Silver

Perhaps one my favorite songs for lifting my spirits and facing the world's insurmountable odds! I won't express reservation at being the first to post like so many others have--rather I see it as an opportunity. It seems often the first post determines the flow of the entire thread so I'll do my best to handle the responsibility ;-)
So....'Silver': Is it celebrating the experience of emotional and individual triumph? "Walked on a tidal wave, laughed in the face of a brand new day" is a very triumphant, grandiose expression of the 'light-footed dance' with which Nietzsche advised we should approach life. Man as his own savior, a god tamer, using ideas and beliefs only as they benefit him is also very Nietzschean (the lyrics should say 'god tamers' not 'go tamers' or 'god tame us' as I've seen elsewhere). The feeling of inner-restraint has itself been contained (imprisoned jailers) as we move forward in discovery not knowing what we will find (blind sailors).

Ah, but what of friendship or love? Perhaps 'Silver' also expresses that rare moment when someone outside ourself can free (my hands untied) and seemingly redeem us so that we can see 'a world that's true through our clean eyes.' 'Burning lips' gives the image of a visible passion eager to be shared. A person who is 'living proof', a manifestation of the individual hope that we now hope to share. 'Just look at you', your passion is proof that it is ok for me to feel triumphant. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said that love is "looking outward in the same direction." Or is it not another person at all but two aspects of the self? Or is it Mr. God that is freeing him and allowing him flowing passion? Ah, or is Ian speaking so highly of his fans and admirers from whom perhaps he derives personal energy?

Yet still young Ian had the courage to admit the fleeting characteristic of such feelings, 'just in case it slips away', since his proof is still only at his fingertips, not in our full grasp. Hence you must be 'well behaved' and not hold unteemable ideals and expectations that could compromise yourself.

Likewise, I will share the spirit of this song and Ian's good example since the truth may always be 'just a touch away'. The whole idea of songmeanings.net is for its users to project their personal experiences and ideas onto a set of song lyrics for a sort of 'social' communion. Not many users have 'real' knowledge of the songs in which case (can) allow for a pleasurable intellectual flexibility and interesting thoughts to arise. Me being an Amercian (from the South no less), the bunnymen's Britishisms and fantastical wordplay often escape my rational compreshension but unceasingly add color, energy, imagination, atmosphere, and spirit to my experience of their music. Concious understanding is not a prerequisite for enjoyment--all great things are already written on the soul waiting to be discovered.