Rules

When I first heard this song, I thought it would have fit better for "Mockingjay," because I interpreted it as Katniss being upset with Peeta and his jumbled memories from being hijacked by the Capitol.

"And just behind your eyes are switches that can turn back on. To clear away today 'til all your memories are gone." I heard this as Katniss saying that all his memories could be erased with the tracker jacker venom.

"You tell me that you hear me and all your memories are real, but how do I know you don't just feel what you've been told to feel?" This reminded me of Peeta's "Real or Not Real" game he played to understand which of his memories were real and which were distorted by the Capitol.

"It's just another lie, it's just another calculation." This was more of a hit toward Peeta, as if his memory distortion was all his fault, which is like Katniss's personality.

Well, that's my interpretation. I know everyone hears things differently, so lemme know what you think!

The first part of the song (up to the chorus) is from Peeta's point of view

"You say you know love, but you are just reflecting words you hear." "You tell me that you hear me and all your memories are real," "But how do I know you don't just feel what you've been told to feel?"

Basically you can pick out any of the lines in the first halve and they all reflect Peeta's feelings. Katniss is just reflecting his love because it's part of her tactic. She makes up her memories about him while all his are real. And he believed so badly that she loved him, but he unsure and heartbroken that all she says is just because shes been told to.

The 2nd part of the song, after the first chorus is from Katniss' point of view.

"There's water in your eyes and I know I'm the reason that it's there."

She knows Peeta truly loves her but misleads him anyway and consistently for the sake of the game.

That's what i feel the song reflects. And was obviously made for the Hunger games - looking at the chorus as well... "run around the rules" "2 by 2"

Anyone care to elaborate??

This is perfect, so glad she was on the Hunger games soundtrack! :)

This is surely about Katniss and Peeta. I feel it spans all three books, but mostly The Hunger Games and Mockingjay.

The first para is from Peeta's POV. This is suitable for The Hunger Games.

You say you know love, but you are just reflecting words you hear - Peeta really believed Katniss loved him but found out it was all only an act. She was simply echoing his love.

No iron in your veins to give you any sense of pain or fear - Since she was only pretending to be in love with him, he feels she has no real emotion at all and doesn't really bother about his feelings.

It's just another lie, it's just another calculation - He feels her love was a lie, another tactic she used to win sponsors. Literally a carefully planned and calculated move.

And when the power's out, we're just another old sensation - Without all the 'star-crossed lovers' drama, it's just another publicity stunt.

The second para is from Katniss' POV. This is closer to Mockingjay (ya, it seems to jump around a lot without a definite order). This is when Peeta has been hijacked and how Katniss feels about it all.

This blood keeps me alive, but what is it that runs through you / Electricity and wires, dictating everything you do - Like how blood runs through our bodies and keeps us alive and healthy, Katniss feels that since the they are trying to bring back Peeta's memories, it's just all the wires connected to him that's keeping him sane and alive.

You tell me that you hear me and all your memories are real, But how do I know you don't just feel what you've been told to feel? - Even though people keep telling Katniss that Peeta's condition is improving, she believes that everything he feels and knows is only the result of information he is being told and fed, nothing on his own.

The above two lines can be interpreted from Peeta's POV too (again pertaining to The Hunger Games. Yes, I know it's a little jumpy!). Peeta feels that even though Katniss tries to convince him, she is only acting in love because she's been told to.

We run around the rules, We run around the rules, We run around the rules, Round and round, two by two, we run around the rules - They have to play by the rules of the Games. 'Two by two' refers to the rule created in Katniss and Peeta's first Games that two tributes from the same district can become victors.

The fourth para is again from Katniss' POV concerning Peeta, the first two lines about her false love and the second two about his hijacking. (Yes, I know, it's kinda jumbled up, but that's how I'm making sense of it.)

There's water in your eyes and I know I'm the reason that it's there - Katniss knows that she is the reason why Peeta is upset. She knows she hurt him when she lied to him about loving him.

But still I don't feel bad because I know that you have more to spare - Katniss doesn't feel too bad about it though, because she feels it was taken for granted that she also loves Peeta, when she did not.

And just behind your eyes are switches that can turn back on - Referring to the tracker jacker venom used to distort Peeta's memories.

To clear away today 'til all your memories are gone - The extremely strong dosage of the venom given to Peeta washed out his memories and completely changed the way he perceived things.

Once again, I know my interpretation is really jumpy between the first and last books, but this is only my interpretation. There are others which may or may not make more sense. But I hop this helped anyways! Comments and opinions will be appreciated! Thanks!

I've always believed that it was "No iron in your veins COULD give you any sense of pain or fear" Insted of "No iron in your veins TO give you any sense of pain or fear". Of course I could be wrong but that's what I've heard since I knew the song

LOVE THIS SONG

When I listen to this song, it feels like it is ALL from Peeta's POV- after the 1st games when he realizes it was all fake. He is upset and angry because he thought it was real. BUT- this song also works on SO many levels for Mockingjay (which in IMO is a flip on HG- where Peeta's feelings are changed by the Capitol- and Katniss is the one who loves Peeta- whether she realizes it or not). I LOVE this song!!

"You say you know love, but you are just reflecting words you hear" Peeta.insinuating that Katniss doesn't know love- she's just saying what she hears

"No iron in your veins could give you any sense of pain or fear" He views her as feeling-less and above normal human pain & fear (human-less)

"It's just another lie- it's just another calculation." self explanatory

"And when the power's out- we're just another old sensation" When it's all done they'll just be a fad- not something permanent like he wanted

"This blood keeps me alive, but what is it that runs through you?" He's a human because he bleeds and feels- but what about her?

"Electricity and wires, dictating everything you do." Is she a machine that just does what she's told?

"You tell me that you hear me and all your memories are real," She told him that she understood his feelings- felt the same- and that what happened was "real"

"But how do I know you don't just feel what you've been told to feel?" He doesn't know how to tell if it's real- to trust what she's said

"We run around the rules, We run around the rules, We run around the rules, Round and round, two by two, we run around the rules." self-explanatory, they got around the 1 victor rule- together (because of this ruse)

"There's water in your eyes and I know I'm the reason that it's there." Katniss teary over Peeta's revelation- and having to face Gale for everything she did with Peeta in the arena

"But still I don't feel bad because I know you have are more a spare." Peeta's dig at Katniss over crocodile tears

"And just behind your eyes are switches that can turn back on To clear away today 'til all your memories are gone." She stated she wanted to forget- he's alluding to her as being a human-less Machine again, & turning the memories off

just my opinion!!