Blue Beard

These are just my thoughts on the song, I don't know if they are at all even close to what they are supposed to be. I love this song so much.

(I used to see the night so anxious, but now I know) When he first started going out, and seeing what night life was like he loved it, he couldn't wait for it, but he's learned a lesson about it)

(The only thing it ever taught me was a grand illusion That comes and goes, the city blanketed of snow) Now that he knows the night life wasn't all it's cracked up to be (ie can be riddled with bad choices, and painful situations), it's like how snow covers the city and makes everything look completely different than what they really are, what's underneath.

(What if we die, no end and no conclusion How could you smile, just walk away Well I don't know, I don't know) He's lost someone that left without an explanation. There wasn't a bad experience, it just ended, that's why he says, "How could you smile, just walk away" nothing bad happened, it was just over.

(I met you at the railroad station, now years ago And something happened on the night I last drank with you in the neon glow Now I don't see you anymore) Right here he's thinking about the beginning of the relationship, and just about the experiences that happened, and are now just over. Something bad may have happened on the last night they spent together.

(The Midwestern sky is gray and cold The sun never shines, but that's alright) The only thing I really get from this line, is when he says, "that's alright" like he's not wanting to let go just yet, he's still feeling the pain of it, and so he's accepting of that pain.

(And I couldn't find the letters that you wrote me What did you write, where'd you go, well I don't know, no) As time passes the experiences are starting to fade. He doesn't want to let go yet, but life just keeps moving forward.

(Take a little time, gonna roll the dice Taken for a ride, any normal life will do, too) After a little while, he's gonna be able to let it all go, and basically start over, a new chance. "roll the dice" He'll even be ok if it's just a normal boring life.

(Find another way, try to break the ice Every day and night, the banana peels were true, true) The banana peels sound weird, but someone above mentioned about how people slip on banana peels, and it's that he had to learn that lesson on his own. People say you will slip on a banana peel, well, they were right.

I especially love how this song just ends abruptely, no real ending or fading out. Exactly how the relationship ended. It was just.....over.

sounds like he's pronouncing grand allusion but illusion seems more likely.

GREAT song. My favorite off the new album. They make great songs, hopeful and sad alike. This one being a little sad then with a bit of hope at the end. He (the person in the song) can't understand how she can walk away from what they had. He even seems uncertain as to why it ended (or he doesn't think it's a good enough reason i.e. i was drinking that night). But in the end he's determined to try love again.

I hear the last line as "every day and night the banana peels the truth"...Meaning with every song and every performance a little more truth about who he (the banana) really is gets peeled away...

Just what I hear/think anyway...

I like what RichBOH has to say about the meaning being about a relationship ending and not understanding why etc. -- this is my favorite on the album as well. Love the line about the Midwestern Sky being from the Midwest! and no it's not always gray and cold, only in winter :P

To add to the discussion about the last line of the song concerning banana peels -- could it possibly be referring to something like a psychic reading of banana peels as one would have a palm reading or something? I can't seem to find anything online about banana peel readings but I feel like I have heard of readings of objects before, like the way eggshells break or dice fall etc. Maybe he ("the person in the song")had a just for fun psychic reading or something with the person that deserted him and it predicted the outcome or something. Maybe he didn't take it seriously and is just admitting now he knew it was doomed at that point?

Not saying that I know anything about or have ever had a psychic reading but I could see someone doing one for fun joking around and realizing they weren't happy for whatever reason if certain "results" were put out there.

The part about banana peels could be a reference to Bananadine, a fictional psychadelic drug that could supposedly be extracted from banana peels.

Frontman Ben Bridwell told The Skinny: "Bill Reynolds (bassist) played me a demo of Blue Beard that he recorded at home and I threw some vocals on it and played with the structure. I ended up playing drums on that one which is really strange because I'm a terrible drummer."

anyone have any idea what the title is about?

It seems like the line "I used to see the night so anxious" could definitely be a metaphor for a fear of dying. Especially when you consider the next verse:

"What if we die, no end and no conclusion How could you smile, just walk away Well I don't know, I don't know"

Favorite song from the album

I think it's definitely a song about melancholy, feeling sad, feeling numb ("the sun never shines"). He is trying to figure out the meaning and purpose of life if there is so much suffering in it.

His earlier intense fears ("night") have turned to a more general sadness now. Even his memories of a special relationship are fading (can't find the letters you wrote me) and these memories are not sustaining him anymore. All in all, he has lost confidence that there is meaning and purpose in life and in his life because of what he has experienced and what he has lost. He has accepted that life is "boring" and "gray", although part of him wants to "break the ice", escape from this life into something that feels better. Ultimately, he believes that life is a joke being played on him (slipping on banana peels like in old silent movies - one character always planted the peels and laughed when the person fell). He is trying to figure out the meaning and purpose of life if there is so much suffering in it.

I think the guy at the top for the most part got it right about night life, and how Ben tried out "dangerous living" and it ended badly. But the end verse is a bit cryptic, I think.

"Take a little time gonna roll the dice Taken for a ride, any normal life will do, do" (I'm pretty sure he's just repeating this word for this part) He's gonna take a chance on normal living

"Find another way, try to break the ice Every day and night, the banana peels we'd chew, chew..." (again, he's almost positively saying "chew") Someone made a comment on here about this fictional drug called "Bananadine," and lots of stuff has been published on it. It's basically a big joke, a "hoax," if you will. And, obviously "ice" is codename for a very infamous drug. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that he doesn't want to go about night life the classic way anymore--viz. he wants to find another way. This "other way" is highly unconventional and has been disproven, but many young people who are looking for fun are guaranteed to still try it out, not knowing any better. Essentially, Benjamin is trading in the pain of night life for the pointlessness of a joke (i.e., his day life). But he's willing to try the dull for the sake of sparing himself the pain of losing another friend. I also don't think this is about a girl (though it well may be). The language is affectionate in a way that says 'old friend'. Anyway, that's my interpretation :)