This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
She says
It helps with the lights out
Her rabid glow
Is like braille to the night
She swears
I'm a slave to the details
But if your life is such a big joke
Why should I care?
The clock is set for nine
But you know you're gonna make it eight
So that you two can take some time
Teach each other to reciprocate
She feels that my sentimental side
Should be held with kids gloves
But she doesn't know
That I left my urge in the icebox
She swears
I'm just prey for the female
Well then hook me up and throw me baby cakes
'Cause I like to get hooked
The clock is set for nine
But you know you're gonna make it eight
All the people that you've loved
They're all bound to leave some keepsakes
I've been swinging all the time
Think it's time I learned your way
I picture you and me together
In the jungle it will be okay
I'll bring you when my lifeboat
Sails through the night
That is supposing that
You don't sleep tonight
It's like learning a new language
Helps me catch up on my mind
If you don't bring up those lonely parts
This could be a good time
It's like learning a new language
You come here to me
We'll collect those lonely parts
And set them down
You come here to me
She says brief things
Her love's a pony
My love's subliminal
She says brief things
Her love's a pony
My love's subliminal
It helps with the lights out
Her rabid glow
Is like braille to the night
She swears
I'm a slave to the details
But if your life is such a big joke
Why should I care?
The clock is set for nine
But you know you're gonna make it eight
So that you two can take some time
Teach each other to reciprocate
She feels that my sentimental side
Should be held with kids gloves
But she doesn't know
That I left my urge in the icebox
She swears
I'm just prey for the female
Well then hook me up and throw me baby cakes
'Cause I like to get hooked
The clock is set for nine
But you know you're gonna make it eight
All the people that you've loved
They're all bound to leave some keepsakes
I've been swinging all the time
Think it's time I learned your way
I picture you and me together
In the jungle it will be okay
I'll bring you when my lifeboat
Sails through the night
That is supposing that
You don't sleep tonight
It's like learning a new language
Helps me catch up on my mind
If you don't bring up those lonely parts
This could be a good time
It's like learning a new language
You come here to me
We'll collect those lonely parts
And set them down
You come here to me
She says brief things
Her love's a pony
My love's subliminal
She says brief things
Her love's a pony
My love's subliminal
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Here is what Paul had to say about why they named the song after Leif Erikson:
Paul: That was one of those things where, if you were to be able to isolate the keyboard part to that song-- which you probably can't-- but if you were in the studio, or if you just heard us doing a soundcheck, there's a quality to it which someone commented was kind of Viking-esque. Like if you were watching a film, you could see the galleon approaching the coast, the fucking Vikings peering over the edge or whatever, and then I just said, you know, "Oh, Leif Erikson," and I was really happy that everyone could live with it, because for me, it's like absurdist. Absurdism is great, 'cause why not? It seems more arbitrary to take a lyric and make it your title than to take something completely out of left field."
Haha silly Paul, The hammond organ part is actually pretty easy too detect,other wierd keyboard sounds are also present,though the organ is more prominent
I've been thinking about this song a lot lately. i think it's about 2 individuals who are attracted to the subtleties(sp?) of the other's personality.
"she says brief things her loves a pony"
she has a cutesy, sort of naive attitude about life and shows her love in that obvious lovey dovey kind of way
"my love's subliminal" his love is harder to detect, but its there, sort of "between the lines"
the two of them connect in such a way that they don't need to say much to know how the other feels, hence: "it's like learning a new language, helps me catch up on my mind"
i'd love to know what anyone else thinks.
i think you got it right ...... i'm a new fan of Interpol and the the struggle in their relationship is the first think that came up in my mind
i felt like when he says "her loves a pony, my love's subliminal" that she finds love in material things, while he finds love in more of a mental stimulation type of way. i realize you posted this like...7 years ago. but yeah...late start for me. :/
i felt like when he says "her loves a pony, my love's subliminal" that she finds love in material things, while he finds love in more of a mental stimulation type of way. i realize you posted this like...7 years ago. but yeah...late start for me. :/
i felt like when he says "her loves a pony, my love's subliminal" that she finds love in material things, while he finds love in more of a mental stimulation type of way. i realize you posted this like...7 years ago. but yeah...late start for me. :/
this song is beautiful.
"her rabid glow is like braille to the night"-gorgeous line
no idea what he's talking about though
@paranoidandroid83 probably a reference to braille code which blind people can use to read.
leif erikson because he is discovering new territory. this is such a song about 2 people dealing with a difficult, real and deep situation of loving and growing together. i don't see it as depressing. they will keep growing together. this is a mature relationship. things are not seen pink and optimistic. love, yes. but realistic. there has been fear, taking things from sexual to emotional and understanding how far the other has gone in the process has been almost harrowing. for the man here this is completely new territory. we don't know about her, but we can imagine for her too...
i think a pony is slang for 25 british pounds, "her love's a pony", maybe this song is about a hooker
Other way around. She's the one who doesn't want to get too involved.
wow blackaliss, nice job with:
leif erikson because he is discovering new territory. this is such a song about 2 people dealing with a difficult, real and deep situation of loving and growing together. i don't see it as depressing. they will keep growing together. this is a mature relationship. things are not seen pink and optimistic. love, yes. but realistic. there has been fear, taking things from sexual to emotional and understanding how far the other has gone in the process has been almost harrowing. for the man here this is completely new territory. we don't know about her, but we can imagine for her too...
^totally reflects my sad life sighhhh
She says brief things, her love’s a pony My love’s subliminal
i think that just sums up my entire life.
i see it more as a couple who's realtionship is all about sex. however, the guy has become attached to the girl emotionally, and wants their relationship to mean something more. but "She feels that my sentimental side should be held with kid gloves" and doesn't want any of that. on the rest of it i'm kind of unsure, i think that he reconciled and decided to just let their relationships stay the way it is, even if he wants more, "cuz I like to get hooked." the last lines i interpret as just being a summary, and her love being "a pony" means that she just wants to have sex, her love is totally animal, and she doesn't talk much(she says brief things). but of course, like so many men, he is attached anyway, "my love's subliminal."
this is just my interpretation of what is in my opinion the best song on Turn On the Bright Lights and one of the best songs ever
i think a pony is slang for 25 british pounds, "her love's a pony", maybe this song is about a hooker