Lyrics for Catalyst as interpreted by thegirlmostlovely

Catalyst Lyrics
L.A. lights never shine quite as bright as in the movies
Still wanna go
There’s something here
In the way, in the way that we’re constantly moving
Reminds you of home
So you’ve taken these pills
For to fill up your soul
And you're drinking them down with cheap alcohol
I might be inclined to be yours for the taken
And part of this terrible mess that you’re making
But me, I’m the catalyst

When you say love is a simple chemical reaction
Can’t say I agree
Cuz my chemical, yeah, left me a beautiful disaster
Still love’s all I see

So I’m taking these pills for to fill up my soul
And I’m drinking them down with cheap alcohol
And you’d be inclined to be mine for the taking
You’re part of this terrible mess that I’m making
But you, you’re the catalyst

You’ll be the thing
You’ll be the pain
You’ll be the star
You’ll be the road, rolling below
The wheels of a car
And all of the thoughts, oh god
Don’t know if I’m strong enough now
You’ll be the thing
You’ll be the pain
You’ll be the
Catalyst

These L.A. lights, no no,
they don’t shine quite as bright as back in Frisco
Do you wanna go?
Still wanna go

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TrashcanNo1
07-28-2005

Rated 0 
Argh.. how can nobody have commented on this one?? Anyways umm it seems to be about a couple or something, and one of two scenarios
1: They moved from Frisco to LA and found that it wasn't everything they thought it would be so they developed relationship problems because neither of them were happy where they were.

2: A couple may have broken up, and one of them moved to LA from Frisco, but they still loved each other and got depressed and addicted to drugs because of how badly they missed each other

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holding_diamonds
08-15-2005

Rated 0 
I see a guy and girl falling for one another but the guy refuses to admit that he actually does care about her. I see him in another relationship but still hanging onto this other girl, where eventually all good things that were going on, come crashing down. And even though everything bad has happened to the girl and was completly confused, she still has a fighting hope that there will be love in her life.

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pandamoranda
08-29-2005

Rated 0 
first... we should obviously define the word catalyst:
* * * *

Catalyst - (katl-ist) - (I'm excluding the chemistry related definition as it does not apply to this song) # One that precipitates a process or event, especially without being involved in or changed by the consequences: “A free press... has remained... a vital catalyst to an informed and responsible electorate” (Robert O'Neal).

Now in light of that, I think that the song is about the singer getting involved with some one who brings her down with him as he takes a drinking/drugging binge. He is unaffected for the most part (him being the catalyst) while she's changed forever.

The second verse has the same idea only this time it's her that is bringing some one down and acting as the catalyst.

That's my interpretation.

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Rllngstn72
12-08-2005

Rated 0 
i think, in the process of being "the catalyst" for someone whom she loved, and she doesnt know if she herself is strong enough to resist what shes trying to save him from. hmm, its a great song though

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coastal_bird
01-04-2006

Rated 0 
I don't have anything to support this, and it's probably just my interpretation, but I think it's about home-sickness. Of course, I'm from L.A. and I really don't like how romanticied it is. But the thing is, even though it's dirty, and dangerous, and smoggy and where we live now is technicly a better place, L.A. is my home and it always will be. So this song just makes me homesick, but I really doubt that's the meaning...just my feeling. But that's what music is all about right? How it makes the listener feel.

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coastal_bird
01-04-2006

Rated 0 
From and anaylicital point of view, she's trying to save somone from self-abuse, but in the process get's caught up in it herself. The L.A. lights are a metaphor for the problem...the self-abuse problem seems so fun, so flashy, but then you get there and it's smoggy, dirty, and dangerous.

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slowly fall apart
03-21-2006

Rated 0 
I love this song more every time I listen to it. Here's what I think: her relationship ends and suddenly things dont seem as great as they used to be (part of depression). she imagines her ex going through this horrible time, and thinks that she can just skate by unaffected. Maybe she broke up with him and that is why she at first considers herself the 'catalyst'. She soon realizes, however, that she is really the one that is breaking down while her ex is moving on unscathed.

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somethingm
03-27-2006

Rated +2 
I think this song is about a girl that's falling in love with a man in "LA" while she's already in a serious relationship in "Frisco". She knows that things may not be as great as she hopes they are in LA but she still loves the man and wants to go - BUT she can't because she's already in this serious relationship in Frisco ... that's why she's taking pills and drinking... trying to forget about what could be in LA."And you’d be inclined to be mine for the taking
You’re part of this terrible mess that I’m making" here she's talking about how she wants to be with him in LA and knows that she's making a mess of her life in Frisco."When you say love is a simple chemical reaction.Can’t say I agree
Cuz my chemical, yeah, left me a beautiful disaster
Still love’s all I see" Here he's trying to tell her that love is simple and she will know if it's right with her and "Frisco" and since she's thinking about LA it's not - but she says it's not because she thought she loved Frisco but now she doesn't and she just wants to be with him in LA... but can't.

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lindzyg
06-09-2006

Rated 0 
You’ll be the thing
You’ll be the pain
You’ll be the star
You’ll be the road, rolling below
The wheels of a car
And all of the thoughts, oh god
Don’t know if I’m strong enough now
You’ll be the thing
You’ll be the pain
You’ll be the
Catalyst

This is the feeling of that one person being your biggest weakness. You'll be everything that is both good and bad for me and the thought of you consumes me. In parts of the song she speaks of literally consuming alcohol and pills, but I think its more metaphorically speaking of the consumption of one individual so much you feel as though you're falling faster and faster and at times spinning out of control.

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HeythereDelilah
07-09-2006

Rated 0 
This song means so much to me. It's probably my favorite off the album. I think maybe its about two people in a realationship that are very attracted to each other and love each other but bring out the worst sides in one another, maybe because of issues that remind them of home "In the way, in the way that we’re constantly moving
Reminds you of home"

its an amazing song.

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MercuryRising
07-16-2006

Rated 0 
Anna has said that she wrote this about all the things she dislikes about LA...she said she loves where she's from, but there are plenty of corrupt things that go on there.

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wolf cub
10-21-2006

Rated 0 
a song about corruption that sounds so soft has to be great and this song is just that :)

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paper_hearts13
11-08-2006

Rated 0 
IMO this is the best song on the whole cd

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ceartz
12-11-2006

Rated 0 
im pretty sure these lyrics are incorrect.

And I'd be inclined to be yours for the TAKING
And part of this terrible mess that you're making

You'll be the vein
You'll be the pain
You'll be the scar
You'll be the road, rolling below
The wheels of a car
And all of the thoughts, on God
Don't know if I'm strong enough now
You'll be the vein
You'll be the pain
You'll be the
Catalyst

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ceartz
12-11-2006

Rated 0 
or

"thoughts...oh god...don't know if i'm strong enough now..."

i don't know. but i'm pretty sure the vein, pain and scar are correct.

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chaigirl44
01-15-2007

Rated 0 
I think this song is about discovering that love and stardom aren't all its put up to be.

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jazzy09
03-07-2007

Rated 0 
The talk of LA I guess can be analyzed, but I personally just think that he's going there and leaving her. She's telling him, yeah it might seem all that you want it to be, but it's not, stay here with me. (Even though she doesn't come out and say it.) You know??

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sunshinekitty95
03-11-2007

Rated 0 
This is my absolute favorite song! I might be wrong, but I don't think this song is about a drug addiction. I see it as her falling in love with someone who doesn't love her, changing her and maybe pulling her down, while the guy is unaffected, him being the catalyst. The drug addiction is just symbolizing that. Then in the second verse it's the other way around. That's what I think at least. It's a pretty complicated song and you can probably find lots of possible meanings.

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morethanmelody
04-12-2007

Rated 0 
There's obviously quite some discussion on this song and I'd like to clear it up a bit. I'd like to let you know I've seen Anna quite a few times. Heard her story on her songs, and met her as well. First of all, the bridge is:

You'll be the vein, you'll be the pain, you'll be the scar
You'll be the road, rolling below, the wheels of a car
And all of your thoughts on God,
Don't know if I'm strong enough...No
You'll be the vein, you'll be the pain, you'll be the...
Catalyst.

Anna grew up in Glendora, CA, very close to LA. She knew a lot of people who experimented with drugs and alcohol, trying to "make it." She saw these unsuccessful tries, and didn't want to be subject to it.

I hope that helps. Email me if you have any questions.

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quietgreyeyes
05-23-2007

Rated 0 
oh good i'm glad someone caught the bridge corrections.

the vein and the scar are important to the addiction and corruption connotations within the song.

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lovesit22
05-31-2007

Rated 0 
this song is really pretty.
but very sad at the same time.

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Turtlegrli
08-23-2007

Rated 0 
This song is so sad. I never really understood exactly what she was singing about, but my vocal teacher said this song was very disturbing :[

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gd728
09-25-2007

Rated +1 
In light of what a catalyst is, i think this song is about two people in a relationship who are bad for each other. In the literal sense, she speeds up his personal self destruction (i.e. drugs, substance abuse) and he does the same to her. Nevertheless, even though their love is detremental to both of them, they still love each other too deeply to let go

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topaz-eyes
12-31-2007

Rated 0 
every song that i heard by are absolutly beautiful and her voice is very beautiful

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dicobby2
06-23-2008

Rated 0 
Beautiful song

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