Excuse me if this is a little choppy,
first time doing this...
I think this song is more generally about the double-edged nature of love. When one is "left out in the cold without a coat," away from their lovers warmth,it "can do bad things to a man."
Alone, Empty and staring into the depths of nothingness, you're "stranded and [your] insides are burning up" but on the outside it's cold, as you sit and smoke the millionth cigarette of the evening. If she (or he) "sets [you] off [you will] burst into flames." But it will be a "baptism by fire, as you breath in the heat." This quasi-biblical reference perhaps refers to an uplifting rebirth, since the next line refers to love being "a strange thing" it reflects the double-edged nature of love. It has the potential to liberate, make one feel whole but at the same time cold and desperate. (perhaps this “baptism of fire” is what creates the “skeleton man” I’m not sure, could be a double reference)
The skeleton man, though – he is not bothered by the organly virtue of love – “a chest left empty of the hearts affairs,” he says “I don’t care.” The skeleton is strong absent the burden of love, he can “carry other things that weigh much less.” (suggesting that love is the heaviest burden to carry) but “a head hollowed out leaves me alone”-- no longer plagued by the incessant thoughts and desires for his lover – he can finally “get some rest”
I’m not sure what the significance of “secrets, little secrets when I’m not here… and skeleton men and friends re-appear.” But the repetition of the “if you see me acting out, you should know” refers to the rebirth of love within the subject and his neurotic response to it’s lack. The last two lines refers to the physical death of the skeleton man (in a perhaps peculiar significant way – “hands and knees knelt down” [biblical reference?]). The subject then boldly laughs and declares “he once was a skeleton” perhaps suggesting that the form of anesthesized life without love that the skeleton man lived was safe and not burdensome, but perhaps those are the things that make life worth living.
All in all, the last two lines of the song summarize the dualistic confusing nature of love:
“when someone loves you,
you’re fucked.”
Excuse me if this is a little choppy, first time doing this...
I think this song is more generally about the double-edged nature of love. When one is "left out in the cold without a coat," away from their lovers warmth,it "can do bad things to a man."
Alone, Empty and staring into the depths of nothingness, you're "stranded and [your] insides are burning up" but on the outside it's cold, as you sit and smoke the millionth cigarette of the evening. If she (or he) "sets [you] off [you will] burst into flames." But it will be a "baptism by fire, as you breath in the heat." This quasi-biblical reference perhaps refers to an uplifting rebirth, since the next line refers to love being "a strange thing" it reflects the double-edged nature of love. It has the potential to liberate, make one feel whole but at the same time cold and desperate. (perhaps this “baptism of fire” is what creates the “skeleton man” I’m not sure, could be a double reference)
The skeleton man, though – he is not bothered by the organly virtue of love – “a chest left empty of the hearts affairs,” he says “I don’t care.” The skeleton is strong absent the burden of love, he can “carry other things that weigh much less.” (suggesting that love is the heaviest burden to carry) but “a head hollowed out leaves me alone”-- no longer plagued by the incessant thoughts and desires for his lover – he can finally “get some rest”
I’m not sure what the significance of “secrets, little secrets when I’m not here… and skeleton men and friends re-appear.” But the repetition of the “if you see me acting out, you should know” refers to the rebirth of love within the subject and his neurotic response to it’s lack. The last two lines refers to the physical death of the skeleton man (in a perhaps peculiar significant way – “hands and knees knelt down” [biblical reference?]). The subject then boldly laughs and declares “he once was a skeleton” perhaps suggesting that the form of anesthesized life without love that the skeleton man lived was safe and not burdensome, but perhaps those are the things that make life worth living.
All in all, the last two lines of the song summarize the dualistic confusing nature of love: “when someone loves you, you’re fucked.”