I re listened to this song today for the first time in a long time, since first listening my opinions on what I think it's all about have changed. Much in the same light as Ed Sheerans "A-Team" I'm convinced this song is from the point of view from a "normal" guy, who sees the intricate beauty of things and a relationship he has engaged on with a girl who is addicted to heroin.
"even though the faded glow wont burn through all your bars" - glow of smoking heroin on foil and the bars being the prison of the drug.
"you put out to put up" - the use of sex for drugs
"Even while your lightning smile was shaking in the smoke" - The way the satisfaction of the hit causes the face to twitch a little before becoming relaxed and then turns into a smile with the satisfaction of the hit.
"Your head was full of hope" - The optimism of being able to get off it, as that was the "last hit". Also to me and I very well may be projecting here, but almost sounds like 'Head was full of dope"
"Because I am a member of the butterfly culture" - Someone who notices the small and beautiful things that often get overlooked... Like heroin addicts.
"Because I am a member of the butterfly culture
Where we work and we take
We play and we pray to god" - This seems to me to be one of her clients, not actually an adoring lover. Which I first assumed it would be due to lovely soft melodies. People in the butterfly culture kill the butterflies they catch. They appreciate them sure, but they don't love them. They kill them for their own viewing pleasure and keep them in glass cases.
"That the girl in that dress will undress
And distress you with the way that she moves" - The punter wants her naked but is distressed by how skinny or abused the body has become.
"Even now when you know how
To measure up the risk
Your still not tired of this" - Concerning how proficient heroin users are in their dosage and how they are aware of the risks involved and how detrimental it is to their bodies. But still not tired of it, due to the addiction of course.
"Even when the pills you take
Turn you to a ghost" - Drug terms and also the imagery of a ghost is horrible apt for the body of a heroin addict.
"You still spin around the most" not sure if I'm honest. Maybe tied to being spun out, which is a term most will know to be related to days spent high on class A's.
I truly may be wrong, but the more I listen to it the more I believe it's about heroin abuse... I know the general consensus is different to my own, but if anyone sees what I'm seeing here I would love to know.
I re listened to this song today for the first time in a long time, since first listening my opinions on what I think it's all about have changed. Much in the same light as Ed Sheerans "A-Team" I'm convinced this song is from the point of view from a "normal" guy, who sees the intricate beauty of things and a relationship he has engaged on with a girl who is addicted to heroin.
"even though the faded glow wont burn through all your bars" - glow of smoking heroin on foil and the bars being the prison of the drug.
"you put out to put up" - the use of sex for drugs
"Even while your lightning smile was shaking in the smoke" - The way the satisfaction of the hit causes the face to twitch a little before becoming relaxed and then turns into a smile with the satisfaction of the hit.
"Your head was full of hope" - The optimism of being able to get off it, as that was the "last hit". Also to me and I very well may be projecting here, but almost sounds like 'Head was full of dope"
"Because I am a member of the butterfly culture" - Someone who notices the small and beautiful things that often get overlooked... Like heroin addicts.
"Because I am a member of the butterfly culture Where we work and we take We play and we pray to god" - This seems to me to be one of her clients, not actually an adoring lover. Which I first assumed it would be due to lovely soft melodies. People in the butterfly culture kill the butterflies they catch. They appreciate them sure, but they don't love them. They kill them for their own viewing pleasure and keep them in glass cases.
"That the girl in that dress will undress And distress you with the way that she moves" - The punter wants her naked but is distressed by how skinny or abused the body has become.
"Even now when you know how To measure up the risk Your still not tired of this" - Concerning how proficient heroin users are in their dosage and how they are aware of the risks involved and how detrimental it is to their bodies. But still not tired of it, due to the addiction of course.
"Even when the pills you take Turn you to a ghost" - Drug terms and also the imagery of a ghost is horrible apt for the body of a heroin addict.
"You still spin around the most" not sure if I'm honest. Maybe tied to being spun out, which is a term most will know to be related to days spent high on class A's.
I truly may be wrong, but the more I listen to it the more I believe it's about heroin abuse... I know the general consensus is different to my own, but if anyone sees what I'm seeing here I would love to know.