Specialist

To me, Interpol just EXUDES sex, and 'specialist' is a prime example. This song is not only my favorite song by Interpol, but my favorite song ever. I love it's dark, sexy, raw vibe with the sick bass and guitar licks. Hawt.

I personally do not believe this song has ANYTHING to do with murder or drugs like previous people have mentioned. I believe that this song is about an older, of age man in a relationship with an underage girl. From the beginning of the song you can tell that the relationship is all about sex. (You make me loose my buttons) When he says 'colder than yourself' I think he is referring to how he doesn't like her that much as a person, (at least not at first) and thinks she is emotionless. 'Now we're moving, now we're taking control' But he loves the sex, so they move right along.

'My love's a laboratory, I set all my pet's free, so baby, you should sleep with me'
-No strings attached sex

'I make trips to the bathroom' -Maybe that is where he is meeting her?

'Yeah, my friends all have true grit' -His 'friends' are very persistent, for whatever reason...I'm not really sure...

'I am speckled like a leopard' -I always took this sentence literally because Paul Bank's face is, in fact, speckled with large freckles

'Put a lid on Shirley Temple, yeah you make sleek kills, yeah you travel, you travel' -Stop the whole 'act' of being cute and innocent, you know what you are doing, you've been around the block

Then Paul goes on to say,

'I love the way you put me in the big house' -Since he is of age and she is underage, it is illegal and that is thrilling to him. He loves how when he is with her there is a certain danger surrounding the both.

Then further down,

'And speak, when you're spoken of' -She is younger, and he sometimes looks down on her for that

'Catch up on your sleep, girl, when you wear that body glove' -I take this to mean, and this may be waaaay off, but I'm just throwing it out there, that he wants her to finally get some rest at night while she can, when its that time of the month for her.

'You're acting on initiative, you're spelling out your love, you shouldn't be alone in there, you could be above ground' -Your declaring your love to me on your own accord, and instead of being all alone right now, you could be here with me, and we could be together

Then he goes on to reference crime 'oh this time, there'll be no life of crime' again, referencing her being underage and the danger that surrounds it.

"Circle all around me now, baby, it will be okay. Cause we all go downtown sometimes. Somehow, baby, we will beat this mess, it's the time, fuck the surface, to meet the specialist' -He is saying that 'this is okay'. It may be wrong in some people's eyes, and may even be considered illegal, but everyone does something (for lack of a better word) bad, somtimes. So screw all the people that think our relationship is wrong, and just be with me, because I know what I am doing

'Time away form me will get you down' -You don't like it when we are not together

Then later on he continues,

'Honey bee, we should be through with this, your packaged eyes, your vicious lips' -They shouldn't be in this relationship as long as they have, but he likes her so much now that he just can't get away. The sex is too good.

'You could be young, but you're out of touch, if this love's been done, then what's your rush' -Your young, but you don't act it, you are out of touch with your youth, your innocence. If this love is over, then what is your rush to move on?

'I'm the specialist in hope, and I'm registered to vote, won't you come into my barrio, we'll see if you can float' -I've been around, I am an expert on sex, and I am older than you, so come with me and we'll see if you can keep up.

This song is interpol at their finest. Period.