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We've seen some change
But we're still outsiders
If everybody's here
Then hell knows
We ride alone
I've seen some years
But you're still my Caesar
With everything I feel
I feel you've already been here
The only difference is all I see is now all that I've seen
It's bright on the outside
The bright love the dark side
I know it's obvious
But sometimes
You just have to say it
So you don't feel so weak
About being such a freak
Or alone
In seventeen years
Will you still be Camille
Lee Miller, Gala or whatever
You know what I mean, yeah
Love'll die
Lovers fade
But you still remain there
Squeezing in your fingers
What it means for me to be
The only difference is what might be is now what might have been
When you saw me sleeping
You thought I was dreaming of you
I didn't tell you
That the only dream
Is Valium for me
The only difference is that
What Might Be Is NOW
But we're still outsiders
If everybody's here
Then hell knows
We ride alone
I've seen some years
But you're still my Caesar
With everything I feel
I feel you've already been here
The only difference is all I see is now all that I've seen
It's bright on the outside
The bright love the dark side
I know it's obvious
But sometimes
You just have to say it
So you don't feel so weak
About being such a freak
Or alone
In seventeen years
Will you still be Camille
Lee Miller, Gala or whatever
You know what I mean, yeah
Love'll die
Lovers fade
But you still remain there
Squeezing in your fingers
What it means for me to be
The only difference is what might be is now what might have been
When you saw me sleeping
You thought I was dreaming of you
I didn't tell you
That the only dream
Is Valium for me
The only difference is that
What Might Be Is NOW
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It's not about a break up, the lyrics state at least twice that this person is still 'here' and still of importance after some period of time. not to mention the songs opening: "We're still outsiders" and the music is kind of sexy for a mopey break up song.
It's about growing in a relationship; growing together, growing older, growing perhaps a little to comfortable with one another. You learn about a person, discover their dark side, worry a bit if it will last until finally your so comfortable you eventually "stop dreaming of that person".
Perhaps they were the type that never fit in, which is what attracted them in the first place, yet one (or both) still feels like an outsider, even in this long standing relationship.
Now what she's squeezing in his fingers well.. yeah. I love double entendre's. Maybe's it's his hand, maybe it's his unit, oh wait.. his heart? Hell could be his ID for all we can say but I like that I can insert whatever meaning I want into that slot.
We've seen some change
But we're still outsiders
If everybody's here
Then hell knows
We ride alone
This part is about how there's a "we" who have never fit in with the general group. The "we" are ousiders who "ride alone"--meaning they are not "in". Yeah.
I've seen some years
But you're still my Caesar
With everything I feel
I feel you've already been here
Firstly, since I believe this song is about high school, "I've seen some years" I believe refers to growing up a bit since starting high school to the present point, which it seems to me like the end of high school for the speaker. "You're still my Caesar"--what did Caesar do? Caesar was a ubiquitous ruler. He kept a tight control of his empire. So if a certain group in school, be it the "cool kids" or whoever, is quite notable--and the "outsiders" are the ones who are different from that group--then the "Caesar" can refer to members of that "cooler" group. "With everything I feel / I feel you've already been here"--rather straightforward. Translation: "No matter what my experience has been and my thoughts on it, when I will look back on these years in the future I will think of you and your presence". Refers to those people who are ever-present.
The only difference is all I see is now all that I've seen
When he was starting high school, he saw a larger world of perhaps fears, perhaps possibilities. But now that he's done [actually this is the line that makes me believe this song is about being done with high school] he looks back on it and says basically, "Well, that was that". And also this line is basically like "the only thing that's changed is that I'm a bit older now".
It's bright on the outside
The bright love the dark side
I know
Yeah I know that's not where this website says where the line break is, but that's how it sounds to me so this is where I'm separating it. The "outside" is the "real world"--college, career, the world at large. It's bigger out there than in high school, obviously. "The bright love the dark side I know"--translation: "Many smart kids have fallen off the wagon and started doing drugs".
it's obvious
But sometimes
You just have to say it
So
Again, placing the separation where *I* feel it belongs. Nothing to explain here, I think. Translation: "Yeah everyone knows it [about the good kids doing drugs thing] but it's something that needs to be said nonetheless."
you don't feel so weak
About being such a freak
Or alone
Translation: It's the end of high school. You're going to college and it doesn't really matter whether people think you're "so weak", "a freak", or "alone". So get your s**t together.
In seventeen years
Will you still be Camille
Lee Miller, Gala or whatever
You know what I mean, yeah
This was difficult to interpret. Took work. Many people, at the end of high school, are seventeen. Lee Miller was a model/photographer. Gala was the wife and sometimes muse of Dali, in other words, another model. Camille was trickier to figure out for me... I think it might refer to French sculptor Camille Claudel. Those three are all rather creative, artistic women who, one would think, are respected. So I think he's saying "in seventeen MORE years, will you still be cool like you are now?" to the group of the "in" kids. "You know what I mean, yeah"--that shows that he is rather awkward and confused, or perhaps a nerd (with his obscure references to obscure people) which might show WHY he was an "outsider". [Or it means that *I* am a nerd for trying to hard to figure this out.]
Love'll die
Lovers fade
But you still remain there
Squeezing in your fingers
What it means for me to be
"Time heals all wounds." Or does it? -- that's what these lines seem to be suggesting. Yeah, love will pass, whatever insignificant crushes have been had in high school. But YOU--Caesar, which is also the collective "cool" group--will always remain in my memory, and the experiences that have happened in high school between me and you will continue to define my life. That was the basic translation of these lines.
The only difference is what might be is now what might have been
Beginning of high school: what might happen? What college will I go to? What friends will I have? What activities will I do? Will I do this, will I do that?
End of high school: This happened, this happened, this other stuff happened.
So basically that one line is very clear to me--"time has passed, what I thought about as a possibility, perhaps, back then is now what has actually happened".
When you saw me sleeping
You thought I was dreaming of you
I didn't tell you
That the only dream
Is Valium for me
I think sleeping here is like a metaphor for something else, which might be thinking, I believe. Or not participating in typical activities like drinking and partying. The basic, most elementary use of valium is to relieve stress/anxiety. So translation: "When you saw that I was an 'outsider', you thought I wished I were one of you, but in fact all I wanted was to stop being stressed out".
The only difference is that
What Might Be Is NOW
Translation: THIS is the moment I've been waiting for. The moment is probably something like the end of high school, or a certain important realization made for the end of high school.
Please, God, never let me be THIS bored again.
(...alternatively, this song could be said to be about the gay rights movement...)
Now, I wanted to say that the whole album 'You could have it so much better' is somewhat depressing (but perfect too). It's like the song author (Alex??) was having a very hard time coping with the breakup of a long relationship. Just note 'Walk away' 'Well that was easy' 'You could have it so much better' etc...
So, I believe this song is also a reflection of that problem.
'I've seen some years But you're still my Caesar with everything I feel I feel you've already been here' shows that it had been a long and strong love, or maybe even a relationship. But, it had ended, and left an aching trace in his life - 'Squeezing in your fingers What it means for me to be'. Even if love dies, the scar shall remain.
Also, she had always been his muse for songwriting, and now he wonders if he shall still love her, and sing about her - 'In seventeen years, will you still be Camille, Lee Miller, Gala, whatever' - although it will still hurt.
As for Valium, it seems as if dreams are the only place where he can hide from his pain; and maybe mustn't dream about her...
Wondreful song...
1) "The only difference is all I see is now all that I've seen"--meaning that the narrator sees nothing new now, he only sees the same things again and again. This is a very jaded outlook. Depressing.
2) "The only difference is what might be is now what might have been"--meaning that what was a possibility in the past (what might be) is now no longer a possibility, but only a possibility that is now lost (what might have been). This is a regretful outlook. Depressing.
3) "What Might Be Is NOW"--this is a direct contradiction of line #2. The thing that "might be" is not a lost possibility, but is actually happening "NOW". This is a realist outlook, indicating that the narrator feels that the present time is a new time with new possibilities.
The shift in attitude happens to go along with the narrator's newfound fondness of valium, perhaps allowing him to slip away from his own jaded and regretful outlook. The whole song is quite brilliant, but the play on words in these three lines is the most interesting part.
By the way, to Rebness a few posts above: thanks for the explanation of the muses Camille, Lee Miller, and Gala.
the bright love the dark side
I know it's obvious
But sometimes
You've got to say it so
You don't feel so weak
about being such a freak
or alone
I think this refers to "the bright" as intelligent/creative people, who are often "darker", and reminds you that it's okay, you're not weak for being what is considered a freak, because you're actually better than the people who try to put you down for it.
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What it means for me to be" could be saying that she is belittling anything that he has done or accomplished, or the type of person he is.
Camille is Camille Claudel, a French sculptor who was the lover of Rodin. Lee Miller was a muse for Man Ray, and Gala was the muse of Salvador Dali. All of them were unconventional women who inspired and drove these artists -- outsiders, but fiery and talented. I think it's a lovely line.