New Terrain Lyrics

Lyric discussion by couleurs 

Cover art for New Terrain lyrics by Mew

On the daytrotter live session (08-24-09), Jonas sings:

Soft sheets, What's this about? Inside your mahogany cyprus, as long as we're me and you We should not lose terrain Wild and young, we got seasick on your seventh (?) cheek that sits with her and the warmth of it splatters

We all can wring her neck First, we gain new terrain When we're young, we get seasick on your seven soft sheets

Repeat (x3)

I'm new to Mew, but does anyone see a parallel between Nervous and New Terrain? It seems like a relationship between a girl and a guy but a third party (parent? affair?) comes in and the guy loses his love to this third party.

The guy does not want the third person involved (We all can wring her neck) and he's terrified/nervous of this third person ruining their relationship.

By telling his love: As long as we're me and you/ We should not lose terrain

it's an assurance that there'll be nothing to harm them, but

They're out to get you In a way i couldn't see you.

The third party wants to destroy their relationship, yet his love decides to face this outsider and she is harmed.

And then you regret And they're not safe buildings Should have stayed at home in bed When the walls are out of focus

He wishes he could save her and thoroughly regrets hesitating and living in the denial that what they have would not be ruined.

(As long as we're me and you/ We should not lose terrain)

(Nervous instead And I wish that I could save you Each time)

Also, to 'gain new terrain' could mean to start anew, maybe something the speaker yearns for, a place of innocence and safety.

What do you guys think?

Yes. The parallel between Nervous and New Terrain is that one is the other backwards. Ii'm not sure which one is the backwards one though. I think it's New Terrain.

It's sort of difficult for me to get much out of the New Terrain lyrics yet, but I do see parallels between the songs (other than the obvious 'they're the same song!' thing) and it sort of seems like they're meant to be played back to back (out of context with the rest of the album of course). I like how New Terrain sets the stage with cautious, self-conscious optimism and then morphs into the disappointing defeat of Nervous.