Lyrics for The High Party as interpreted by knifefight

The High Party Lyrics
I'm looking at another day to find that I've got nothing to say
Or I'm looking for another way to process what happened on that birthday
And either way, if you're gonna call it art
Then there's a cup in front of you and right away
If you're gonna play your part, you must drink it down
But mind eyes have seen the glory
Of the fields of flowers and factory floors
And my mind's content to lie at rest for hours
Behind my loved ones' doors and if there's a war
Another shitty war to fight for babylon
Then it's the perfect storm in a tea cup
But you must drink it down
And what do you make of the nights
When you thought you'd make much more
Than being too tired to turn the lights out
And too drunk to drink more?
And what does it take to not hear the cynics at your door saying
"It's time the turn the lights out, and you'll want to keep it down!"
So I'm lifting up that poison cup to drink a draught of propoganda
Or I'm giving up that other stuff in hopes that it will make me madder
But either way, if you're gonna call it art
Then there's a cup in front of you and right away
If you're gonna play your part
You must drink it down
And what do you make of nights
When you thought you'd make much more
Than being too tired to turn the lights out
And too drunk to drink more?
And what does it take to not hear the cynics at your door saying
"It's time the turn the lights out, and you'll want to keep it down!"
And what does it say of all the things you've said before
When you're too drunk to turn the lights out
And too tired to drink more?
And what do you save, and what does it feel like to be saved?
And can you "pull - 2 - 3 - 4! pull - 2 - 3 - 4!"
Can you drink it down?

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  • 19 Comments
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youeatpoop
10-03-2004

Rated 0 
come on, what a cool song

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strunkthedrunk
10-10-2004

Rated 0 
its the bomb :)

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sublimerina
11-17-2004

Rated 0 
"Or I'm looking for another way to process what happened on that birthday."

Ted Leo's birthday is on September 11, so here he's referring to the attacks on the World Trade Center.

He also refers to the then-impending war in Iraq:
"and if there's a war
Another shitty war to fight for Babylon
Then it's the perfect storm in a tea cup"
Babylon was located in present-day Iraq, and the First Gulf War was Operation Desert Storm, so that's where the "perfect storm" comes from.

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655321
11-21-2004

Rated 0 
the meaning i took from this song was an artists responsibility to make social/political commentary. ted basically saying the state of things aren't what i'd like them to be, and i will not censor myself because the president is fighting his war. i think that "there's a cup in front of you" is basically saying if you want to wear the badge of an artist be prepared to make your statement and accept the criticism you will undoubtedly recieve from those who don't agree with your opinion. ted has seriously changed my life. his lyrics, his music, and his conversations have been a constant inspiration to me.

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ohinvertedworld
11-27-2004

Rated 0 
just a small detail, but he says,
"Than being too drunk to turn the lights out
And too tired to drink more?"

plus, it makes a little more sense that way.

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ma0sm
01-09-2005

Rated 0 
I agree with the previous sentiments, but in the DIrty Old Town DVD, Ted's view on the song was more one of a confusion as an artist over whether the message they were giving was deemed worthy at a time that made so many Americans consider mortality as something closer to them than they'd like to imagine. He also expressed regret at leaving the line in about his birthday being September 11th and dismissing the idea as cheesy and accidentally left in.

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hermajesty
01-09-2005

Rated 0 
Brilliant song. :)

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LittleHonda
01-22-2005

Rated 0 
This is a political drinking song.

How cool is Ted Leo?

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LittleUnicornBoy
03-29-2005

Rated 0 
this is the best way you can possibly spend five minutes. you even have 7 seconds afterwards to recover from how great it is

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prilla1206
05-10-2005

Rated 0 
And what do you save? And what does it feel like to be saved? And can you pull - 2 - 3 - 4, pull - 2 - 3? Can you drink it down?

Wow! Amazing lyrics. Just drink those words in. This song gives me chills.

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deanoh
07-05-2005

Rated 0 
texas tea. too drunk to drink more- drunk on power. and after you've saved everyone do you think you could drink a little bit more? or are you too tiered? or too drunk? to stop saving everone.

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deanoh
07-05-2005

Rated 0 
texas tea. too drunk to drink more- drunk on power. and after you've saved everyone do you think you could drink a little bit more? or are you too tiered? or too drunk? to stop saving everone.

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nortymorty
08-20-2005

Rated 0 
The way I interpret this song is that it's a call-to-arms for people in the artistic community to be a bit more politicised. It's the line about "another shitty war to fight for Babylon, it's the perfect storm in a teacup but you must drink it down" etc. Either way, it's an absolutely frickin' ace song. Ted Leo will be my god of the week on my blog next week. Check it out on spaces.msn.com/members/yermam

Laters,

JMx

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foreign_hand
10-04-2005

Rated 0 
Everyone says 'Ballad of the Sin Eater' is the one to hear live, but I think this one matches it for performance quality. It made me think the world would only be fair if everyone got to hear Ted sing this in concert.

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emilyblanchette
01-14-2007

Rated 0 
Another shitty war to fight for babylon
Then it's the perfect storm in a tea cup
But you must drink it down
And what do you make of the nights
When you thought you'd make much more
Than being too tired to turn the lights out
And too drunk to drink more?

i think the drink is referring to the war, and turning the lights out would be ending it, and drinking more would be keeping it going,

and then when he says:
And what does it take to not hear the cynics at your door saying
"It's time the turn the lights out, and you'll want to keep it down!"

i think he is saying that the president isn't listening to the protestors, democrats, critics, etc. when they tell him to pull out of iraq.

And what do you save, and what does it feel like to be saved?
And can you "pull - 2 - 3 - 4! pull - 2 - 3 - 4!"
Can you drink it down?

and here he is basically saying that we aren't helping anyone in iraq, can you handle it?

that's just my take, but amazing song.

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MrDelirious
06-28-2007

Rated 0 
I don't think that what's in the cup is alcohol. I think that it's consequences. Of our actions in the Middle East specifically, but it goes wider. I think it's a "you have to deal with the consequences of your actions" thing.

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looking2hard
07-10-2007

Rated 0 
I think the key to this song is "So I'm lifting up that poison cup to drink a draft of propaganda
Or I'm giving up that other stuff in hopes that it will make me madder
But either way, if you're gonna call it art
Then there's a cup in front of you and right away
If you're gonna play your part
You must drink it down"
I think he is talking about how if you want to be an artist and make statements about politics and society then you have to get yourself all wrapped up in it when you would rather not even think about it even when it makes you mad. The anger reveals itself to be absolutely necessary if one wants to continue finding the inspiration to be an artist. It is probably exhausting and exasperating to keep it up.
Also the part, "And my mind's content to lie at rest for hours
Behind my loved ones' doors and if there's a war
Another shitty war to fight for Babylon
Then it's the perfect storm in a tea cup
But you must drink it down"
He would be happy on one level to let himself become oblivious and live a normal life like most people but he feels naturally obligated as an artist to have something to say and make a statement about things like the war. Also the fact that he refers to the "shitty war" as the "perfect storm in a teacup" is significant also giving consideration to the first line "I'm looking at another day to find that I've got nothing to say". A "storm in a teacup" is an expression that means some event that has been exaggerated and blown up to seem way more significant than it actually is. So maybe he didn't have much to say about 9/11 specifically as people expected him to because he regarded most of the talk that was going around basically as pointless gossip that gives people to get excited about and place there judgment on, hence "The High Party". Sorry that wasn't more articulate but I got a lot of thoughts at one time and I didn't take a lot of time to organize or revise any of them.

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dvndcm
07-11-2007

Rated 0 
also, its key to know that he is sXe, so a little bit of social comentary leaks in with the political.

i was wondering about the birthday line. good to know

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C. V. Catullus
04-18-2008

Rated 0 
Line 7: "...mind eyes have seen the glory..." is actually "...mine eyes have seen the glory..."

It's an allusion to the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

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