Estate Sale Sign Lyrics
And aviator shades
The trinkets and the treasures we brought back from the Crusades
Some guy in an Impala shakes his head when he rides by
But I remember when we shared a vision, you and I
We made it earn its keep
The cracks across its surface spiderweb while we're asleep
The sacrificial stains all spreading out and soaking through
But I remember when we kept it pretty, me and you
The eagle spots the fish
Every martyr in this jungle
Is gonna get his wish
From the Pomona mall
Set up like unloved icons gathering dust up on the wall
From films no one remembers
They call down silently
But I remember when their names were dear to you and me
Yeah
Everything's gotta go
The things that we can't even give away
I don't wanna know
Try to see if secrets burn when you hold them up into the light
I remember when we loved each other day and night
The eagle spots the fish
Every martyr in this jungle
Is gonna get his wish
"An estate sale is something where you get rid of all the stuff that nobody has any use for anymore, but it's a whole lot of stuff. This song is about a couple of people who no longer have any use for a bunch of stuff that was once extraordinarily important to them in their lives. It's a very tragic situation, but at the same time, I sort of feel like they've earned this moment of darkness, like maybe it's sort of what they were working for, so why begrudge them that?"
Asheville, NC 4/10/2011
When I saw them perform live, John said this song was about a couple that had moved in together, the song doesn't specify if they got married or not, and they decided to part ways and divide up the property.
both are correct its about a couple moving in together and the things important to you when independent are no longer important when you become a unit. most couples have to compromise on what stays and what goes because there isnt enough space for two peoples entire belongings.
I don't doubt OneTimeForAll's story, but JD is really great at telling more than one story at the same time. To me, the chorus ("eagle spots the fish") strongly suggests an unequal, probably exploitive relationship. So I think this song is about what happens when your abuser dies and you have to sort through the memories to figure out if there are any that are worth keeping (echoing the end of <i>The Sunset Tree</i>).