out.

"He fights like hell because he wants to glow/ And would tackle the sun to be a bright bulb." The subject of the controversy fights and fights to keep his reputation from being muddied, and he'll do anything to make sure he isn't found out.

"He's gray, and has to hide somewhere in between black and white." The figure has to be low-key in order to not be found out.

"If he's going down, he's going under the ground." If he's going to be found out, he'll have to be dead for it to happen.

I think that the beginning is "god" or like the creator or whatever's in your head just sick and tired of people getting scared all the time. The verses, well they are just a series of metaphors about making a clear decision. Even when you don't know you don't take chances and just hide in the gray because your so scared of being wrong. So just make a decision and take risks. I love the song. Where the fuck did someone get alcohol??!!! Where did that come from??

I think this song is about a man who is angry with a woman, and is there to tell her off. Her husband is a brute, but a scared one because maybe the man is much bigger or strikes fear in the husband. In the end, the husband and the man are about to get into some kind of fight, and the man knows he is gonna win, so he hopes that "If he's going down, If he's going under the ground, I hope he takes you too", referring to the husband and his wife. This is just speculation and what this song means to me. Its an amazing song, as well as every song on this album.

It sounds like to me he's saying:

"So we live in the sticks and on some fish you can catch."

In my understanding, the song follows a man, another unknown figure, and a woman.

In the first verse, The man is reminiscing his past crime, regarding his current living situation "in the sticks" due to mistrust of society "If walls could talk, they'd be know-it-all's" and nature as a run away "fish you cant catch" The lines "Now heaven knows I've got one short damn fuse" is also foreshadowing with the nature of our protagonist.

The bridge, he then mentions the Gorey nature of his crime "And it makes my skin crawl" and inability to deal with the situation "I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, so what's the use?" the last line "And she knew, she knew" is him explaining how "she" was connected to the crime/knew what happened.

the second verse is him describing the unknown figure, describing him as a go-getter "He fights like hell because he wants to glow And would tackle the sun to be a bright bulb" I'm not sure the relevance to the line "I wonder if he'll wake us up in time?" but maybe it shows a personal connection?

the chorus evidences to the unknown figure being killed "He's gray" and the main character having to hide the body "And has to hide somewhere in between black and white Cause it's safe" the line "But never was brave before" reflects on both his and her inability to come forward and admit what happened. The end of the line "its over" shows that now the situation has blown over, He is confident enough to talk to us, the listener, about it.

the next verse is the main character describing himself "And I've got mother's smile, both my dad's fists" it also reveals a part of the build up to this characters death "They say attack can be your best defense" meaning that the protagonist took things too far "John Doe escapes, carry his name" is referencing evidence of the unknown figures death escaping. Carrying his name is to remember who died, so when the law finds them "time to sign" he can admit guilty "ask where; not why"

The final line comes from the woman, "If he's going down If he's going under the ground I hope he takes you too" is likely something 'she' said in an argument between her and the main character, likely regarding the disposal of the unknown figure.

I'd like to say that the protagonist, the unknown person, and 'her' are related by some kind. maybe siblings? and the unknown person (who in my understanding may be the oldest) was accidentally killed by his two younger siblings in a fit of jealousy. It's all my opinion though, likely fueled by the shows I've been watching