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The Orchids Lyrics

When all the numbers swim together and all the shadows settle
When doors forced open shut again a flytrap and a petal
My eyes burn and claws rush in to fill them
And in the morning after the night i fall in love with the light
It is so clear i realize and here at last i have my eyes

When all the figures sound retreat the soft skin starts to shrivel
When dreams made real become less sweet the orchid and the metal
My sex turns and claws rush in to spill them
And in the morning after the night i fall in love with the light
It is so pure i can arrive without the fear of seeing my eyes

When all the characters full size and every moon is level
When all the spirits burn in lies as center grief by steel
My eyes burn and claws rush in to fill them
But in the morning after the night i fall in love with the light
It is so clear i realize and now at last i have my eyes
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6 Meanings

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Cover art for The Orchids lyrics by Califone

this is such a beautiful song- a lyrical poem really. I think its about waking up in the morning and seeing the world in new eyes. However, there are some beautiful sexual references as well, so I am not exactly sure how that relates in with seeing the world in the morning light in a new way.. maybe the night before included really great sex?

Cover art for The Orchids lyrics by Califone

I believe the meaning of this song is something I experienced recently! You have a night of great love, sex, what have you, and then in the morning you wake up and you realize that person you were with all night is truly something incredibly special and unique. This song is very good realization that sex can be very beautiful.

Cover art for The Orchids lyrics by Califone

this is a cover of a Psychic TV song off the album 'dreams less sweet' which is ironic considering how sweet this proposed dream is. I think this song really lends itself to the tenderness of tim's candor, and the general feeling of the record. it was a choice.

Cover art for The Orchids lyrics by Califone

I'm not so sure that this song is explicitly about sex, despite the fact that he says the word "sex" in the 2nd stanza.

"Soft skin starts to shrivel" seems to be referring to aging, but I'm really not sure about the rest of the meaning.

What do you guys think about the significance of eyes, claws, metal and all the flower-related metaphors?

The orchid and petals could indeed be about a sexual experience, but the song just really doesn't seem to be able the beauty of sex, if anything perhaps a more general view on the beauty of the world? I'm not sure

Cover art for The Orchids lyrics by Califone

i think hes describing the world and its simple beauties. maybe he had a bad night and when he wakes up the light makes him realize he is happy to see.

this song can be interpreted several ways. to me he talks of the wee hours of the morning when time is irrelevant and shadows stand still and of a girl or a relationship that had ended but on this night is rekindled and the damage it causes is that of a fly trap but its beauty is that of a petal. No matter how hard they try they cant close this chapter.

"when dreams made real become less sweet" is the realisation that this relationship is more beautiful in songs, poems and letters but in reality it gets bitter and...

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Cover art for The Orchids lyrics by Califone

This is a cover of a Psychic TV song. It is about getting a prince albert tattoo.