Lyrics for 40 Ft. as interpreted by _valerie

40 Ft. Lyrics
As I glance once upon the foam
40 feet beneath my feet
The coldest calm falls
Through the molten veins
Cooling all the blood to slush
That congeals around the brain

La la la

40 feet remain

Salt scales upon my drying arms
Burn my back beneath the sun
But I am cold beneath the burning rays
Looking down, looking down
Down, down again

La la la

40 feet remain


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  • 65 Comments
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SurferRosa
05-27-2004

Rated 0 
Whoa...almost makes suicide seem tragically beautiful.

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Kilo
06-01-2004

Rated 0 
Actually, I read in an interview with FF that the song is about putting yourself in a difficult situation, not killing yourself.

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chewbecca
06-14-2004

Rated 0 
its weird... it starts out explaining what seems like a really bad/scary situation, but then he starts singing la la la, as if it's no big deal.....i love it.

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Tristax!
06-25-2004

Rated 0 
I love the riff. It's real jazzy and bouncy.

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XregretXkillsX
07-05-2004

Rated 0 
Great song.

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stanman
10-15-2004

Rated 0 
This song is great... but it confuses me...
oh lalalalalalalaalala

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bokonon
10-20-2004

Rated 0 
The first few times I heard this song, I assumed it was about somebody doing some kind of manual work outside (like building a road, or digging a pit) where he has 40 feet left to go. Now I've looked at the lyrics, I agree it does seem more like he's about to throw himself into the sea, but I still prefer my first explanation! The rhythm seems so much better fitted if he's working, rather than preparing to jump.

It reminds me of the Robert Frost poem that ends:
'But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep"

[and in the same way, lots of people assume that poem is about suicide, btu I prefer it just as somebody who is tired but has to keep moving]

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phantompenguin
10-31-2004

Rated 0 
Great song by a great band.

A bit confusing on the lyrics though, I'll bite into the suicide path though.

Tragically wonderful.

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MRdDoAnRnKiOe
11-03-2004

Rated 0 
i had always thought it was just a really great song..... then i read the first post... and didnt realize till then that it could be about suicide..... altho the "i have alot of work to do ahead of me" perspective is a more optimistic one.... both seem to fit... to each his own.... altho... the lalalas seem to make the hard work ahead more likely.... b-e-a-utiful song!!

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DuTcHoVeN
12-13-2004

Rated 0 
The opening riff of this song is awesome, cant stop listenin to it haha...

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ify00
12-15-2004

Rated 0 
I think it's about someone hanging themselves off a bridge..

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Thunderbolt
12-15-2004

Rated 0 
It could've been about surfing.

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thexfullxeffect
12-28-2004

Rated 0 
i love that this song is in the movie 'in good company', which i CAN NOT wait for. it makes perfect sense to be in the trailer.

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Em of Argyll
12-29-2004

Rated 0 
can't you just picture "psychedelic" cartoon images in your head during the lalalas and the guitar solo? and i go with the difficult situation or attempting suicide view.

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millionaire
01-01-2005

Rated 0 
I LOVE this song! my 10 yr old sister bought their album (she's crazy bout them) and this song is the best!

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blackestwhiterose
01-08-2005

Rated 0 
I love the beginning bit, and the la la la's!!! I ADORE franz, they rock my socks. I have the hardest time figuring out the words.

Let's see. He's up high-he feels... humble?-and slows down, thinks about what he's seeing-and the lalala's are like, moving on, it doesn't mtter anymore type things. (Burn my back...)The sun is athority, it bothers him-ot the sun is fame, and it doesn't affect him (I am cold...)

So it is in whole about how he (whoever that is) is thinking about where he came from and the fame he has now doesn't make him all... superstarish...

But thats just me.

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Just_Some_Asian
01-14-2005

Rated 0 
i think this song is talking about going through a really tough time. When he says "40 feet remain" he's talking about as bad as stuff is, still not having hit rock bottom.

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m3gsi
01-29-2005

Rated 0 
this song is about being in a place where you have to make a choice but you don't want to but it is better to make a choice than not making one at all.

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Greengo
02-09-2005

Rated 0 
I think is something hard to decide, so hard, thats being sound liking a suicide... or almost lol

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musicappreciation66
02-24-2005

Rated 0 
i love the la la la's part. I sing along every time! I don't think the song is about suicide, it's too upbeat. The 40 ft could just represent a really bad situation he's or something else...:)

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claudiathefish
03-01-2005

Rated 0 
Just because a song is upbeat, doesn't mean it's not about something like suicide... Look at U2; a bunch of their upbeat songs are about suicide and drugs.

I think, whether the song is about suicide or not, the person is obviously on a bridge. It is probably the contemplation of suicide... that could be the "bad situation" that the band was speaking about in the interview.

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Stario
03-10-2005

Rated 0 
I don't think the song is about suicide. I think the song is about trying to get the feelings that someone has when faced with a really tough decision. Sometimes it's better to take that risk and jump for what you want. Otherwise, "40 feet remain".

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bkat004
03-16-2005

Rated 0 
Top Notch Song!
I'm going with the Suicide definition.

But my favourite part is the last fill on the last chorus on "remain" - kick/kick/tom; kick/kick/tom! - Bloody Mega!

I hope they don't turn out to be a One Hit Wonder. Second album will be difficult!
Lalalalalala

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JeffKaos71
03-21-2005

Rated 0 
One hit wonder usually refers to a band that had one good song & thats it. FF already has had more than one hit single. I am pretty sure they will be able to have a good second album. They are just as talented (or more) as Interpol, Strokes & a bunch of other bands from there genre who all had good sophmore albums.

And for all those people who think this song is about Suicide - Do you know how high 40 feet is? not very! it would be like jumping of the roof of a 3-floor house into water. Jumping off a roof that high wouldn't kill you if you landed on cement.

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JeffKaos71
03-21-2005

Rated 0 
I have a question. Franz Ferdinands from Scotland. Don't they use the metric system pretty much everywhere but the U.S.? I wonder why they wrote this song using feet instead of meters or whatever the eqiuvalent would be.

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