This song struck a vey loud and resonating chord with me. I've listened to it several times and absolutely love it. I think that all the comments regarding the song being about drug abuse do make sense, in a very obvious way. However, I can also see a different interpretation as well one that may be more subtle. I think the song is about someone who has given up or cannot live normally due to a mental issues, autism, depression, schizophrenia etc. The reason I'm leaning more towards crazy than drugs is that A.P. talks A LOT about craziness in her other songs and various mental issues(like Girl Anachronism or Runs in the Family which is on the same album as Point of it All)
It seems the song/story is told from a mothers point of view about her child who for whatever reason is not in touch with the outside world. I use the terms mother/child loosely as it may imply grown daughter/caretaker/sister etc. The mothers opinion although being the care taker, is somewhat dismissive, uncaring, and smug and it seems she relys on given "good appearances" to any possible outsiders. It kind of reminds me a dated, haughty, well to do, woman dealing with the "black" sheep in her life.
"Oh, what a noble, distinguished collection of fine little friends you have made" and
"And you're learning that just 'cause they call themselves friends
Doesn't meant they'll call" - Is talking about imaginary friends/dolls
"Hitting the tables without you again:
"No, we'll wait, no, we promise, we'll wait"- reminded me of a casino, and possibly a reference about being left alone, about people who won't stop living their lives, to wait for someone who doesn't know how to live.
"Maybe a week in the tropics would help to remind you how nice life can be
We propped you right up in a chair on a deck with a beautiful view of the sea
But a couple weeks later we came back and you and the chair were nowhere to be seen
You had magically moved to the closet
Eyes fixed to the place where the dryer had been" -To me this reinforcecs the idea of hiding or brushing off the "black sheep" "a week" in the tropics turns into "a couple weeks later" which implies that she had left there and forgotten.
"You're aces for coming along, you're almost human after all"- is a condescending statement thats shows how the mother views her own child.
I think the needle refers to the imaginary reality created by the child. It seems that that there may be moments where the mother trys to get through to the child, or even momemts of lucidity from the child, but effectually, the relationship remains the same.
I agree with the previous comments about the line "But while you were sleeping some men came around Said they had some dimensions to take" - "sleeping" refers to death and "measuresments" for a coffin, and "they sure made a mess of your face" refers to the mortician's job.
I think overall this song is about a person with issues, and their reluctant caretaker. Also about life and the inability, in this case, to live life to its fullest.
Oh and on a side note, I definitely think the phrase is "you're Aces", its a dated figure of speech, one I've heard before, meaning similar to "you're stellar" or "you're great".
This song struck a vey loud and resonating chord with me. I've listened to it several times and absolutely love it. I think that all the comments regarding the song being about drug abuse do make sense, in a very obvious way. However, I can also see a different interpretation as well one that may be more subtle. I think the song is about someone who has given up or cannot live normally due to a mental issues, autism, depression, schizophrenia etc. The reason I'm leaning more towards crazy than drugs is that A.P. talks A LOT about craziness in her other songs and various mental issues(like Girl Anachronism or Runs in the Family which is on the same album as Point of it All)
It seems the song/story is told from a mothers point of view about her child who for whatever reason is not in touch with the outside world. I use the terms mother/child loosely as it may imply grown daughter/caretaker/sister etc. The mothers opinion although being the care taker, is somewhat dismissive, uncaring, and smug and it seems she relys on given "good appearances" to any possible outsiders. It kind of reminds me a dated, haughty, well to do, woman dealing with the "black" sheep in her life.
"Oh, what a noble, distinguished collection of fine little friends you have made" and "And you're learning that just 'cause they call themselves friends Doesn't meant they'll call" - Is talking about imaginary friends/dolls
"Hitting the tables without you again: "No, we'll wait, no, we promise, we'll wait"- reminded me of a casino, and possibly a reference about being left alone, about people who won't stop living their lives, to wait for someone who doesn't know how to live.
"Maybe a week in the tropics would help to remind you how nice life can be We propped you right up in a chair on a deck with a beautiful view of the sea But a couple weeks later we came back and you and the chair were nowhere to be seen You had magically moved to the closet Eyes fixed to the place where the dryer had been" -To me this reinforcecs the idea of hiding or brushing off the "black sheep" "a week" in the tropics turns into "a couple weeks later" which implies that she had left there and forgotten.
"You're aces for coming along, you're almost human after all"- is a condescending statement thats shows how the mother views her own child.
I think the needle refers to the imaginary reality created by the child. It seems that that there may be moments where the mother trys to get through to the child, or even momemts of lucidity from the child, but effectually, the relationship remains the same.
I agree with the previous comments about the line "But while you were sleeping some men came around Said they had some dimensions to take" - "sleeping" refers to death and "measuresments" for a coffin, and "they sure made a mess of your face" refers to the mortician's job.
I think overall this song is about a person with issues, and their reluctant caretaker. Also about life and the inability, in this case, to live life to its fullest.
Oh and on a side note, I definitely think the phrase is "you're Aces", its a dated figure of speech, one I've heard before, meaning similar to "you're stellar" or "you're great".