Lyrics for Snowden as interpreted by minkydave

Snowden Lyrics
I said:
"Man, can you help me out?
Bring me back to life
Bring me back to love,"

Oh, why should I care?
I said:
"How could you keep me out?
Without a wish to share
So without a doubt,"

Oh, then why should I care?

Oh, we have been warned
It's a classic sign
It's a wicked mind
With an axe to grind

Oh, when is it our, our turn?
So why should we care?

Yeah, we have been warned
It's a classic sign
Why should we care?

If this is our last summer
Oh, then why should we care?
If this could be our last summer
Then why should we care?

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  • 14 Comments
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RdeC
03-30-2005

Rated 0 
Looks like this is the second single from the 'Some Cities' album. I'd say it's about apathy, with other people stating their problems or potential problems that haven't come to him yet, but he just repeats the line 'why should i/we care?'

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Songmeaningsuser
07-24-2005

Rated 0 
Snowden is a character from the novel Catch 22. I haven't read it so I don't know how relevant that is, but I guess it could be useful.

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nostalgicpeardrop
09-08-2005

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I read Catch-22 last year... Snowden is a character who gets shot (the book is set during the war) and lies dying in the back of the plane from bullet wounds to the chest. His death haunts the main character, Yossarian, throughout the novel because he doesn't realize the extent of the injury before it's too late - Snowden's guts are about to pour out and all the while Yossarian has been attending to the wrong wound.

The first time I saw the song title I thought there might be a connection. Right near the start of the song, you can hear what sounds to me like anti-aircraft fire, followed by the words 'I said man, can you help me out? Bring me back to life'. At this point the parallels with Catch-22 seem clear. However, the remaining lyrics leave me guessing somewhat.

I was interested to see on another site someone's opinion that Doves took their inspiration from the mountain Snowdon, although this is obviously spelt differently from the title. I'm convinced it might have something to to with the character Snowden from Heller's Catch-22...

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~anner~
01-15-2006

Rated 0 
I think this is about the ending of a relationship..
'If this could be our last summer
then why should we care?' And also...
'bring me back to life
bring me back to love'

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deadeyeduck
02-28-2006

Rated 0 
I'm not too sure what this is all about, but the music that plays at the parts where he's not singing (i think it's strings doin' the 'waa waa waaaaaa' thing that I'm talkin' bout) sound to me like old school Star Trek music or something that would play in an old shcool James Bond flick if he was underwater or something.

peace

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nickvb
04-09-2006

Rated 0 
i totally understand you deadeyeduck. It makes for an awesome song though!

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Jiwwy
07-22-2006

Rated 0 
I haven't finished Catch-22, but as soon as I saw the name Snowden, I was reminded of this song. It's not often you see that name, I guess. I definitely see a lot of parallels to the scene described by peardrop and the song.

"We have been warned" could be just how the men became involved in the war despite their best attempts to involve it.

I think maybe Yossarian's turnaround in attitude - his loss of courage, his selfishness and ridiculousness, stemmed from Snowden's death (but like I said I haven't finished the book) "Oh when is it our turn? Why should we care?" Might have been something of Snowden's last words that really tweaked out Yossarian and made him want to avoid his time to die at any costs.

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louisagiffard
08-20-2006

Rated 0 
This song is so freaking brilliant. First I thought it was "son" and not "man" but maybe I'm wrong. The kind of song you have to listen to at least a couple of times in a row.
Some Cities is officially my first ever CD. And man it is brilliant.

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lnkn182
12-18-2006

Rated 0 
I think that it can be directly related to Catch-22, the entire song I mean. I think that instead of this being Snowden's words, it's Yossarian's. The "Man, can you help me out? Can you bring me back to life...ect" is Yossarian's first moment of panic, where he realizes he just wants to live, and not die like Snowden. Oh, and about the warning, I think that Snowden's death IS the warning. Also, "if this should be our last summer, then why should we care?" is Yossarian's thinking towards the war. Saying why should he care about the war? and why should he die for it? It's all relevant to Snowden's death in the novel, which was such an important thing. I really think that this entire song can be directly linked to Catch-22, but only the writer knows! :D

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orchidaceae
01-15-2007

Rated 0 
mmmm. it's my favorite song ever.

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Gay Christmas Tree
10-06-2007

Rated 0 
Love the videos - somehow the bombs fit perfectly.

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Hiyoko
05-25-2008

Rated 0 
A man that Ive felt for has dedicated this song to me... I know from his own words that he has been hurt over and over ... and just when he decided not to feel anymore not to get involved.... we met....
He cares about me... however, he is ....lets say broken.... so I guess in my case these words mean that there are "possibilities", that I may offer... but should he be interested? should he really open up again? is there any difference from before?.... maybe this is not the meaning but... thats what means to me.

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DrManik
11-16-2008

Rated 0 
I'm reading Catch-22 rite now, about halfway through it.
"And Snowden lay dying in the back"
Pretty powerful at that point in the book.
Snowden opens Yossarian's (main character) eyes about the war, and whereas he was previously dedicated to doing his missions successfully, he now just wants to live through it. Snowden might not have actually said anything to him, but him dying turns around Yossarian and shows him the value of life, and how it is snuffed out without reason in the panic of an aerial firefight.

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DrManik
11-16-2008

Rated 0 
At any rate i think this is DEFINITELY about death.

"It's a wicked mind
With an axe to grind

Oh, when is it our, our turn?
So why should we care?"

How death is embodied by evil and how we just take turns, and knowing its inevitable, so why even care?
Powerful song + powerfully grim.

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