Satellite Skin Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Tury77 

Cover art for Satellite Skin lyrics by Modest Mouse

For those who care to read this interpretation:

If you break these moth wing feelings Powdering dust on your fingers

This talks about the "fragile" feelings For those who have never done it: when you touch a moths wings it sort of breaks down and your fingers get full of dust.

We know we're not praying we're kneeling Hard enough just to say you believe them

The singer is expressing perhaps the level of commitment they might have already reached... not just hoping for somthing to happen. Singer is having trouble thinking that the other person believes the outside influences

"Well how the heck did you think you could beat them At the same time that you're trying to be them"

How could the other person think that she could continue unaffected by the outside influences if it continues in contact with them?

Hard enough just to say you don't need it when they Took it up while you were still eating Well satellite, satellite skin

The other person knows it wants its relationship but is pushed to saying it doesn't. The other participant of the relationship didn't protect its interests The "satellite skin" is the how broken up the singer is after what was done

Just enough just to say you don't mean it Well, when everybody's willing to listen Oh satellite, satellite skin

The other person saying that they don't really feel the same for the other person This is what others want to listen This hurts the singer, sucumbing to peer pressure in such a way

You can say what you want you're forgiven Well happy fucking congratulations

The singer still loves the other person regardless of what is said, its kind of hard to get mad for long with someone you like. Singer is frustrated with this advantage the other person has

Well everyone, everyone wins Just like being in my own solar system

Sarcastic. Singer doesn't Being left alone

Doing good things but then totally eclipse them Oh what's the use, oh what the hell (Lost before we had a cause, had a cause)

Others don't let the singers partner see the good in him despair Remembering when there was a reason for their feelings

If you break these moth wing feelings Butterfly knives in the ceiling

If you break this delicate feelings... somthing that wasn't supposed to happen (???)

Well everyone, everyone's waiting Detachments get praised and completed

Sarcastic. The pressure the other person is feeling or has felt You, the detachment, will get support

You can say what you want and not mean it When no one really seems to be waiting

You can always lie, no one will really know. This includes yourself But there is no real pressure

If you sweep up this mess I've created Nothing's left to show I existed Except satellite, satellite skin

If you erase my effect on you It will be as if i never existed except the bits and pieses after you've broken me up

Asking for a question Was it easier said than was actually done? Do you even believe that Do you even believe that there's a race to be won?

Did it really satisfy you to cave in?? Do you really think this is a competition?

If you break these moth wing feelings I have seen it all because satellite skin Over innocent eyes

If you go through with this i have seen it all because i haven't done anything wrong

I'd like to know these morbid opinions Get stacked in all those usual avoided spots

I would like to know what they say and how you let them build up

Just to tell you how I could not have seen Through to the gist of those unhappy Happy accidents

to point out that i wouldn't have fallen for those things and ignored all those experiences we lived through toghether

My Interpretation