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You're strong, you're stubborn now
In an endless symbolic war
Brave or bored, either/or
Sometimes I ricochet from the past
And at times a future I’ve already had before
Champion or chore, either/or
I’ll write the pages you rip out, back in their places again
One day you’ll know what you’re talking about
I can hardly imagine, but until then I’ll be
Filling in these blanks that you create
Every time you win some petty score
Posing as hardcore, oh yeah, either/or
Look at the spin chief, battered and broken
Clutching a plastic rose
We’re all in the downpour you carry around for
Trashing a lifestyle you’ve never known
It’s a useful dream that makes
Quite an entertaining show and not much more
Up against and for, either/or
In an endless symbolic war
Brave or bored, either/or
Sometimes I ricochet from the past
And at times a future I’ve already had before
Champion or chore, either/or
I’ll write the pages you rip out, back in their places again
One day you’ll know what you’re talking about
I can hardly imagine, but until then I’ll be
Filling in these blanks that you create
Every time you win some petty score
Posing as hardcore, oh yeah, either/or
Look at the spin chief, battered and broken
Clutching a plastic rose
We’re all in the downpour you carry around for
Trashing a lifestyle you’ve never known
It’s a useful dream that makes
Quite an entertaining show and not much more
Up against and for, either/or
Lyrics submitted by sethbrown
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The book is basically a comparison between the aesthetic and ethical lifestyles. The aesthete, named A, writes about boredom and always searching for something new to occupy time with. The ethical character, Judge Vilhelm, writes letters to A in hopes of showing him how the ethical lifestyle is better.
The line "I'll write the pages you tear out" makes me think about the aesthete denying what the ethical character proposes.
Then you have Elliott's interpretation and experiences added to the mix, and you have this amazing song.
In the second he introduces himself
In the third and fourth he describes his relationship with this lover (former? I will use this pronoun and let you do your own interpreting as far as his relation to the person he has introduced). She enjoys winning arguments, but does not make strong arguments for herself, and so he fills in the blanks that she needs. At the same time, she likes to win for the sake of it, without knowing what her words stand for.
In the fifth stanza he describes her clutching a plastic rose, likening her to fakeness, which goes with her not recognizing the meaning behind her words. She seems angry at a lifestyle she never enjoyed, yet criticizes without understanding its virtue."We're all in the downpour you carry around" He wishes for her sake and for others' that she'd cheer up and stop hating, but she will probably never see the beauty in life around her because she does not let the symbolism sink in, she is too busy with words she does not even understand or put together well enough to make a strong argument for herself.
In the last she is again described as a bombastic character, good for a show and 'tis all. Perhaps he's given up on her ever realizing the content of her speech, though he'd like for her to since she would be a great defender if only she'd stop hating. he carries on in his life, and defends her whenever he runs into her again.
Thats my stab at it. It is beautiful and applicable to the cynics in this world who can not see the love and beauty all around.
I have a few interpretations about some lines, but it's one of his more ambiguous songs, you don't really know.
'You're strong, you're stubborn now
In an endless symbolic war
Brave or bored, either/or'
I love that part.
Does anyone else hear some text message beeps in the background, around 1 min 24? And then again at 1.40?
by ilovealkaline on 07-11-2006 @ 07:11:49 PM
i think you got text messages confused with a guitar "
OMFG... TEXT MESSAGES? LMAO1 WTF ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
anyways, i love the way this song flows.