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"
Walk across the courtyard, towards the library
I can hear the insects buzz and the leaves 'neath my feet
Ramble up the stairwell, into the hall of books
Since we got the interweb these hardly get used
Duck into the men's room, combing through my hair
When god gave us mirrors he had no idea
Looking for a lesson in the periodicals
There I spy you listening to the AM radio
Karen of the carpenters, singing in the rain
Another lovely victim of the mirror's evil way
It's not like you're not trying, with a pencil in your hair
To defy the beauty the good lord put in there
Simple little bookworm, buried underneath
Is the sexiest librarian
Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me
So I watch you thru the bookcase, imagining a scene
You and I at dinner, spending time, then to sleep
And what then would I say to you, lying there in bed?
These words, with a kiss, I would plant in your head
"What is it inside our heads that makes us do the opposite?
Makes us do the opposite of what's right for us?
Cause everything'd be great, and everything'd be good
If everybody gave like everybody could"
Sweetest little bookworm
Hidden underneath
Is the sexiest librarian
Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me
Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me
Simple little beauty, heaven in your breath
The simplest of pleasures, the world at it's best
I can hear the insects buzz and the leaves 'neath my feet
Ramble up the stairwell, into the hall of books
Since we got the interweb these hardly get used
Duck into the men's room, combing through my hair
When god gave us mirrors he had no idea
Looking for a lesson in the periodicals
There I spy you listening to the AM radio
Karen of the carpenters, singing in the rain
Another lovely victim of the mirror's evil way
It's not like you're not trying, with a pencil in your hair
To defy the beauty the good lord put in there
Simple little bookworm, buried underneath
Is the sexiest librarian
Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me
So I watch you thru the bookcase, imagining a scene
You and I at dinner, spending time, then to sleep
And what then would I say to you, lying there in bed?
These words, with a kiss, I would plant in your head
"What is it inside our heads that makes us do the opposite?
Makes us do the opposite of what's right for us?
Cause everything'd be great, and everything'd be good
If everybody gave like everybody could"
Sweetest little bookworm
Hidden underneath
Is the sexiest librarian
Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me
Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me
Simple little beauty, heaven in your breath
The simplest of pleasures, the world at it's best
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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.
The mirror is a good/bad thing. The librarian doesn't realize that she is beautiful and sexy. The mirror has not corrupted her. If you ask most guys they will tell you that this is the type of girl they find to be the sexiest. The type that isn't corrupted by her looks in any form or fashion. She is just naturally beautiful.
Also, this song is basically pure poetry. He describes an entire love scene, yet never truly describes the librarian. The listener can practically walk with the singer and see and feel what he does. The scene is painted perfectly for you in your mind's eye. Yet the librarian is left up to the listener. She has the stereotypical glasses and pencil in hair hair, but what the girl looks like... totally up to the listener. It allows you put fall in love with your own librarian. Then the song goes deeper by explaining that its not about the beauty she has outwardly, but her entire beauty.
Pure poetry... its amazing.
Sir,<br /> <br /> I signed up to this website just so I could shower you with compliments for such a beautiful opinion.<br /> <br /> Hail.
Ditto
Thats the most logical, perfectly written out comment ive ever seen on this site, you are now my hero
Very well said. I agree with what you said about the mirror corrupting beauty, that beauty is far more attractive when it's not self-aware.
Haha thanks for the kind words.
Plus Karen Carpenter was anorexic, so she was definitely obsessed with her appearance and looking good, and it eventually killed her.
Right on about the appearance thing regarding the "mirrors" line. Jim is saying that the mirror couldn't show him the beauty he sees in the libriarian.
Great descriptiveness...this song stood out on the album right away and I remember actually envisioning walking to the library, with the "buzz on the leaves 'neath my feet". ((GOOSEBUMPS))
hooooooly shit this is one of the best songs I've heard in years. This band is incredible
I think it's obviously about him seeing a librarian and thinking about what they could do together, but I would love some suggestions on what he means about the mirrors.
I'm in love with the librarian.
i always thought the line was, "'cause everything'd be great, and everything'd be good, IF everybody gave like everybody could." doesn't that make more sense?
readingkerouac-<br /> <br /> Yes, I am sure that you are correct. I always thought it was "...IF..." too.<br /> <br /> It makes a hell of a lot more sense than "AND" does...<br /> <br /> Great song. Let's your imagination run wild with images.<br /> <br />
the best song of the new album for sure
This song is amazing.. His voice sounds so good with the acoustic guitar and strings..
Great song, beautiful recording....but the best part is the fact that he says "interweb!"
Ok, maybe that's not the BEST part, but it's hilarious and awesome.