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Courage and Control Lyrics
The boulevard is bustling
A vast and wrinkled muslin
Is all over my eyes
and I know I don't belong
There is a noise inside of me
That bustles asymmetrically
Oh how have I to balance
Those sounds into a song
It's time to let your hair down
and give yourself permission
it takes courage and control
but you start by letting go
The city's an analogy
For things building inside of me
This chaos and this discourse
Still we move along
The chaos hangs of symmetry
and all her words of poetry
and that's the kind of city
which I want to belong
It's time to let your hair down
and give yourself permission
It takes courage and control
but you start by letting go
All I think, I feel, I see
All that this place is not me
I want to be alone, but be wild and free
Oh he who asks receives
It's time to let your hair down
and give yourself permission
It takes courage and control
but you start by letting go
A vast and wrinkled muslin
Is all over my eyes
and I know I don't belong
That bustles asymmetrically
Oh how have I to balance
Those sounds into a song
and give yourself permission
it takes courage and control
but you start by letting go
For things building inside of me
This chaos and this discourse
Still we move along
and all her words of poetry
and that's the kind of city
which I want to belong
and give yourself permission
It takes courage and control
but you start by letting go
All that this place is not me
I want to be alone, but be wild and free
Oh he who asks receives
and give yourself permission
It takes courage and control
but you start by letting go
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I think this song deals with a common theme that Brandon often talks about (both in song and in interviews) which is allowing yourself to live a life of expression and freedom from fear of how others might judge you. It can be easy to let this fear control every aspect of your life, from the petty things like how you dress, to more major decisions like what you do for a living or where you live. Without even realizing it, many people make these decisions based on what they feel is expected of them (go to college, get a job nearby, etc) rather than what they may have done if there was no one judging their decisions (maybe travel the world, pursue a life of art, move somewhere radically different).
If I am even remotely close with my interpretation, I see the song as a person looking at society as an onlooker, and feeling very distant from it. The temptation is to smother this feeling and attempt to blend with society, but the song is suggesting it is better to find a way to express these feelings and truly be yourself, instead of who you feel you should be (There is a noise inside of me / That bustles asymmetrically / Oh how have I to balance / Those sounds into a song )
In the chorus he is saying that while it can be difficult to do this ("it takes courage and control"), rather than fight it you simply have to "let go" of all your attachments to the person you are pretending to be and you will find yourself in what is left.
Anyways that is what I took from this song. It's so simple and beautiful I love it. The lyrics on this album are incredible.
Nice interpretation there JuJuHound. I totally agree. Brandon Boyd rocks!
Nice interpretation there JuJuHound. I totally agree. Brandon Boyd rocks!
I so sick of this type of shit that flows over your lips. Do you really believe it or have you just spent so many decades perfecting your spiel that you finally have bought the bill of goods some moron (such as yourself) sold you. Society has norms; deal with it. And most, if you're honest (which you aren't apparently) are in the individual's best interest. One has to look at his/her motivation for actions. If the motivation is based on fear and/or deceit than how s/he behaves is NOT honest and it's not an expression of freedom. S/he has...
I so sick of this type of shit that flows over your lips. Do you really believe it or have you just spent so many decades perfecting your spiel that you finally have bought the bill of goods some moron (such as yourself) sold you. Society has norms; deal with it. And most, if you're honest (which you aren't apparently) are in the individual's best interest. One has to look at his/her motivation for actions. If the motivation is based on fear and/or deceit than how s/he behaves is NOT honest and it's not an expression of freedom. S/he has caved into fear and is leading a life of mascarade. Why? Because it's easy. It's routine. It takes little courage and even littler effort. S/he is a slave to fear. S/he's not strong or an individual. S/he's a faker. And s/he's weak. And s/he's settled. Who s/he once was died long ago only nobody has told her and she apparently can't see it for her/himself. S/he gave up on true freedom when s/he gave up on herself and caved to her/his fears. She exists from one predetermined moment to the next all in the name of individualty and freedom when the reality is the opposite. S/he has scripted her life and has caged her/himself. What f-ing gets me the most is that s/he was probably once much stronger until s/he decided to settle; s/he found the fastest, easiest route to temporary happiness (extremely shortlived happiness, if s/he's even capable of it) and then spent years convincing her/himself that she's this wild, fun, free, individual not held down by societal norms. Well, guess what. Nobody who lies to themselves and who is held back from both fear and the truth is FREE.
And for gawd's sake, shut the f up period! Please. Your dishonesty makes me want to vomit.
And for gawd's sake, shut the f up period! Please. Your dishonesty makes me want to vomit.
I need to find a way to thank Brandon Boyd for writing this. I'm struggling with depression and I've been tempted to cut lately; instead, I wrote "Courage and Control" on my legs. I just needed to share that.
What did you write it on your legs with?
What did you write it on your legs with?
Pen. Did you think I meant something else?
Pen. Did you think I meant something else?
it takes a lot of courage to say that Maxy17.... know that you are not alone in your struggles and that we all have something hard to work out in our lives. Perhaps buying a whiteboard and a non-permanent marker and expressing yourself on the board would be very helpful! At least you can erase it once you are done expressing and you can create again with something beautiful...Much love and light and a hug out to you!
it takes a lot of courage to say that Maxy17.... know that you are not alone in your struggles and that we all have something hard to work out in our lives. Perhaps buying a whiteboard and a non-permanent marker and expressing yourself on the board would be very helpful! At least you can erase it once you are done expressing and you can create again with something beautiful...Much love and light and a hug out to you!
To me, my perspective of the words means shedding this invincible mask we wear, the one we wear when we drink, we use drugs and are not completely authentic. I can competely relate to the words on both sides of the coin, where I was using to escape and also being co-dependent in relationships and running away from those people. It's funny how he says, "the city's an analogy of things building inside of me...." Have you ever looked around you and noticed that to be true? I have by analysing the street names, my location, the sound of the sirens daily....complete chaos. It does take courage and control by letting go of what is not ours to begin with and what IS ours to own. Authentically speaking, I've been on a wonderful courageous journey of self discovery of my true passions, loving people, and acceptance. I love this song and how it's worded. Great job Brandon, as usual, you amazing poet