i'm pretty sure this song is about an unmutual love and a relationship failing, but the remnants of it still haunting the man (possibly the lead singer).
"This house is full of secrets/This house smells of ghosts/Dreams that never woke"
that's referring to how the couple possibly lived together, but once it was over, it was as if there were still remnants of their relationship left over; 'secrets', 'ghosts' and all the dreams they never got to pursue together, continually haunting the man with "nightmares" that "never spoke aloud".
"A lifetime is too long/Let's say no more about it"
this is obviously referring to the promise the relationship once held, which now, the man yearns to forget.
"Listen to me/I can only say this once/Are you listening?"
this line could be representing the man's attempt to fix their relationship, knowing that he can only bring back all those feelings once, he hopes for her to listen well and understand that he hasn't got over what they had.
"Sleeping beauty stares/The whole world could be hers/But after all these years/I'll say no more about it"
'sleeping beauty' could be talking about the way she is bored by seeing him try to get the relationship back together, as if she is way over everything they had. he realizes this and he knows that he could have given her everything and anything, but after all this time, he thinks it would be to no avail due to how much change has taken place.
"I can only say this once/Are you listening?/See these empty hands/knowing it was all for you"
even after watching her plainly get over what they had, he still chooses to give one more attempt at rectifying the situation. he lets her know that even though he didn't have anything to offer ('empty hands'), whatever he did have, it was all for her.
"Yes, I'll see you again../When I see you again/Down by the lake"
most relationships have certain things that can be reflected on many years later, even after the demise of one. it is the same in the one being described in this song. although all his attempts to get her back have failed, he knows she will not disappear from his life. he will see her time and time again, in "the lake", something that holds deep sentimental value for him. possibly, a place in which they had one of their best moments together, where he is hoping she will go to sometimes as well, in appreciation of whatever they used to have - or it could be merely symbolic.
"This house smells of ghosts"
after all that has happened, nothing much has changed except for his silent acknowledgment of the end of their relationship. so, 'ghosts', in this sense, are just dead memories of what they could have had.
this song, along with broken bones, are my favories off of memory man, one of the most beautiful albums of 2007, imo.
i'm pretty sure this song is about an unmutual love and a relationship failing, but the remnants of it still haunting the man (possibly the lead singer).
"This house is full of secrets/This house smells of ghosts/Dreams that never woke"
that's referring to how the couple possibly lived together, but once it was over, it was as if there were still remnants of their relationship left over; 'secrets', 'ghosts' and all the dreams they never got to pursue together, continually haunting the man with "nightmares" that "never spoke aloud".
"A lifetime is too long/Let's say no more about it"
this is obviously referring to the promise the relationship once held, which now, the man yearns to forget.
"Listen to me/I can only say this once/Are you listening?"
this line could be representing the man's attempt to fix their relationship, knowing that he can only bring back all those feelings once, he hopes for her to listen well and understand that he hasn't got over what they had.
"Sleeping beauty stares/The whole world could be hers/But after all these years/I'll say no more about it"
'sleeping beauty' could be talking about the way she is bored by seeing him try to get the relationship back together, as if she is way over everything they had. he realizes this and he knows that he could have given her everything and anything, but after all this time, he thinks it would be to no avail due to how much change has taken place.
"I can only say this once/Are you listening?/See these empty hands/knowing it was all for you"
even after watching her plainly get over what they had, he still chooses to give one more attempt at rectifying the situation. he lets her know that even though he didn't have anything to offer ('empty hands'), whatever he did have, it was all for her.
"Yes, I'll see you again../When I see you again/Down by the lake"
most relationships have certain things that can be reflected on many years later, even after the demise of one. it is the same in the one being described in this song. although all his attempts to get her back have failed, he knows she will not disappear from his life. he will see her time and time again, in "the lake", something that holds deep sentimental value for him. possibly, a place in which they had one of their best moments together, where he is hoping she will go to sometimes as well, in appreciation of whatever they used to have - or it could be merely symbolic.
"This house smells of ghosts"
after all that has happened, nothing much has changed except for his silent acknowledgment of the end of their relationship. so, 'ghosts', in this sense, are just dead memories of what they could have had.
this song, along with broken bones, are my favories off of memory man, one of the most beautiful albums of 2007, imo.