[ James Mercer professes that this is about a falling out with a former colleague in his previous band (Flake Music). As a result of the falling out, his estranged comrade did not join The Shins, and each went their separate ways. In the poem, Mercer talks about the pettiness of the both of them, although he feels that he was the more civil. He laments that the problems happened in the background rather than happening so that they could have been discussed and resolved. But, he concludes that forgiveness is the right attitude, and neither of the wayward friends should let the falling out having lasting effect on their lives. ]
You can fake it for a while, [ liking someone ]
Bite your tongue and smile,
Like every mother does an ugly child.
But the stars are leaking out,
Like spittle from a cloud, [ but the truth is shown from behind its ephemeral cover ]
Amassed resentment counting ounce and pound. [ and the hostility revealed in its full measure ]
You entertaining any doubts,
'Cause you had to know that I was fond of you,
Fond of Y-O-U,
Though I knew you masked your disdain.
I can see that change was just too hard for us, [ the change of structure in the band ]
Hard for us.
You always had to hold the reigns, [ always had to be in control ]
But where I'm headed, you just don't know the way. [ but not fit to lead anymore ]
So affections fade away,
Or do adults just learn to play
The most ridiculous, repulsive games? [ was it time or foolishness that has created the indifference? ]
All our favorite ruddy sons, [ vices ]
And their double-barreled guns, [ with instruments of hostility ]
You better hurry,
Rabbit, run, run, run.
'Cause mincing you is fun, [ the apparent satisfaction people get out of demeaning each other ]
And there's a lot of hungry hatters in this world. [ people who will consume you to their advantage; consider the traditional association of hatters as “mad;” and also the possible play on “hater” ]
Set on taking it over,
But brittle, thorny stems,
They break before they bend,
And neither one of us is one of them. [ neither one of them is willing to give in to the other ]
And the tears will never mend, [ they won't find any reconciliation ]
‘Cause you had it in for me so long ago.
Boy I still don't know
I don't know why and I don't care--
(Well, hardly anymore)
If you'd only seen yourself hating me.
Hating me,
When I'd been so much more than fair.
But then you'd have to lay those feelings bare,
One thing I know has still got you scared,
Yeah, all that cold ire
And never once aired on a dare. [ they never vented the problems (so they could have been mended) ]
You had to know that I was fond of you,
Fond of Y-O-U.
So I took your licks at the time,
A change like that is just so hard to do,
Hard to do.
Don't let it whip-crack your life, [ don't let it affect you in the long term ]
And I'll bow out from the fight, [ he'll stop holding a grudge ]
Those old pious sister's were right. [ the Christian idea of tolerance and forgiveness ]
And the worst part is over,
Now, get back on that horse and ride. [ the falling out should not be a crippling for either's life ]
[ James Mercer professes that this is about a falling out with a former colleague in his previous band (Flake Music). As a result of the falling out, his estranged comrade did not join The Shins, and each went their separate ways. In the poem, Mercer talks about the pettiness of the both of them, although he feels that he was the more civil. He laments that the problems happened in the background rather than happening so that they could have been discussed and resolved. But, he concludes that forgiveness is the right attitude, and neither of the wayward friends should let the falling out having lasting effect on their lives. ]
You can fake it for a while, [ liking someone ] Bite your tongue and smile, Like every mother does an ugly child. But the stars are leaking out, Like spittle from a cloud, [ but the truth is shown from behind its ephemeral cover ] Amassed resentment counting ounce and pound. [ and the hostility revealed in its full measure ]
You entertaining any doubts, 'Cause you had to know that I was fond of you, Fond of Y-O-U, Though I knew you masked your disdain. I can see that change was just too hard for us, [ the change of structure in the band ] Hard for us. You always had to hold the reigns, [ always had to be in control ] But where I'm headed, you just don't know the way. [ but not fit to lead anymore ]
So affections fade away, Or do adults just learn to play The most ridiculous, repulsive games? [ was it time or foolishness that has created the indifference? ] All our favorite ruddy sons, [ vices ] And their double-barreled guns, [ with instruments of hostility ] You better hurry, Rabbit, run, run, run. 'Cause mincing you is fun, [ the apparent satisfaction people get out of demeaning each other ] And there's a lot of hungry hatters in this world. [ people who will consume you to their advantage; consider the traditional association of hatters as “mad;” and also the possible play on “hater” ] Set on taking it over, But brittle, thorny stems, They break before they bend, And neither one of us is one of them. [ neither one of them is willing to give in to the other ]
And the tears will never mend, [ they won't find any reconciliation ] ‘Cause you had it in for me so long ago. Boy I still don't know I don't know why and I don't care-- (Well, hardly anymore) If you'd only seen yourself hating me. Hating me, When I'd been so much more than fair. But then you'd have to lay those feelings bare, One thing I know has still got you scared, Yeah, all that cold ire And never once aired on a dare. [ they never vented the problems (so they could have been mended) ]
You had to know that I was fond of you, Fond of Y-O-U. So I took your licks at the time, A change like that is just so hard to do, Hard to do. Don't let it whip-crack your life, [ don't let it affect you in the long term ] And I'll bow out from the fight, [ he'll stop holding a grudge ] Those old pious sister's were right. [ the Christian idea of tolerance and forgiveness ] And the worst part is over, Now, get back on that horse and ride. [ the falling out should not be a crippling for either's life ]