Look up and what do you see? All of you and all of me
Fluorescent and starry, some of them, they surprise
The bus ride, I went to write this, 4:00 a.m, this letter
Fields of poppies, little pearls, all the boys and all the girls
Sweet-toothed, each and every one a little scary
I said your name, I wore it like a badge of teenage film stars
Hash bars, cherry mash and tinfoil tiaras
Dreaming of Maria Callas, whoever she is
This fame thing, I don't get it
I wrap my hand in plastic to try to look through it
Maybelline eyes and girl-as-boy moves
I can take you far, this star thing, I don't get it

(I'll take you over there)
(I'll take you over there)
Aluminum tastes like fear
Adrenaline, it pulls us near
(I'll take you over there)
It tastes like fear
(I'll take you over)

Will you live to eighty-three? Will you ever welcome me?
Will you show me something that nobody else has seen?
Smoke it, drink, here comes the flood, anything to thin the blood
These corrosives do their magic slowly and sweet
Phone, eat it, drink, just another chink
Cuts and dents, they catch the light
Aluminum, the weakest link
I don't want to disappoint you, I'm not here to anoint you
I would lick your feet, but is that the sickest move?
I wear my own crown of sadness and sorrow
And who'd have thought tomorrow would be so strange?
My loss, and here we go again

(I'll take you over there)
(I'll take you over there)
Aluminum tastes like fear
Adrenaline, it pulls us near
(I'll take you over there)
It tastes like fear, pulls us near
(I'll take you over)

Look up and what do you see?
All of you and all of me, florescent and starry
And some of them, they surprise
I can't look it in the eyes, Seconal, Spanish fly, absinthe, kerosene
Cherry-flavored neck and collar
I can smell the sorrow on your breath
The sweat, the victory and sorrow, the smell of fear
I got it

(I'll take you over there)
Aluminum tastes like fear
Adrenaline, it pulls us near
(I'll take you over, take you there)
Aluminum, tastes like fear
Adrenaline, it pulls us near
(I'll take you over, take you there)
It tastes like fear, pulls us near
(I'll take you over, take you there)
It tastes like fear, pulls us near

Pulls us near
It tastes like fear
Tastes like fear
Pulls us near
Pulls us near
Near, near
Over, over, over, over
Over, over, over, yeah
I'll take you over
I'll take you over, I'll take you there
Oh, over
I'll take you there
Over, baby
I'll take you over
There, there
I'll take you there
There, baby


Lyrics submitted by xpankfrisst

E-Bow The Letter Lyrics as written by Peter Buck Bill Berry

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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E-Bow The Letter song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    there's a few things wrong w/ this...

    the bus <i>arrived</i>...yes, like a <i>badge</i>...i believe, tho i'm not sure, it is <i>foam</i>, eat it, drink...<i>in</i> saddness...

    anyhow...peter buck wrote the music and when he played if for michael stipe he remembered this letter he wrote to river phoenix shortly before he died but never got to send...he pulled out the unsent letter and, although it was written in prose, it had such a powerful meter that it transfered right into the song...anyhow, about river phoenix's drug addiction and how easy it is to get caught up in ur success and not realize ur mistakes...

    ...i didn't really understand it, but i read a very scientifically presented account of wat the aluminum reference meant...it's sumthin like, when ur afraid ur body secretes metal-like substances and u get the taste of aluminum in ur mouth...very obscure reference indeed...the paranoia brought on by drugs brings about feelings of fear, and that taste of aluminum in ur mouth...also, the "tinfoil tiaras" r used for taking speed or cocaine

    ZinbobDanon May 24, 2004   Link

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