Death For My Birthday

This is definitely my favorite off the new album. Here is my interpretation of the meaning....

Obviously, considering the title, the song has a lot to do with wanting to die to escape the pain of living. He starts off explaining the "story of a boy and his curse" (presumably himself), who was apparently a child of fortune ("Tiny diamond in his stroller..."), or at least simply born into a decent life setting. However, this boy tended toward bad habits or self-destruction from an early age ("With his first step, chasing the hearse"). Throughout his life, he has a positive outlook ("Sipping at a cup that's halfway filled," "Don't get me wrong, 'cause I love life..."), but is constantly set back by the difficulties he encounters ("looking forward to the day he pays that drinking bill," "but life has a boyfriend").

He goes on to explain the mood of his life: no peace, no quiet. The idea of being able to "finally nestle tightly in that womb beneath the dirt" is a clear reference to being dead in a coffin underground, but at least in some way at peace. At age 24 (I think just a crowning age of the limbo between adolescence and adulthood), he loses it, and just wants to die.

This all continues. Even a high-paying job, the love of his life, and a blessed child can't help him. Eventually, he dies (either literally or figuratively: "One sweet day, his heart ceased to beat"). Saying 'one sweet day' implies he got what he wanted. However, his last words are his plea to live again, but knowing that he "deserved this" for always wanting it. But still, after everything, all he wants is to be alive again, to enjoy "just one more birthday."

In summary, I think this song is a testament to the power and beauty of life, although it may hardly ever seem that way; it shows that even if your entire life is filled with reasons to make you want to escape it, in the end you will want to hold on to that life more than you want anything.

"This song is another example of something I find inherently wrong with society and it comes from a different place. I'm a pretty spiritual and religious guy--not traditionally religious by any means--but very cerebral. One of the things that is promoted in spiritually is this understanding of death being a kind of gate to another world and that life isn't the only thing that exists in the life of your soul. Life on earth is only one part of it, but I think there are people who become obsessed with that notion. I've even been guilty of that at certain moments, but I'm a pretty live-in-the-moment kind of guy. Some people forget that life is important and their fascination with death or the idea that it will take you to a perfect place keeps them from living their life as if it's their only life. This song is about someone who drifts through this middle-of-the-road life and never really feels emotions strongly or is thankful for what they have because they're so focused on the notion that they will eventually die. They believe this life doesn't matter because it's all temporary, and I completely disagree with that. I believe in the afterlife and that earth is only one perception that we will be experiencing for a certain amount of time, and that there's more to it than that. I think that you have to love it for what it is and treat it as the most important thing in the world." -Maxim

I thought it was pretty obvious what this song meant. There's this guy, and from birth, he's been well off, and from childhood, he wasn't satisfied with everything he had and his ability to have it all. My favorite line, "I love life, but life has a boyfriend," doesn't strike me as implying he was unhappy because of unrequited love; I see it more as he knows he's well off with all he has but he's still not happy. This constant unhappiness that he doesn't try to shake and his unappreciative attitude towards things like wealth and the love of his life make him wish for death consistently. Then on his deathbed, he finally learns to appreciate it all, and wants "one more birthday" to prove he can really appreciate it all.

Well, if that's what Maxim said, then it looks like I was just about spot-on.

Indeed you were, gunny.

For anyone that's interested, you can find an analysis for each of the new songs here: http://www.altpress.com/features/txtsayanything.htm

this is song is one of the best on the album.

"Because my dust will be your salt. My blood will hydrate you all. My heart will be your meal."

I think this shows how he does care about the people in his life. It's a metaphor that he would die for them, even though in the song he's hiding behind the mask that he want's to die.

Max's lyrics are really amazing. Cant wait to see them in San Diego. 10 days!=]

This song has to be my favorite with Ahhhhh...Men close behind. Only problem I have with the new album is that it has to end....

To me it's about Salvation through Suffering. After 'He' has suffered and finally gotten his birthday wish, 'He' sees life's true beauty. Really gets me thinking about Jude Fawley from Jude the Obscure.

I think part of this song is about being bullied as an adolescent.
"My blood will hydrate you all. My heart will be your meal." almost sounds like others will be happier if he dies.

"for the one thing he couldn't afford, just to buy the farm."

buy the farm was a slang term for dying. (comes from the military in the 1940s, because pensions were 10,000$ which was a lot back then). Bob's dead! Holy crap he just bought the farm!

Clever line.

I'm in love with this song (: I was wondering what everyone thinks that part "but life has a boyfriend" means? Because it seems like the guy in the song has everything most people want and I know he's not happy with it still but saying "life has a boyfriend" kind of implies that life isn't loving him back? I don't know if that makes sense but yeahh tell me what you think :]