A Perfect Circle – Blue

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  Song Meaning:Every song of the album depicts different viewpoints of addiction. The name itself, "Thirteenth step" is a direct reference to the 12 step programs of AA and NA.
  
  "I didn't want to know
  I just didn't want to know
  Best to keep things in the shallow end
  Cause I never quite learned how to swim "
  ^-This song is about being in denial about a loved one's opiate abuse while they ruin their life over it.
  
  "Call an optimist, she's turning blue
  Such a lovely color for you
  Call it aftermath, she's turning blue
  While I just sit and stare at you "
  ^- When some one is dieing/"falling out" from a heroin overdose, they turn a blue-ish color and twitch. The person is just hoping for the best, that their loved one will just be okay without anyone intervening. Obviously this never happens because they just "sit and stare" at the addicted love one, letting the person just die from the opiate abuse.
  
  "Mistook their nods for an approval
  Just ignore the smoke and smile "
  ^- Referring to 'nodding out' while under the influence of heroin, smoke from the actual process of doing the drug.

  Flag CSKupo1959on May 15, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:I read that this song is about someone full of fear and having trouble coping with returning to life after an overdose or a psychedelic death trip, although I'm not sure how accurate that may be.

  Flag Tig45on May 02, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:I just want to clear up the "smoke" thing. It seems fairly clear to me that "smoke" refers to "smoke and mirrors" (a figure of speech used to describe illusionary tactics) and the line "ignore the smoke" to me basically means to CHOOSE to be ignorant to what's going on around you. I don't yet have a comment on the rest of the song.

  Flag crystallaon March 09, 2013   Link

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  My Interpretation:I think it's the other way around. I think he or she, whomever he is singing to, was in denial about the singer (abusing drugs, making bad decisions, etc.) and they initially ignored all the warning signs. ("Smoke" is just a metaphor) After it all came out in the wash, they were committed to him and stuck around, regardless of his refusal to change. "Til I'm blue in the face" is a saying referring to exhausting all efforts and he is sarcastically acknowledging it.

  Flag cberryon July 05, 2012   Link

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  Song Meaning:First of all, allow me to say, it is "optimist".
  
  The song is about finding something new about someone, noticing a sudden change in someone, or or being deceived by someone, which repulses you/him. This is why he says things like ignore the smoke. Just act like he never knew, the smoke was never there, he never found out.
  
  He's saying to call an optimist because in the situation he is not optimistic. He has no faith in it.
  
  People generally jump straight to "drowning" figuratively or metaphorically when someone turns "blue".
  Truth is, they are turning "blue" because whatever he found out is killing her. Its ruining her in every possible way. Not only for herself but also how he viewed her and now he cant ever look at her the same.
  
  The lyrics reference which substaintially agrees with what im saying is that he says "Such a lovely color for you". Basically saying, "Sure, go ahead, great idea." or "Who am I to stop you from doing what you want, I had to find out like this, right?". Basically just letting it be because hes so disgusted he just doesnt care anymore and hes quite sure, pestimistic, that it will not ever be the same between them.
  
  When he says, "Mistook their nods for approval", that was actually speaking for her, and she just assumed he was ok with it, or not bothered, and she went and continued. So he ignored how aweful it was, never confronted her, and just smiled like everything was perfect.

  Flag SongInterpreteron July 03, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:Honestly without question, this song is about Maynard watching someone he loves, die. " Ignore the smoke, Ignore the smoke." Basically drug related obviously unless, Maynard is using the word "Smoke" as another meaning for something. Im not sure but that is what im getting out of this song. For those who say it is about an affair, I wanna hear you're explanations and evidence to show that cause I'm just not seeing it.

  Flag ShadesOfGreenon May 18, 2012   Link

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    Also now that I look closer at the lyrics, " I close my eyes just to look at you, taken by the seemless vision" it also could mean hes dreaming about someone dying and the smoke could be them fading away.

    Flag ShadesOfGreenon May 18, 2012  
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  General Comment:I think he may be talking about a person he knows being consumed by meth... hence, "blue" of all colors. And the album is "Thirteenth Step"... AA anyone? Addiction-based song in my opinion. Thanks for reading :)

  Flag Destinedtorememberon April 29, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:the song is about a woman you come in contact with when your on another level of awareness.....psychedelics!!!!!

  Flag goodolebadkidon April 15, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I think all of his songs have a meaning of his own. He wants listeners to have or come up with their own meanings, their own interpretations of his songs.

  Flag thatgirl5on November 15, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:This is deff written as an internal dialogue – he imagining talking to or about someone
  Keep things in the shallow end is him telling himself no to go too far – ignore the smoke and smile – ignore what is going on around you, the judgments and questions of others- whatever you don’t like or can’t handle and try to remain happy in your delusion..
  I thought of it as he is in a relationship with one person but develops an infatuation with another someone that maybe isn’t reciprocating or even aware of his feelings. He knows that his infatuation is damaging to the person he is in relationship with, but doesn’t want to see it or isn’t associating it appropriately favoring this idea of another person to the point where even seeing the person he is in relationship with drown, or die, or in some way “turn blue” he is reminded of this other person’s beauty.
  Smoke could be like being under fire – or being accused of something – maybe killing or driving to suicide the person he is or was in a relationship with.
  Honestly this song was probably not about one specific thing… it’s got symbolism, and a few good lines and sounds great but I don’t know if it tells a story about anything and is therefore more relatable in that sense. Maybe you’re the one that is ignored? maybe you’re the one worshiped? maybe you’re criminally insane? Idk maybe you ignore your problems and wait for them to go away on their own while you distract yourself with more superficial issues?
  

  Flag askthealligatoron October 12, 2011   Link

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