Im fairly certain this is about two male friends whom one is a closet homosexual (or both). the narrator realises his friend is gay and convinces him to be honest with himself and his family.The friend eventually finds the courage to tell his mother who trys to send him away to correctional camp. His mother blames the narrator for her sons homosexuality.
"This is for the lions living in the wiry broke down frames of my friends' bodies"
His 'friends' are forcing themselves to be something theyre not because others have 'broke them'
"When the floodwater comes, it ain't gonna be clear, it's gonna look like mud"
A biblical reference to the 40 days and 40 nights of rain to wash away mans sins
"But I will help you swim, I will help you swim, I'm gonna help you swim"
The narrator wants to show his friend that its ok to be gay.
"This is for the snakes and the people they bite"
Another biblical reference to the garden of eden and the snake that creates sin. The narrator is the snake in this line.
"For the friends I've made, for the sleepless nights"
Worry from the persucution he is causing to his friend or possibly worried that his other friends will find out theyre gay and disown them.
"For the warning signs I've completely ignored"
He is ignoring the fact that his friend is being persecuted
"There's an amount to take, reasons to take more"
This could be a suicide reference (his friend is trying to kill himself to escape his mother and his feelings) or a reference to how the narrator feels he shouldnt have said anything and started this whole thing.
"It's no big surprise you turned out this way
When they closed their eyes and prayed you would change"
The pressure from his family trying to make him something hes not has made him the man he is.
"And they cut your hair and sent you away"
Reference to being sent to a correctional camp.
"You stopped by my house the night you escaped
With tears in my eyes I begged you to stay
You said "Hey man, I love you, but no fucking way""
No explanation needed, other than the 'Hey man, I love you' is more likely in a friend loving another friend way, not necessarily in a romantic way.
"I'm sure that we could find something for you to do on stage
Maybe shake a tambourine, or when I sing, you sing harmonies"
The narrator wants his friend to stay with him and his other friends and not run off.
"This is for the lake that me and my friends swim in, naked and dumb on a drunken night
And it shoulda felt good, but I could hear the Jaws theme song on repeat in the back of my mind"
Hes either talking about the night he asked his friend if he was gay or an internal worry of becoming aroused by his naked friends and that braking their friendship apart.
"Make sure you kiss your knuckles before you punch me in the face"
His friend reacted with harsh denial
"There are lessons to be learned, consequences for all the stupid things I say"
The narrator regrets not approaching the situation with more sensitivity and feels he deserved to be hit.
"And it is no big surprise you turned out this way"
Already explained
"The spark in *her eyes, the look on your face, I will not be brave"
The narrator doesnt stand up for his friend when his mother confronts him
"I'm sure that we could find something for you to do on stage.
Maybe shake a tambourine, or when I sing, you sing harmonies."
Already explained
"I wanna contribute to the chaos, I don't wanna watch and then complain
Cause I am through finding blame. That is a decision that I have made"
The narrator finally stands up for his friend and refuses to let him down again
"She hopes I'm cursed forever to sleep on a twin sized mattress
In somebody's attic or basement my whole life
Never graduating up in size to add another
And my nightmares will have nightmares every night, oh every night, every night"
This line sums up the argument the narrator and his friends mother have. Basically shes saying she hopes he never finds love and dies alone.
Im fairly certain this is about two male friends whom one is a closet homosexual (or both). the narrator realises his friend is gay and convinces him to be honest with himself and his family.The friend eventually finds the courage to tell his mother who trys to send him away to correctional camp. His mother blames the narrator for her sons homosexuality.
"This is for the lions living in the wiry broke down frames of my friends' bodies" His 'friends' are forcing themselves to be something theyre not because others have 'broke them'
"When the floodwater comes, it ain't gonna be clear, it's gonna look like mud" A biblical reference to the 40 days and 40 nights of rain to wash away mans sins
"But I will help you swim, I will help you swim, I'm gonna help you swim" The narrator wants to show his friend that its ok to be gay.
"This is for the snakes and the people they bite" Another biblical reference to the garden of eden and the snake that creates sin. The narrator is the snake in this line.
"For the friends I've made, for the sleepless nights" Worry from the persucution he is causing to his friend or possibly worried that his other friends will find out theyre gay and disown them.
"For the warning signs I've completely ignored" He is ignoring the fact that his friend is being persecuted
"There's an amount to take, reasons to take more" This could be a suicide reference (his friend is trying to kill himself to escape his mother and his feelings) or a reference to how the narrator feels he shouldnt have said anything and started this whole thing.
"It's no big surprise you turned out this way When they closed their eyes and prayed you would change" The pressure from his family trying to make him something hes not has made him the man he is.
"And they cut your hair and sent you away" Reference to being sent to a correctional camp.
"You stopped by my house the night you escaped With tears in my eyes I begged you to stay You said "Hey man, I love you, but no fucking way"" No explanation needed, other than the 'Hey man, I love you' is more likely in a friend loving another friend way, not necessarily in a romantic way.
"I'm sure that we could find something for you to do on stage Maybe shake a tambourine, or when I sing, you sing harmonies" The narrator wants his friend to stay with him and his other friends and not run off.
"This is for the lake that me and my friends swim in, naked and dumb on a drunken night And it shoulda felt good, but I could hear the Jaws theme song on repeat in the back of my mind" Hes either talking about the night he asked his friend if he was gay or an internal worry of becoming aroused by his naked friends and that braking their friendship apart.
"Make sure you kiss your knuckles before you punch me in the face" His friend reacted with harsh denial
"There are lessons to be learned, consequences for all the stupid things I say" The narrator regrets not approaching the situation with more sensitivity and feels he deserved to be hit.
"And it is no big surprise you turned out this way" Already explained
"The spark in *her eyes, the look on your face, I will not be brave" The narrator doesnt stand up for his friend when his mother confronts him
"I'm sure that we could find something for you to do on stage. Maybe shake a tambourine, or when I sing, you sing harmonies." Already explained
"I wanna contribute to the chaos, I don't wanna watch and then complain Cause I am through finding blame. That is a decision that I have made" The narrator finally stands up for his friend and refuses to let him down again
"She hopes I'm cursed forever to sleep on a twin sized mattress In somebody's attic or basement my whole life Never graduating up in size to add another And my nightmares will have nightmares every night, oh every night, every night" This line sums up the argument the narrator and his friends mother have. Basically shes saying she hopes he never finds love and dies alone.
@jonknutton Never seen a more accurate description of a song.
@jonknutton Never seen a more accurate description of a song.
@jonknutton hey, I know this is kinda old but the lyric "the spark in her eyes" is actually "the spark in your eyes" thanks.
@jonknutton hey, I know this is kinda old but the lyric "the spark in her eyes" is actually "the spark in your eyes" thanks.