Paperthin Hymn

this is how i understand the song:

"When your only friends are hotel rooms Hands are distant lullabies If I could turn around I would tonight"

he is lonely and alone in hotel rooms all the time, because he's on tour and he cannot spend alot of time with his family/friends. he wants to go home more, but being on tour is his job and he needs to do that.

"These roads never seemed so long Since your paperheart stopped beating leaving me suddenly alone Will daybreak ever come?"

now someone dear to him has died and he's feeling like he can never get home, like there isn't really a home to go back to anymore. the paperheart refers to the heart of the person who died, and "paper" could mean that this was an old person, as paper is often used to signify something thin and easily torn.

"Who's gonna call on sunday morning? Who's gonna drive you home? I just want one more chance To put my arms in fragile hands"

now that the other person is dead, he knows he will miss his/her support, the calls on sunday morning and he's wondering who will take care of him now. he wishes for another chance to be with the other person, to hug him/her and tell him/her he loves him/her.

I thought you said forever Over and over The sleepless night becomes bitter oblivion These thoughts run through my head Over and over Complaints of violins become my only friends

he thought the other person would always be there and now he realises that things changed, that death breaks up this "forever". the violin is often seen as one of the most expressive instruments and to be almost like the human voice. thus the complaints of violins are the intense feelings and maybe regrets that now keep him company and which torture him in a way.

August evenings Bring solemn warnings To remember to kiss the ones you love goodnight You never know what temporal days may bring So laugh, love, live free and sing When life is in dischord Praise ye the lord

the loved one who died, probably died in August, thus he talks about August evenings, and how they now remind him to keep telling the people he loves that he loves them while they're still alive. he encourages others to live fully and to turn to the lord and praise him, even when life is tough.

i think this is one of the most awesome songs (also the first one i heard from this album), and it just pulls you in and you can't help feeling the anguish and just being a part of the song. i think that's such an amazing talent to have, to be able to do that through music. anberlin is an inredible band! i LOVE their songs!