First off, fucking love this song since I first heard it! Even those first 2 notes with the fuzz tone on the guitar just hit me like a “fix” of some musical drug. So being slightly obsessed with this and all of Elliot’s work I broke it down:
You want every day to be like that magic first
When she took shape in your eyes and you in hers
You're going down to see her, it's a big mistake
She got ice she don't want anyone to break
“You” (the girl presumably) in her first-love way, is thrilled by that first date feeling after meeting a boy (Elliot or the narrator in the song) and tries to keep that excitement going, but it's a mistake to go and see her because you might break the illusion (represented by "ice").
Don't call on me to make disguises fade away
Cause honestly I’m more inclined to let them stay
On your faces and over mine
The “me” in this part seems to be Elliot’s alter-ego or his inner thoughts, which advises him to leave the apparent façade as is.
I know how to turn others inside out
I can't stand by here waiting while they dumb me down
I fit the perfect picture that you want for all
The fix is in I’m going where i don't belong
This part is interesting and could be interpreted in a lot of ways. The “I” is obviously the narrator (Elliot) who says in response to his inner thoughts that he himself can “turn others inside out” (i.e. remove the disguises), which is necessary to not be dumbed down to a fantasy world. The next line about fitting the picture I’m stumped by, maybe he’s saying that he fits this girl’s romantic ideals, but nevertheless he’s had the urge to leave and he’s already decided to go. Another thing that also confuses me about this part is why he doesn’t “belong” – it could be that he’s going to her and will fulfil the “mistake” and essentially doesn’t belong being with her.
Sweet nothing is a something in me
Sweet nothing is a something in me
Sweet nothing, pretty nothing
I fucking LOVE this chorus and the mix of darkness and light, the contrast of the word sweet with the tonal eeriness of the instrumental and softness of Elliot’s voice.
Lyrically, Elliot seems to say that his nothingness or emptiness is actually “sweet” and indeed is “something” in him. He goes as far as to be adoring of this inner vacuum by saying “sweet nothing, pretty nothing” as though he’s doting over it like it were real and that it something that only he is aware of.
When you go talking trash I’m surprised at what you say
Why you want to keep these lies on parade
This is the first time the narrator actually describes the lover/girlfriend and it obviously is disparaging of her, saying that she’s false and seems to be cool with just openly lying and again living this kind of fantasy full of falseness and lies.
Nothing's going to make me shy
This line lyrically set’s up the last part of the song because it expresses that the narrator has had enough, he’s decided to leave and nothing is going to stop him or make him “shy”. Then we get the repeat of the pre-verse.
I know how to turn others inside out
I can't stand by here waiting while you dumb me down
I fit the perfect picture that you want for all
The fix is in I'm going where i don't belong
Let me know if you agree/disagree with my interpretation, would really like to know how others see this song…
First off, fucking love this song since I first heard it! Even those first 2 notes with the fuzz tone on the guitar just hit me like a “fix” of some musical drug. So being slightly obsessed with this and all of Elliot’s work I broke it down:
You want every day to be like that magic first When she took shape in your eyes and you in hers You're going down to see her, it's a big mistake She got ice she don't want anyone to break
“You” (the girl presumably) in her first-love way, is thrilled by that first date feeling after meeting a boy (Elliot or the narrator in the song) and tries to keep that excitement going, but it's a mistake to go and see her because you might break the illusion (represented by "ice").
Don't call on me to make disguises fade away Cause honestly I’m more inclined to let them stay On your faces and over mine
The “me” in this part seems to be Elliot’s alter-ego or his inner thoughts, which advises him to leave the apparent façade as is.
I know how to turn others inside out I can't stand by here waiting while they dumb me down I fit the perfect picture that you want for all The fix is in I’m going where i don't belong
This part is interesting and could be interpreted in a lot of ways. The “I” is obviously the narrator (Elliot) who says in response to his inner thoughts that he himself can “turn others inside out” (i.e. remove the disguises), which is necessary to not be dumbed down to a fantasy world. The next line about fitting the picture I’m stumped by, maybe he’s saying that he fits this girl’s romantic ideals, but nevertheless he’s had the urge to leave and he’s already decided to go. Another thing that also confuses me about this part is why he doesn’t “belong” – it could be that he’s going to her and will fulfil the “mistake” and essentially doesn’t belong being with her.
Sweet nothing is a something in me Sweet nothing is a something in me Sweet nothing, pretty nothing
I fucking LOVE this chorus and the mix of darkness and light, the contrast of the word sweet with the tonal eeriness of the instrumental and softness of Elliot’s voice.
Lyrically, Elliot seems to say that his nothingness or emptiness is actually “sweet” and indeed is “something” in him. He goes as far as to be adoring of this inner vacuum by saying “sweet nothing, pretty nothing” as though he’s doting over it like it were real and that it something that only he is aware of.
When you go talking trash I’m surprised at what you say Why you want to keep these lies on parade
This is the first time the narrator actually describes the lover/girlfriend and it obviously is disparaging of her, saying that she’s false and seems to be cool with just openly lying and again living this kind of fantasy full of falseness and lies.
Nothing's going to make me shy
This line lyrically set’s up the last part of the song because it expresses that the narrator has had enough, he’s decided to leave and nothing is going to stop him or make him “shy”. Then we get the repeat of the pre-verse.
I know how to turn others inside out I can't stand by here waiting while you dumb me down I fit the perfect picture that you want for all The fix is in I'm going where i don't belong
Let me know if you agree/disagree with my interpretation, would really like to know how others see this song…