I read in an online review of the song that it's about a "journalist transformed by a visit by a prostitute", but I think the meaning can go deeper than that. It could describe any relationship that can be considered "dangerous". Specifically, an affair.
The person singing is trying to woo a woman that he is not supposed to be with. When they meet, she has to go through elaborate security measures, similar to sneaking around on a boyfriend or spouse. He calls her the "flag of a dangerous nation" meaning that he shouldn't be messing around with her, but she is "warming weather" and is like spring in his life. Yet, when spring comes the snow melts and the river rises and floods the country around it. They can't meet in normal date places like bars and dance clubs and when in public they have to be very careful of how they act so they "stand alone" and "shift and shift." In the video, the girl lighting the matches is wearing a wedding ring and we know John Vanderslice has sung about being attracted to someone else's girlfriend in "You Were my Fiji". Maybe he is exploring this idea again in this song too.
I read in an online review of the song that it's about a "journalist transformed by a visit by a prostitute", but I think the meaning can go deeper than that. It could describe any relationship that can be considered "dangerous". Specifically, an affair.
The person singing is trying to woo a woman that he is not supposed to be with. When they meet, she has to go through elaborate security measures, similar to sneaking around on a boyfriend or spouse. He calls her the "flag of a dangerous nation" meaning that he shouldn't be messing around with her, but she is "warming weather" and is like spring in his life. Yet, when spring comes the snow melts and the river rises and floods the country around it. They can't meet in normal date places like bars and dance clubs and when in public they have to be very careful of how they act so they "stand alone" and "shift and shift." In the video, the girl lighting the matches is wearing a wedding ring and we know John Vanderslice has sung about being attracted to someone else's girlfriend in "You Were my Fiji". Maybe he is exploring this idea again in this song too.
Whatever the meaning, this is a beautiful song!