Me and Mia

Eating Disorders

As I was walking through a life one morning The sun was out, the air was warm but ohh, I was cold,

Well, when you have an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia, and it makes you lose weight, it will also make you lose body heat faster.

and though I must have looked a half a person, to tell the tale in my own version, It was only then that I felt whole.

Because this person has been subjecting themselves to restrictive eating, they look irregularly skinny, or 'half a person'. But because this person feels good being hungry (I have read that some people actually like how veing starved feels), they feel 'whole.'

Do you believe in something beautiful? Then, get up and be it!

This could be about trying to fit in with society's standards of beauty. Do you think you should look like her? Then do it!

Fighting for the smallest goal: to get a little self-control. I know how hard you try. I see it in your eyes.

The smallest goal would be losing weight, or 'gaining self control' over what you eat. The singer is also saying that this is just some people's way of trying to fit in. They try hard for something they feel is important, but in the end it just ends up hurting them.

Call your friends, 'cause we've forgotten What it's like to eat what's rotten, and what's eating you alive, might help you to survive.

Basically: get help!! Call your friends, eat some food. 'What's eating you alive' refers to the person worrying that their eating disorder is getting out of control. And the singer says this worry is what could help you stay alive: listen to your body! Feed it!

We went on, as we were on a mission, latest in a Grand Tradition. Ohh, what did we find? It was Ego who was flying the banner, Me and Mia, Ann and Ana, ohh, we'd been unkind.

Here the singer takes on the persona of one with an eating disorder. 'Ego flying the banner' refers to his and Ann's unhealthy desire to look 'beautiful.' I think the grand tradition is a reference to how many people nationwide struggle with eating disorders. 'Me and Mia' is the singer and his/her trouble with bulimia and 'Ann and Ana' is the friend, Ann, and her troubles with anorexia. The reason they have 'been unkind' is because the eating disorders went too far, 'Me' and 'Ann' are now dangerously unhealthy.

Do you believe in something beautiful? Then, get up and be it! Fighting for the smallest goal: to get a little self-control. I see it in your eyes, I see it in your spine, But call your friends, 'cause we've forgotten What it's like to eat what's rotten And what's eating you alive, Might help you to survive

Again, the standard of beauty. Also 'I see it in your eyes, I see it in your spine' shows that the person is now very very thin. And it shows that people with eating disorders really are trying very hard, even if it's for all the wrong reasons.

Even the nights that could get better. And even the days aren't all that bad. And after a week of fighting, As more and more it seems the right thing

A week into the eating disorder's clutches, their doubts about it being unhealthy or wrong are slowly disappearing.

Do you believe in something beautiful? Then get up and be it Fighting for the smallest goal: To gain a little self-control

This is the same as before.

Won't anybody here just let you disappear? Not doctors, nor your mom nor dad, But me and Mia, Ann and Ana Know how hard you try, Don't you see it in my eyes?

It seems that the singer and Ann's parents have been taking them to doctors and making a fuss over thier disorder's. The singer sympathizes, saying 'won't anybody here just let you disappear?' which translates into 'why won't they just let you become as skinny as you want?' The lead singer says that doctors and their parents don't understand how important this is to them, so the struggling people feel like only their eating disorders understand: that not eating is the only thing that can make them feel better.

Sick to death of my dependence, Fighting food to find trancendence. Fighting to survive. More dead, but more alive. Cigarettes and speed to live, And sleeping pills to feel forgiven. All that you contrive, And all that you're deprived.

The lead singer and Ann are sick of relying on food. They fight it because it makes them feel better. In order to help the cravings, they take speed or smoke cigarettes. Clearly the disorders are becoming more and more serious as time goes on. Because they are taking so many chemicals into their system and have not eaten for a long time, it is difficult to get to sleep, so they take sleeping pills when they can't get to bed on their own, to escape thier problems.

All the bourgeois social angels Telling you you've got to change. Don't have any idea. They'll never see so clear. But don't forget what it really means to hunger strike, When you don't really need to Some are dying for the cause, but that don't make it yours. And even the nights, they could get better

The bourgeois social angels are models and actresses and all these too-thin people we feel like comparing ourselves too. They don't know the horrible impact they are having on people all over who struggle with eating disorders. The last part of the song is the most important, I think. The lead singer says to remember you are not stopping eating for a valid reason. Other people go on hunger strikes for political reasons and it doesn't mean that you should hunger strike for no reason. The reference to 'nights that could get better' is about losing sleep over guilt about the damage disorder sufferers are doing to themselves. It is a difficult and confusing string of illnesses to overcome, and it is not uncommon to lose sleep over it.

"Do you believe in something beautiful? Then get up and be it"

how can someone NOT like a song with a chorus like that

Holy shit, Fionar, I never would have figured that out. And, not to sound immodest, but I'm pretty good at figuring out what songs mean. Man, I don't know if I can sing along so happily to this song anymore.

What a great allegory, though. Damn.

from personal experience i'm pretty sure its about eating disorders--he does a really good job capturing the mindset of someone going through recovery

this song is incredible- the lyrics are so powerful. There is definately a very literal interpretation to eating disorders. but I think what gives the song its kick is the comparison between political movements and individual struggles... For example, at the climax of the song: "But don't forget what it really means to hunger strike, When you don't really need to/ Some are dying for the cause, but that don't make it yours" juxtaposes the idea of starving for vanity and the idea of starving for a cause. This song also goes deep into the psyche of someone who is struggling with an eating disorder, and the lyrics almost suggest that the disease has to do with someone internalizing a politcal struggle as a personal struggle. in any case, this song takes my breath away every time I hear it.

It's clearly about eating disorders (mia=bulimia, ann/ana=anorexia)... As well as the constant references to food, etc. I love this song, it's so emotional.

rockin it.

ok, i just heard this song last night and i think its awesome!

i just heard this song today and it rocks my sox.

this song really is amazing - and this record is just as solid