All your seven dreams
Look close, son, and you’ll believe
As your things come undone
See you are the only one
Not certain of meaning. The writer seems to be addressing a son who has seven dreams. Seems odd to have seven dreams unless he does not really know what he wants to do. Look close at what? At this parable of the flower and snail?
Seems a little discouraging to say – ‘as your things come undone, see you are the only one’ – unless he is saying that all the other flowers are out and the son is not flowering like he should.
Note: I believe the son is the flower and the snail is the observer – maybe the patient father. See below – the writer is addressing the Flower (son) – The Father is waiting for his wake.
Flower, seize the hour, I did, I wait
Waiting, waiting for your wake, I’ll wait
When you wake up you’re all weak
Throwing your life away
Someday, sorry coming home
Sorry snail
What you wait for?
Flowers probably do wake up weak – due to a night of no sun. In the case of the son - this could be apathy. Waking up with no direction - throwing life away. I guess the father thinks he will be sorry someday.
I think it could be the flower (son) saying “sorry snail, what you wait for?”
Kind of humorous in a way because snails are obviously slow and for a snail to wait would imply a very long wait – like it’s never going to happen. I don’t know if snails hang around waiting for flowers to open, but it seems this one is. It is a sad picture assuming the snail is the father.
Flower, the pain will wash away, away
When the sun shines
Climbs through your window into your bed
Make you wonder if the son is pained somehow. Maybe pained for the snail?
I picture a son in bed not wanting to get up. This part is sung softly, like the father is trying to encourage the son somehow. Though a flower may not necessarily be behind a window – it would be in a flowerbed – nice use of metaphor there...
When you wake up you’re all weak
Throwing your life away
Someday, sorry coming home
Sorry snail
Down in my heart?
Repeat of previous. ‘Down in my heart’ sounds like ‘down in my home’. The live version shows Billy pounding his heart – so it must be heart…
Either way – it seems like the son is sorry - down in his heart.
Flower save the hours
Flower away
This seems to be the climax of the song. The drums rolling and all. Is the flower opening? ‘Flower away!’ seems to suggest the flower is deploying petals. The music seems to communicate some sort of desperation here.
What you wait for?
Flower chase the sunshine
Flower chase the sunshine
Flower
I think it is now the snail (father) saying back ‘What you wait for?’
Seems odd there is so much emotion in the music at this point. Is there not another day?
Maybe the son has opened up and has decided to do something and the father wants him to chase it before he gets discouraged again?
Maybe the father has reached the end of his life and wants to see his son prospering before he goes?
It really is open to interpretation at this point.
The interpretation by Xaz was good. I hope this one is also useful?
I did not realize until this day how deep this song was.
Smashing Pumpkins Snail
My analysis and thoughts
All your seven dreams Look close, son, and you’ll believe As your things come undone See you are the only one
Not certain of meaning. The writer seems to be addressing a son who has seven dreams. Seems odd to have seven dreams unless he does not really know what he wants to do. Look close at what? At this parable of the flower and snail? Seems a little discouraging to say – ‘as your things come undone, see you are the only one’ – unless he is saying that all the other flowers are out and the son is not flowering like he should. Note: I believe the son is the flower and the snail is the observer – maybe the patient father. See below – the writer is addressing the Flower (son) – The Father is waiting for his wake.
Flower, seize the hour, I did, I wait Waiting, waiting for your wake, I’ll wait
When you wake up you’re all weak Throwing your life away Someday, sorry coming home Sorry snail What you wait for?
Flowers probably do wake up weak – due to a night of no sun. In the case of the son - this could be apathy. Waking up with no direction - throwing life away. I guess the father thinks he will be sorry someday. I think it could be the flower (son) saying “sorry snail, what you wait for?”
Kind of humorous in a way because snails are obviously slow and for a snail to wait would imply a very long wait – like it’s never going to happen. I don’t know if snails hang around waiting for flowers to open, but it seems this one is. It is a sad picture assuming the snail is the father.
Flower, the pain will wash away, away When the sun shines Climbs through your window into your bed
Make you wonder if the son is pained somehow. Maybe pained for the snail? I picture a son in bed not wanting to get up. This part is sung softly, like the father is trying to encourage the son somehow. Though a flower may not necessarily be behind a window – it would be in a flowerbed – nice use of metaphor there...
When you wake up you’re all weak Throwing your life away Someday, sorry coming home Sorry snail Down in my heart?
Repeat of previous. ‘Down in my heart’ sounds like ‘down in my home’. The live version shows Billy pounding his heart – so it must be heart… Either way – it seems like the son is sorry - down in his heart.
Flower save the hours Flower away
This seems to be the climax of the song. The drums rolling and all. Is the flower opening? ‘Flower away!’ seems to suggest the flower is deploying petals. The music seems to communicate some sort of desperation here.
What you wait for? Flower chase the sunshine Flower chase the sunshine Flower
I think it is now the snail (father) saying back ‘What you wait for?’ Seems odd there is so much emotion in the music at this point. Is there not another day? Maybe the son has opened up and has decided to do something and the father wants him to chase it before he gets discouraged again? Maybe the father has reached the end of his life and wants to see his son prospering before he goes? It really is open to interpretation at this point. The interpretation by Xaz was good. I hope this one is also useful?
I did not realize until this day how deep this song was.