He swam steadily for most of the day. Suddenly he found
Himself approaching an enormous huge floating cavern.
Could it be an island? Pinocchio looked closed and he
Saw two huge rows of sharp yellow teeth and he realized
His mistake.

So he would sulk and drink and mope
And cross his arms and hope to die
And then a fairy came one night
To bring this sorry boy to life
She pulled some strings, spilled him about
That boy jumped up and began to shout
"My arms, my legs, my heart, my face
They are alive!"
And she would cry, "Liar, liar!
What have I done?
You're no lover, and I'm no fighter"

(The story goes on)

So he would buy her things and kiss her hair
To show he was for real
And she would take those gifts and kisses
Though just stringing him along
She knew about those wooden boys
They take empty love to fill the void
"Pinocchio, oh boy, how your nose has grown!"
So he would cry, "Liar, liar!"
I'll prove it to you!"
But then it grew
He had grown tired of her
So it was true

He left her apartment
And he walked all night long
Until he was stopped by the shore of the ocean
But still he walked on
Amongst the whales and waves
And screamed, "Liar, liar!"
And his wooden body floated away
He just drifted away

And now I wonder how I was made
Now I wonder how I was made
My arms, my legs, my heart, my face
My name is Driftwood



Lyrics submitted by ruben

"Driftwood: A Fairy Tale" as written by Gretta Mindy Cohn, Tim Kasher, Matthew Ryan Maginn, Clint Frederick Schnase, Ted James Stevens

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Driftwood: A Fairy Tale song meanings
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50 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:I believe this song has nothing to do with Pinocchio. I never really understood the meaning of this song until recently. I think he is talking about how a girl came into his life and he fell in love with the girl deeply. The girl brought him out of a slump of depression and he went along being really nice to the girl buying her everything in the world and only showing her love and all she did was tease him and didn't really want him just wanted to use him. Then he realized what was happening and it sent him into a deeper slump and gave him worse depression so bad that all he wanted to do was die. He just didn't give a fuck.

    I only think this is the meaning because I just had the same shit happen to me.
    Flag x9x9x9x9x9on December 30, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't agree that the relationship's end was due to the guy's "fakeness" and "lies." I think it's about a guy who is so worn out from failed relationships, then the girl comes along and sweeps him off his feet - she doesn't seem like all the rest. She represents hope for good love. However, little does he know that she, too, has had many failed relationships (sounds like because she's been lied to a lot or mistreated). She has a hard time believing he won't turn out like the rest, so she calls his love a lie and puts him through tests, trying to make sure his love is real. He tries and tries to prove to her he means it, but it exhausts him and he eventually has to give up because there's only so much a person can do - this turns him into that "liar," but it's inevitable when only one person is all in. So, yet again, it's another failed relationship. After so many bad relationships, he gives up on love - hardens up, and becomes apathetic and hopeless. The end.

    Basically, it's just like a girl who always accuses a new bf of doing something bad, because she's had many bad experiences in the past. The guy will eventually tire of trying to prove himself to her, and just give up, thus creating a cycle of jaded people that no longer see true love as something possible.
    Flag spunhearton February 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:ha! i caught you, talbott!
    Flag yeerk86on February 01, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Did anyone else noticed that he's saying two different things in each speaker?
    I wonder if there's a way to get a program that can separate the two or something....idk
    Flag ajealousenvyon March 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree with the person who wrote of being hollow inside and incapable of loving, although not incapable of feeling lonely and empty. Alas, now I wonder how I was made.
    Flag Troglodyteon November 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yet another song by Cursive that describes Kasher's feelings about how he felt his marriage was. Post-Domestica Cursive is always very personal.
    Flag kidsmoke91on August 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:. . . He swam steadily for most of the day. Suddenly he found himself approaching an enormous huge floating cavern. Could it be an island? Pinocchio looked close and he saw two huge rows of sharp yellow teeth, and he realized his mistake.

    So he would sulk and drink and mope
    And cross his arms and hope to die
    And then a fairy came one night
    To bring this sorry boy to life
    She pulled some strings, spilled him about
    That boy sprang up and began to shout
    "My arms, my legs, my heart, my face
    They are alive!"
    (Obviously, that's the normal Pinocchio story, where the fairy makes him "a real boy")


    And she would cry, "Liar, liar!
    What have I done?
    You're no lover, and I'm no figher"
    (She thinks she's made a mistake)



    The story goes on

    So he would buy her things and kiss her hair
    To show he was for real
    And she would take those gifts and kisses
    Though just stringing him along
    (He gave her everything because she's the only one that really loved him)


    She knew about those wooden boys
    It's an empty love to fill the void
    (She knew he was looking for love just to fill this hole he has inside)


    "Pinocchio, oh boy, how your nose has grown!"
    (She tells him he doesn't love her anymore)
    So he would cry, "Liar, liar!
    (He says she's wrong)
    I'll prove it to you!"
    But then it grew
    He had grown tired of her
    So it was true
    (He says "I love you" and his nose grows. Which means she was right.)


    He left her apartment
    And he walked all night long
    (He depressed so he decided to walk all night)


    Until he was stopped by the shore of the ocean
    But still he walked on
    Amongst the whales and waves
    (He jumps into the ocean)


    And screamed, "Liar, liar!"
    And his wooden body floated away
    He just drifted away
    And now I wonder how I was made
    Now I wonder how I was made
    My arms, my legs, my heart, my face
    My name is Driftwood
    (He floats away.)




    It's a very good song. The best I think Cursive has ever recorded. If you haven't listened to it, I suggest downloading it now.
    Flag ajealousenvyon May 08, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the imagery in this song is so vivid.

    ". . . He swam steadily for most of the day. Suddenly he found
    himself approaching an enormous huge floating cavern.
    Could it be an island? Pinocchio looked closed and he
    saw two huge rows of sharp yellow teeth and he realized
    his mistake. "
    that makes me think of a man, presumably the pinocchio mentioned in this song, having sexual intercourse on a regular basis and finally realizing that it would indeed take him nowhere.

    "He left her apartment
    And he walked all night long"
    "And his wooden body floated away
    He just drifted away"
    i think that's talking about the fear of commitment one night stands bring.

    "And now I wonder how I was made
    Now I wonder how I was made
    My arms, my legs, my heart, my face
    My name is Driftwood"
    that's the protagonist wondering if he himself was a product of a one-night stand and he ultimately realizes he is just a piece of 'driftwood', floating about through meaningless relationships.

    i'm sure all of the meanings posted above are all close in a way, however, i doubt anyone would succesfully be able to decipher any of kashers songs without any type of interview excerpt or hint. this is because not only is tim kasher an interesting lyricist, but an evocative one.

    one of my favorite cursive songs!
    Flag vulgaron March 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The whispering is honestly really creepy.

    It says something about
    "Come out come out wherever you are, come out before I drag you out."
    "...Something crashing down, there's a crashing sound..."
    "I'm Pinnochio, I'm a liar, depending on how often, it grows, and grows, and grows. What are you looking at? A little boy..."
    "...into the woods, but you forgot something as you left the scene..."

    It's killing me I really need to know exactly what they're saying... ):
    Flag groundfloweron March 03, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:ofcourse its a parallel to pinnochio, but thats not the depth of what the singer is trying to create. I think its about a man and his mistress. He holds onto her with his gifts and his kisses, but she knows shes just runner up to his wife. The wife finds out about the mistress and the husband/adulterer is cast out (into the ocean.)
    Flag favorstotheweston February 02, 2007   Link

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