This song is deeply personal and everytime I hear it, It reminds me of the days i was ignorant of everything outside of christianity.

This is my fav song, after Not the sun

"I used to know the name of every person I kissed"... Ditto.

Another amazing self reflection of life. I'm really digging the burning/light metaphors in this and Jesus Christ and Untitled 1. And of course more seafaring metaphors. Defiantly the best song on the new album.

Is Jesse or any of the band religious at all? Or is this more of a questioning god type thing? There are so many religious references on this album and it's kind of throwing me off a bit because I don't think they've ever mentioned god before, or religion at all.

Aside from that, I think this song is probably my favorite on the new album. Jesse's voice sounds really good, I like it a lot. =] I can't wait to actually have the album and see the artwork, etc. =]

This song could be religious if you take it that way. I personally don't. I think he uses some underlying Christian/religous values to instill the impression of some of the old school values he grew up with, with his family before he became "corrupted." I think this song is about the guilt of making a mistake that changes your relationships with those close to you. For example, a child who does not want to carry on the family tradition of adding to a long line of surgeons or doctors to pursue his/her own agenda (he makes reference to sleeping well because he was about his father's work. That could be taken literal or could mean his father's values). Let's take this song literal again for a second. Does any member of Brand New have a professional career other than being Pro at rocking socks off around the world? Maybe they do, but if not, maybe there is some pressure/guilt on some of them for not growing up to be quite what their parents wanted. I think there is more to this song than just that though. I just don't want people running around labeling Brand New a christian band or something all of a sudden just because they make some religious references

I know millstone makes the most sense there, but...
Couldn't it be 'my own stone'?
And I am rather sure that it is 'Bate my breath', not 'Be my breath'. (Means to anxiously anticipate. 'be my breath' is kind of eh)

I can see how you could hear "my own stone" but it's most definitely "a millstone"

from Matthew, chapter 18, verse 4 and 5:

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. "

when you make that connection the religious undertones of this song really jump out. it makes the "father's work" into gods work, and given the context of the biblical reference, into (leading others towards) a childlike humility and religious piety. Jesse places this in contrast to new sin (and not just sin, but leading others to sin as well…does jesse see himself as a false idol, leading others in some unholy way? I don’t know if I believe this, but its interesting to think about). i think this song, as well as much of this album, is about understanding the complicated balance of one's own morality. Its about understanding oneself in terms of this morality as well as that of religious morality. He’s caught in limbo, both wanting death (take me out tonight) and life (throw me that lifeline, to save my life…), wanting to give himself over to good but feeling unable or unworthy of repentance.

Complicated song, and a complicated album. But in a really amazing way.

isnt it "i used to pray like God was listening" ? sounds kinda like it to me

what do you all mean by "religous"? to me these songs dont have a hint of hindu or muslim influence, i was thinking that the Bible was where most of these references came from, like Christ-Follower or Christian things, where he's struggling between Christ and Satan inside of him, like what he know's is right and his self-desires, he starts to question whether he really ever accepted Christ as his savior or not, and it just seems like he's really confused about what to do (like what the album title says)...........well anyway this is just my opinion, i could be totally and completely wrong, but this is just what it sounded like to me that some of the songs were meaning

There's definitely an I sound.
Personally, I took it as "a milestone around my neck."

Millstone is pronounced 'milestone' so it definitely is millstone. The background story checks out as well.

Just in case anyone was wondering about the exact definition of millstone in this context:

"A heavy weight; a burden: This job is a millstone around my neck."

This album shows so much maturity. Where else can you find a band that will write an album not solely but strongly about thier spiritual experiences.

i believe this is about falling from grace,
and being at the end of your rope.
and it's so beautiful.

This song is so fucking epic. I don't think it is about religion as much as a self realization. He is definatly matured and cannot shake a burdon in his life. I was almost thinking it could have to do with alcohol being his millstone and the ship of fools being people of a bar scene. That's just a shot in the dark; this song is very open for interpretation.

2:24 and 5:56 are two of my favorite moments in any brand new songs.

and I am of course talking about Limousine, not Millstone. haha

2:24 and 5:56 are two of my favorite moments in any brand new songs.

From what i heard, the lead singer became ubber christian around the second album and that is one of the reasons that it took so long to put this album out. It also sounds to me that this album is the lead singer comming to terms with his mortality, and how will he be judged in the end. He prob is having a hard time with that, since most of the songs on this album give off that vibe.

On a side note. If this is a religous album, it was done very well. Not hammering god into your head like terrible christian rock, but showing a man in real turmoil. I also think he is comming to terms with his behavior in the past, maybe too much partying around the first album or too many women. (that would make the corrupting comment a little more relevent.)

Just a little conjecture.

"I used to pray a God was listening" ...doesn't sound like he's a born again christian to me.

Everything sounds like today words for stuff that is in the bible..

This is mostly about Jesus..

Take some time read the bible, you might learn the meaning of this, and no Im not a christian preacher or anything I just have time to read almost anything.

Tuwy...no offense but even tho you're not a christian preacher as you say, with your post you're still trying to hammer this song into our heads as being religiously rooted(as if to reinforce Jesse's supposed belief in god) and i'm just not buying it.
Here's Why:
This song is simply about Jesse having lost his faith in God. Now that he thinks he knows (and being pretty much an atheist I would have to agree with him 100%) that there is no heaven and God he feels lost. I recall myself that I slept a lot easier when I was a child because hey...you're going to heaven when you die and everything is going to be alright. Well, studying philosophy, going to college, thinking for myself, doing my own research and recognizing that Christianity was actually invented by a king hundreds of years ago is enough for me to form my own conclusion about life after death...no one really "knows" what is going to happen. They may believe they do and feel very strongly and this may ease or totally rid them of their own "millstones" they may experience without their beliefs, but anyone who reads this should realize that their ease is only due to a "belief"...not a fact. Anyone who is heavily religious...really think about that and let it sink in for a moment. If you disagree with my standpoint please feel free to post back in reference to me...but at least put up a valid arguement and not a rash, angry rant as this will only make you look silly.
The burden of knowing that he isn't going to heaven(or merely the fact that he just doesn't believe he will anymore now that he's renounced his religious beliefs) is FREAKING HIM OUT (he can't sleep anymore and so forth. This burden is the metaphorical "millstone" around his neck.
When he says "Take me out Tonight" he is begging for someone or something to give him new faith to replace that which he has lost(again he has pretty much totally lost faith in God) in order ease his mind and conscience so he can "sleep without a single stir" as he did when he was a child...When everything was simpler because he just didn't really think or question things as much. When you're young, everything is pretty much cut and dry. You're going to heaven...everything is gonna be ok. Again beliefs can make you feel powerful emotions...but in the end they are just beliefs and not the ultimate truth. You only find that out after you die...if you are even capable of processing a logical thought at that point. (Ok, i'm getting too heady for myself so that's enough with the religious analysis).
And again, when he asks for someone to be his "breath" he is looking for something( be it a person or a new way of life) to put the wind back in his sails. His loss of religious faith has really devestated him as I'm assuming he was very faithful to Christianity or whatever it was throughout his childhood and teen years. He could be asking for a person to share some new views with him...perhaps a new religion or just another way of life that helps people get by and be a little less insane knowing that one day they are going to die. Live just may not end the way the Catholic Church or other religions/institutions want you to believe. Stop letting religious dogmas rule your life and thoughts. As Timothy Leary said: "Think for yourself, question authority."
I almost kinda miss the days when I used to go to church and believe in "their" God. It was really easy. I mean, for me to admit I don't believe in Christianity or any religion is really tough. Imagine believing so very strongly in something that BILLIONS of other people take part in worldwide, every day. Then imagine through your own conquest of thought and questioning that the reasoning you accepted wasn't yours at all, real, right or the truth. Imagine stepping outside of that box and feeling like you just got hit by a Mack Truck, you're on the same road and you know the way home but nothing feels right. On the walk home it just isn't the same and never will be again, ever because of this realization you have come to. You don't have to agree with me, but i believe this is what Jesse Lacey is trying to express with these lyrics.
One thing i enjoyed was the metaphor terrorhawk suggested about the millstone being alcohol and the ship of fools being the bar scene. One thing my explanation didn't resolve was the ship of fools reference....but that metaphor works out quite nicely. Another way of looking at the song that makes sense. But thinking real quickly now I will tie that into my interpretation as well.
When he says "The ship of fools I'm on will sink" I think he is merely referring to his current sinful and destructive path( he's not trying to impress his parents anymore, he's lost touch with his friends, doesn't pray anymore), and he doesn't really care. Yet in the back of his head there is still a part of him that would accept somebody removing him from this path, relieving the burden of his millstone and being his breath now that he is "drowning" for being a sinner in his new ways, but again : Now that he has lost his faith in God he doesn't go about things the way he used to and he can't (because he just doesn't believe anymore, it's just simply no longer in him).
Also at the end of the song, two people are discussing if who they see is who they really think it is. They recognize the person but something is different that makes them question his identity :"I think I recognize him. Sure it's him?" This is Jesse explaining in a clever way how different he feels now that he has lost his faith. He feels so different that he doesn't think anyone will even recognize him anymore.
I could really write about this all night but a few things that left me hanging in this song and they were
1."Never hit the brakes there's no time to save him,
he's run out in the street"
Perhaps this is referring to his loss of faith being as unexpected and tragic as being hit by a car...hmmm that ties really well into my "getting hit by a truck thing I mentioned before, so I am going to use this explanation.*sorry everyone I am writing this thing on the fly trying to do the best I can.
2. When he says "running from that mistake" he is either referring to his faith all those years as a waste of time or well, a mistake. Or perhaps he is referring to the fact that since other people have discovered he lost interest in religion, they view his new frame of mind as a mistake, but he doesn't believe it as so...hmm yeah I think i'm gonna have to go with that one . So in other words Jesse was using the people talking about him as a way of describing his own thoughts on what happened. His loss of faith happened so suddenly, it was like being hit by a car and it's sad that it happened but that's just the way things worked out. The way that things have panned out in his mind, he can't change the way he feels.
I really feel like I could have organized this better but I think I got my interpretation of this across decently enough. If you agree/disagree...please let me hear it. Goodnight

3 Replies

So he's a sinner whose eventually going to drown in the depths of the sea(if he continues on his current path)as Matthew said in the bible. He's on a new path acting without faith(in God) and he doesn't see himself changing unless someone or something gives him "breath" to save him while he is drowning. We do not know if he ever gets new "breath" because at the end of the song he is still merely just asking for someone to be his breath..."there's nothing that he wouldn't give" but unfortunately we don't know what happens to him because there's one thing he didn't get: an answer to his demand for someone or something to be his breath.
I guess you could call this one the abridged version, or me simply reciting my collective thoughts of the whole thing back to myself again.
Anyway, have a nice day.