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Severed Crossed Fingers Lyrics
When your calling ain't calling back to you
I'll be side stage, mouthing lines for you
Humiliated by age, terrified of youth
I got hope but my hope isn't helping you
Spitting our guts from their gears
Draining our spleen over years
Found my severed crossed fingers in the rubble there
Wake up puddle eyed, sleeping in the suit
The truth is ugly, well I feel ugly too
We'll be heroes on every bar stool
Seeing double beats not seeing one of you
Spitting our guts from their gears
Draining our spleen over years
Found my severed crossed fingers in the rubble there
Well you stole the heart right out my chest
Changed the words that I know best
Found myself with crossed fingers in the rubble there
Spitting our guts from their gears
Draining our spleen over years
Found my severed crossed fingers in the rubble there
Well you stole the heart right out my chest
Changed the words that I know best
Found my severed crossed fingers in the rubble there
I'll be side stage, mouthing lines for you
Humiliated by age, terrified of youth
I got hope but my hope isn't helping you
Draining our spleen over years
Found my severed crossed fingers in the rubble there
The truth is ugly, well I feel ugly too
We'll be heroes on every bar stool
Seeing double beats not seeing one of you
Draining our spleen over years
Found my severed crossed fingers in the rubble there
Well you stole the heart right out my chest
Changed the words that I know best
Found myself with crossed fingers in the rubble there
Draining our spleen over years
Found my severed crossed fingers in the rubble there
Well you stole the heart right out my chest
Changed the words that I know best
Found my severed crossed fingers in the rubble there
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I feel like this is a deeply personal song. I could be wrong . . . but it's beautiful.
First stanza i think is clearly talking about a "certain" musician who's getting older and in the industry that's a curse. Fearing youth because they're the judges. But is supportive even though her optimism isn't mutually felt by the other.
Regardless she's in love but feels like she isn't getting through. Found herself with crossed fingers in the rubble (the crossing of fingers can mean you're hoping for something or it can mean you're telling a lie...think it's the former): she still held out hope among the destructiveness of the other person's outlook (or among the negativity that the media/critics/youth suffocates them with -spitting out their guts through their gears, draiming our spleens through the years?). Severed crossed fingers=lost/losing hope?
I'm probably not even close but that's my interpretation.
The triumph of finding hope where there is no reason for any to exist.
I won't edit the lyrics because I'm not sure but doesn't Annie sing 'Find my severed crossed fingers in the rubble there'? Otherwise the song's title isn't alluded to in the lyrics.
I think you're right! I just listened to it and she definitely says severed. Also would make sense lol
I think you're right! I just listened to it and she definitely says severed. Also would make sense lol
PS you're also correct with the meaning. I just read in an interview with Annie Clark that this song was inspired by a line from a book she was reading. There was a plane crash and the character found a set of "severed crossed fingers in the rubble", to her a symbol of humanity's ability to retain hope even in the most utterly hopeless of situations.
PS you're also correct with the meaning. I just read in an interview with Annie Clark that this song was inspired by a line from a book she was reading. There was a plane crash and the character found a set of "severed crossed fingers in the rubble", to her a symbol of humanity's ability to retain hope even in the most utterly hopeless of situations.
138-140 Birds of America by Lorrie Moore