Spending the best years of a childhood horizontal on the floor
Like a bobsled minus the teamwork and the televised support
And nothing sounds appealing
Someone retired on a percentage of the tithe that paved these roads
They lead to nowhere but they're still gridlocked, made of Solomon's pure gold
Beneath the door frame waiting for earthquakes after the rapture comes and goes
The saints went marching, the trumpets sounding, the chosen ones are phoning home
And nothing sounds appealing
Like a bobsled minus the teamwork and the televised support
They lead to nowhere but they're still gridlocked, made of Solomon's pure gold
Beneath the door frame waiting for earthquakes after the rapture comes and goes
The saints went marching, the trumpets sounding, the chosen ones are phoning home
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I'd like to correct a line.
"The saints went marching, the trumpets sounding, the chosen ones are phoning home"
I would have to agree with the above poster on the lyrics change.
I would have to agree with the above poster on the lyrics change.
I believe this song is about someone who was sexually abused as a child, by a member of the clergy. The imagery of being horizontal on the floor, like a bobsled, of course, refers to the abuse. This, I believe is where the boy's faith was dismantled.
The "someone" who retired, probably refers to the abuser. "Tithe" is a tenth of the annual earnings that a church and clergy receives through supporters. A percentage of the tithe also went to the paving of a metaphorical road. But the road is false, it leads "nowhere" and yet is "gridlocked," it leaves you stuck.
Solomon is thought to be a sinful king, who turned away from God, which resulted in the kingdom's divide. Perhaps the metaphorical road being paved with his gold, symbolizes the idea of the road being divided, unsure, sinful, maybe even wholly wrong.
The rest of the song continues with biblical references. The rapture comes and goes, bringing earthquakes, and then, come the trumpets of angels that save the "chosen ones" who are then allowed to phone home. It seems as though the speaker is disgusted with this. The "chosen ones" the saved ones were the very ones who abused him as a child.
Nothing about a religion like that sounds appealing.
It's a tragic, but oh so beautiful song.
From what I've read of the members of Menomena, they were raised Christians. This song clearly has a lot of religious themes...prayer, tithe, etc. Maybe they lost their faith along the way? Or have become distant from it?
it does sound like religion has rather lost its spark for them. they've phrased it so cleverly, though, you have to think to pick it out
maybe i'm just sick, but it sounds to me like the first two lines of this song are referring to child molestation.
the second part of the song sounds like a very disenchanted christian view on what's promised by the church.
amazing song none the less!
I think it's about how we waste the best years of our lives infront of the tv. Television numbs people hence "nothing sounds appealing". Tithe may refer to the time we waste and the gridlock refers to how television gets us nowhere yet so many people watch it. Menomena, to me, is almost a satire band that criticizes modern society. Five Little Rooms is a great example.
What an incredible song. It's clearly religious. And probably anti religious.
Wondferful lyrics, and quite cryptic. The lyric that bugs me is the:
"beneath the door frame" - That could be a Jewish reference I think, as they hang prayers from doorframes.