Lyrics for How to Be Dead as interpreted by huebert

How to Be Dead Lyrics
Please don't go crazy, if I tell you the truth
No you don't know what happened
And you never will if
You don't listen to me while I talk to the wall
This blanket is freezing, it's been out in the hall
Where you've had me for hours
Till I'm sure what I want
But darling I want the same thing that I wanted before
So sweetheart tell me what's up I won't stop no way

Please keep your hands down
And stop raising your voice
It's hardly what I'd be doing if you gave me a choice
It's a simple suggestion can you give me sometime
So just say yes or no
Why can't you shoulder the blame
Coz both my shoulders are heavy
From the weight of us both
You're a big boy now so let's not talk about growth
You've not heard a single word I have said...
Oh, my God

Please take it easy it can't all be my fault
I haven't made half the mistakes
That you've listed so far
Oh baby let me explain something
It's all down to drugs
At least I remember taking the and not a lot else
It seems I've stepped over lines
You've drawn again and again
But if the ecstacy's in the wit is definitely out
Dr. Jekyll is wrestling Hyde for my pride

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mink0
06-07-2004

Rated 0 
This is my favorite song of theirs.

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keundog
06-15-2004

Rated 0 
hmm same, well either this or 'spitting games', i like the soft sound - it's really easy to listen to

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loveisaverb
09-20-2004

Rated 0 
i was recommended to here this and "spitting games".. i like them.

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loveisaverb
09-20-2004

Rated 0 
*hear
:[

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hoyden
10-04-2004

Rated 0 
ya, i also hate it when people overreact and dont listen to you when yer tryin to tell them the truth...

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riviera
10-10-2004

Rated 0 
what do you think the line "But if the ecstacy's in the wit is definitely out" means. is he saying he looses the ability to be reasonable on E? is the lyric even "wit?"

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txblondie
10-14-2004

Rated 0 
i was wondering the same thing?

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salnajjar
10-15-2004

Rated 0 
I thought the lyrics were:
And if the Ecstasy's in the will is definately out

Makes a 'little' more sense to me that way

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clumsy_child
10-27-2004

Rated 0 
i was just wondering what everyone thought the song was about? it is just a couple having a fight after a night of binging? but i couldn't figure out is this from a girl's perspective? i just thought maybe by the "you're a big boy now, let's not talk about growth" if anyone has any ideas i'd be curious to hear, thanks.

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cliche_d
10-28-2004

Rated 0 
i think it's a parent and a child arguing. The child feeling smothered (It seems I've stepped over lines
You've drawn again and again) and the parent thinking they'e doing what's best by telling the child what to do because they've been through it before.
Eg. "Oh baby let me explain something
It's all down to drugs
At least I remember taking the and not a lot else"

I think if you read through it with the perspective that the parent and child are alternately the singer in the song then it makes sense

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brightestfirefly
10-30-2004

Rated 0 
i hear "wit." i think it means that if he's taking ecstasy, its something serious, not something to take lightly. it's not a joke.

i also think that it's between a man and a woman in a relationship. especially with the part "please keep your hands down, and stop raising your voice. it's hardly what i'd be doing if you gave me a choice."
meaning, he would rather be holding her, or doing something sexual.

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oh_doctor_doctor
11-09-2004

Rated 0 
I think it's a couple arguing, as well.

The first stanza is the guy speaking, and the second is the girl, and the last is the guy again.

I love this song.

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philmck2004
11-14-2004

Rated 0 
i agree that it is a couple arguing and that the man and woman are alternative singers i think she is to caught up in her own problems and has no time for him she asks him whats up he tries to tell her she doesn't listen and goes mad thats when after two verses of him explaning himself he finishes by saying "you'v not heard a single word i have said"
hes trying to explain that yes hes been taking drugs and been out all night but iff she gave him a reason to come home he wouldn't be doing it which relates to the lyrics "its hardly what id be doing if you gave me a choice" and if hes doing something wrong she needs to tell him instead of shouting all the time
and to explain the lyrics " your a big boy now so lets not talk about growth" i think its just that she sees what he saying by blaming her for his mistakes as childish and petty and your a big boy now make up your own mind in doing what you want its not my fault you take drugs but hey its just an opinion.

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Kezby
11-19-2004

Rated 0 
Yeah, I think the Ecstasy line is about drugs, and just how shes talking to him, but he's not hearing her, or he cant take responsibility. I think it's a beautiful song, but like most snow patrol songs, its got such a different meaning. I kinda thought it was a guy talking to his girl, and the whole 'you're a big boy now' line was about him coming to realise that he's done wrong, instead of trying to convince her he hadnt done anything, like he seems to be in the beginning of the song.

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dreamface
11-22-2004

Rated 0 
I agree that it's about a couple's argument, stanze one and three being the guy and stanza 2 being the girl, like O Doctor suggested... As for its being about talking to one's parents; why on darkened earth would people be talking to their parents with words like 'baby??'

A little thing about the accent: in some parts of Scotland, whence Snow Patrol come, 'ee' is pronounced shortly, like 'ih.' ... He's saying 'if the ectasy's in, the /weed/ is definitely out.' ... So, no direct statement about drugs there, although the whole story of the song is telling.

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opethsorchid
11-27-2004

Rated 0 
about the accent - gary lightbody (the singer) is actually from northern ireland and the lyrics definately should read 'if the ecstasy's in the wit is definately out'.

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2steps
11-28-2004

Rated 0 
a couples arguement about their relationship and what each wants from from it and it seems one of them (think the girl) feels that he is not beign fair or pulling his weight maybe...
my favorite song on the album

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Toddy230
12-19-2004

Rated 0 
The ectasy line is definatley about drugs, being from northern ireland my self i know we have a saying, i dont know if you are familiar with it, that goes "if the drinks in the wits out" hes just changed the substance

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simsfreq
01-08-2005

Rated 0 
the line is 'if the ecstasy's in, then weed is definately out'. Shows how pulled in the guy is

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shoez
01-25-2005

Rated +1 
the song is quite obviously about a failed relationship. the speaker is attempting to mend things, as he is being attacked and played as the instagator.

it's unclear as to whether or not the romatic other is male or female("you're a big boy now, so let's not talk about growth.")

their relationship is on the breaks, and the speaker is attempting to save it, while simultaneoudly realizing that his romantic other is not as perfect as he had hoped("You've not heard a single word I have said... Oh, my God.")

he mentions a few resons as to why the relationship has been bad so fat(drugs, sensationalism, and failure for the other party to accept responsibility.)

he starts the song desperately wanting to fix things, but perhaps by the end he's not sure.

great song.

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xperronex
02-01-2005

Rated 0 
hate to break it to you guys but this song blatantly stole the riff from the weakerthans' "this is a fire door never leave open"

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illwearyourboxers
02-03-2005

Rated 0 
i think you're all overlooking the fact that he's gay. i love snow patrol but i believe he's gay.read the lyrics again.

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batteciglio
02-05-2005

Rated 0 
yes, i agree. it sounds to me that this song is sung from one guy to another. maybe it's just that i never hear songs (well hardly ever: rufus wainwright and sigur ros) sung from one man to another. it's a beautiful song, let us gays have this one.

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oh_doctor_doctor
02-05-2005

Rated 0 
illwear and battec, I'm not sure where you're getting this idea from... There isn't one lyric in the song that backs up that theory.

I think you're just projecting, because you're gay. Which is awesome, but seriously, you're reaching.

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batteciglio
02-06-2005

Rated 0 
ok ok, so the lead singer is straight, but isn't this website about projecting?

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