I have a feeling that this song, like many on the album, are Situations. They're not so much about current personal experiences...
For this song, I see a man who is with a woman who doesn't want to be in a relationship, for whatever reason. The man would love to, as he feels an incredible connection with her. The woman, however, still wants to have him there, as a friend, until she's ready for the relationship. I'll work through the lines to see what you guys think!
I'm bringing back ghosts
that are no longer there
=He's trying to bring back the desires within the girl to want a relationship
I'm gettin' hard on myself
sittin' in my easy chair
=It's splitting him open; he's risking the relationship he already has, in order to get more.
Well, there's three people in the mirror
and I'm wonderin' which one of them I should choose
=He looks in the mirror and sees his choices. he could continue down this difficult path, or just leave it, and find other people -- do other things.
Well, I can't keep from laughin'
spittin' out these 300 mile per hour outpour blues
=He often realizes how foolish it is to keep going through with it
I'm breakin' my teeth off
tryin' to bite my lip
=He's not supposed to be talking like he loves her, or he's not supposed to be following his impulses kissing her
There's all kinds of red-headed women
that I ain't supposed to kiss
=He also can't go after other women...
And it's that color that never fails
to turn me blue
=Who turn him on, thus depresses him, as he's voluntarily chained down
So I just swallow it and hold on to it
and use it to scare the hell out of you
=But he can use these woman to make his girl jealous
I have a woman
'says come and watch me bleed
=The girl spills her problems onto him
And I'm wonderin' just how I can do that
and still give her everything that she needs
=How can he not want to be close when she gets so personal with her?
OR
=How can he please a girl whom has so many problems?
Well, there's three people in my head that have the answer
and one of them's got to be you
=To all this pain he's feeling (perpetuated by the girl, in the first place) he may feel better if he can just get her
But you're holding tight to it -- the answer
singin' these three hundred mile per hour outpour blues
=The answer is her, but she's not letting him have it
Put on gloves, a tied scarf and wrap up warm
on this winter night
=Prepare for the times when their relationship comes into question
Everytime you get defensive
you're just looking for a fight
=In order to avoid the obvious connection, she says it's the man whom has the problem
It's safe to sing somebody out there's got a problem
with almost anything you'll do
=Though, with all HER problems, he's the only one that can feel this way about her
Well, next time they stab you don't fight back just play the victim
instead of playin' the fool
=With other men, she'll be fine if she just does to them what she does to him.
And the roads are covered with a million
little molecules
=He begins to consider the bigger picture. The many paths of life (one of them is the one he stands on), is so much more intricate than it appears at first glance.
Of cigarette ashes and the school floors are covered
with pieces of pencil eraser too
=The paths are scattered with the leftovers from quick-fixes and highs such as drugs or academic achievements
Well sooner or later the ground's gonna be holdin' all
of my ashes too
=Soon enough, he too will die
But I can't help but wonder if after I'm gone will I still have these three hundred mile per hour, finger breaking, no answers makin', battered dirty hands, bee stung and busted up, empty cup torrential outpour blues
=A Hamlet-like "what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil?"
One thing's for sure: in that graveyard
I'm gonna have the shiniest pair of shoes
=He will pursue only this long (and, possibly, short) path for the rest of his life. His shoes will be much cleaner than those who take many different ones.
I have a feeling that this song, like many on the album, are Situations. They're not so much about current personal experiences...
For this song, I see a man who is with a woman who doesn't want to be in a relationship, for whatever reason. The man would love to, as he feels an incredible connection with her. The woman, however, still wants to have him there, as a friend, until she's ready for the relationship. I'll work through the lines to see what you guys think!
I'm bringing back ghosts that are no longer there =He's trying to bring back the desires within the girl to want a relationship
I'm gettin' hard on myself sittin' in my easy chair =It's splitting him open; he's risking the relationship he already has, in order to get more.
Well, there's three people in the mirror and I'm wonderin' which one of them I should choose =He looks in the mirror and sees his choices. he could continue down this difficult path, or just leave it, and find other people -- do other things.
Well, I can't keep from laughin' spittin' out these 300 mile per hour outpour blues =He often realizes how foolish it is to keep going through with it
I'm breakin' my teeth off tryin' to bite my lip =He's not supposed to be talking like he loves her, or he's not supposed to be following his impulses kissing her
There's all kinds of red-headed women that I ain't supposed to kiss =He also can't go after other women...
And it's that color that never fails to turn me blue =Who turn him on, thus depresses him, as he's voluntarily chained down
So I just swallow it and hold on to it and use it to scare the hell out of you =But he can use these woman to make his girl jealous
I have a woman 'says come and watch me bleed =The girl spills her problems onto him
And I'm wonderin' just how I can do that and still give her everything that she needs =How can he not want to be close when she gets so personal with her? OR =How can he please a girl whom has so many problems?
Well, there's three people in my head that have the answer and one of them's got to be you =To all this pain he's feeling (perpetuated by the girl, in the first place) he may feel better if he can just get her
But you're holding tight to it -- the answer singin' these three hundred mile per hour outpour blues =The answer is her, but she's not letting him have it
Put on gloves, a tied scarf and wrap up warm on this winter night =Prepare for the times when their relationship comes into question
Everytime you get defensive you're just looking for a fight =In order to avoid the obvious connection, she says it's the man whom has the problem
It's safe to sing somebody out there's got a problem with almost anything you'll do =Though, with all HER problems, he's the only one that can feel this way about her
Well, next time they stab you don't fight back just play the victim instead of playin' the fool =With other men, she'll be fine if she just does to them what she does to him.
And the roads are covered with a million little molecules =He begins to consider the bigger picture. The many paths of life (one of them is the one he stands on), is so much more intricate than it appears at first glance.
Of cigarette ashes and the school floors are covered with pieces of pencil eraser too =The paths are scattered with the leftovers from quick-fixes and highs such as drugs or academic achievements
Well sooner or later the ground's gonna be holdin' all of my ashes too =Soon enough, he too will die
But I can't help but wonder if after I'm gone will I still have these three hundred mile per hour, finger breaking, no answers makin', battered dirty hands, bee stung and busted up, empty cup torrential outpour blues =A Hamlet-like "what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil?"
One thing's for sure: in that graveyard I'm gonna have the shiniest pair of shoes =He will pursue only this long (and, possibly, short) path for the rest of his life. His shoes will be much cleaner than those who take many different ones.