Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
Jesus Christ, that's a pretty face
The kind you'd find on someone I could save
If they don't put me away
Well, it'll be a miracle
Do you believe you're missing out
That everything good is happening somewhere else?
But with nobody in your bed
The night's hard to get through
And I will die all alone
And when I arrive, I won't know anyone
Well, Jesus Christ, I'm alone again
So what did you do those three days you were dead?
Cause this problem's gonna last more than the weekend
Well, Jesus Christ, I'm not scared to die
I'm a little bit scared of what comes after
Do I get the gold chariot?
Do I float through the ceiling?
Do I divide and fall apart?
Cause my bright is to slight to hold back all my dark
And the ship went down in sight of land
And at the gates does Thomas ask to see my hands?
I know you'll come in the night like a thief
But I've had some time alone to hone my lying technique
I know you think that I'm someone you can trust
But I'm scared I'll get scared, and I swear I'll try to nail you back up
So, do you think that we could work out a sign
So I'll know it's you and that it's over so I won't even try?
I know you'll come for the people like me
But we all got wood and nails
Tongue tied to a hating factory
But we all got wood and nails
And we turn out hate in factories
Yeah, we all got wood and nails
And we turn out hate in factories
Yeah, we all got wood and nails
And we sleep inside of this machine
The kind you'd find on someone I could save
If they don't put me away
Well, it'll be a miracle
Do you believe you're missing out
That everything good is happening somewhere else?
But with nobody in your bed
The night's hard to get through
And I will die all alone
And when I arrive, I won't know anyone
Well, Jesus Christ, I'm alone again
So what did you do those three days you were dead?
Cause this problem's gonna last more than the weekend
Well, Jesus Christ, I'm not scared to die
I'm a little bit scared of what comes after
Do I get the gold chariot?
Do I float through the ceiling?
Do I divide and fall apart?
Cause my bright is to slight to hold back all my dark
And the ship went down in sight of land
And at the gates does Thomas ask to see my hands?
I know you'll come in the night like a thief
But I've had some time alone to hone my lying technique
I know you think that I'm someone you can trust
But I'm scared I'll get scared, and I swear I'll try to nail you back up
So, do you think that we could work out a sign
So I'll know it's you and that it's over so I won't even try?
I know you'll come for the people like me
But we all got wood and nails
Tongue tied to a hating factory
But we all got wood and nails
And we turn out hate in factories
Yeah, we all got wood and nails
And we turn out hate in factories
Yeah, we all got wood and nails
And we sleep inside of this machine
Lyrics submitted by EMOrtal, edited by Mellow_Harsher, fob0403, OrcMaster, brandnewdude, contraddiction, ghostyyy, EternalTearsOfSorrow
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Spy
Doors, The
Doors, The
Battle Royale
Word Alive, The
Word Alive, The
This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
I mostly agree with thisisnotjohnnyv's interpretation of the song. I think it's definately Jesse pondering whether or not he deserves to ascend to heaven when he dies. I want to take it a little bit further though.
I think, in the end, Jesse sort of accepts his fear and maybe answers his question.
"I know you'll come in the night like a thief. But I’ve had some time alone, to hold my lions at bay.
I know you think that I’m someone you can trust. But I’m scared I’ll get scared and I swear I’ll try to nail you back up"
-He is saying that he knows that death, or maybe Jesus Christ, will come for him "in the night like a thief" to take him away to the afterlife and that he should accept it and not be afraid. But Jesse is afraid, he's afraid he will resist and "nail him back up," basically doing something terrible in his desperation to change fate and thus ruining his chances at a happy afterlife.
"But we all have got wood and nails" -Jesse acknowledges that nobody is perfect and everyone has the tools to commit a great sin, in this case crucifying Jesus is the metaphor for the greatest of sins and he is saying we all have the tools to commit this terrible evil. It's a dark, depressing thought but at the same time, Jesse comes through realizing he's not the only one who's every sinned and maybe his chances for ascending to heaven are better than he thinks.
I love this song, I've been listening to it on repeat all day and I seriously think Jesse Lacey is one of the greatest lyricists in modern music. I'm so excited about this new album and I find I love Brand New more and more with each record.