Incubus – Pendulous Threads

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Mend this careless thread, it’s gone askew.
(Thread on my sweater is pendulous, step back & pull it.
Watch it unravel faster than a speeding bullet.)
Or pull & see how much we can undo.
(Thread on my sweater is pendulous, step back & pull it.
Watch it unravel faster than a speeding bullet.)
On a burning bridge, your options are minimal at best.
Depending on where you’re standing
& how much breath is in your chest.
If it came down to it
would you high-tail home & hide? Or dance on fire & enjoy the ride?
Mend this careless thread, it’s gone askew.
(Thread on my sweater is pendulous, step back & pull it.
Watch it unravel faster than a speeding bullet!)
Or pull & see how much we can undo.
(Thread on my sweater is pendulous, step back & pull it.
Watch it unravel faster than a speeding bullet!
At the heart of it all. That innermost, your fiery core
there’s an amassing armor & it’s building you into a bore. Life’s a match in a gas tank
don’t ever mourn the ebbing tide, just dance on fire & enjoy the ride!
Hey! Mend this careless thread, it’s gone askew.
(Thread on my sweater is pendulous, step back & pull it.
Watch it unravel faster than a speeding bullet!)
Or pull & see how much we can undo.
(Thread on my sweater is pendulous, step back & pull it.
Watch it unravel faster than a speeding bullet!)

Send "Pendulous Threads" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by bing_redboy

Track duration: 05:35


Pendulous Threads song meanings
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27 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:ok this song means that no matter how shitty your life becomes dont let it overtake you...sometimes there are things in this world that none of us can control and even when they happen we need to "dance on that fire" instead of "going home and hiding"---like when it says "dont mourne the ebbing tide"--Incubus's songs are basically all motivational and this song is no different... Mr Boyd is about happiness and living life to the fullest possible...sure everyone gets down and we all have bad times BUT DONT LET IT CONSUME YOU
    Flag brittbo2006on August 19, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think that this song is about taking risks. The sweater is like your security blanket, and when a thread goes askew, it is an opportunity. You can either hide from it by fixing it, or you can pull it and see what happens. Undoing the sweater is coming out of your hiding place, and going with whatever life brings you. When he says "Life's a match in a gas tank," he is saying that life is short, and can end at any time. So "dance on fire and join the ride!"
    Flag VanillaSpiceon February 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The lyrics remind me of the Sweater Song by Weezer...

    Mend this careless thread, it's gone askew.
    (Thread on my sweater is pendulous, step back & pull it.
    Watch it unravel faster than a speeding bullet.)
    Or pull & see how much we can undo.

    Flag Isauraon August 22, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:well since no one else has attempted to discuss the actual meaning of the song i geuss ill start it off... first thing is the chorus i think the sweater that he speaks of is a symbol for life(or the events that occur in ones life) and this sweater is made up of individual moments in time or "threads" and it just so happens that one of these threads has gone askew(or something in ones life has gone wrong at one point). the event that has caused this thread to go askew is also "pendulous" or it caused a chain reaction of reoccuring events that will ultimately lead to ones demise or downfall... now what the verses are talking about is when this sweater finally unravels or your life has hit rock bottom(your standing on a burning bridge) where your options are minimal depending on how you have dealt with the situation(depending on where your standing and how much breath is in your chest) now when it all comes crashing down are you going to run home and hide or just bask in the beauty of how fragile life can be and stop trying to control everything and just live(dance on fire and enjoy the ride). now the next verse i find very interesting(At the heart of it all. That innermost, your fiery core
    there’s an amassing armor & it’s building you into a bore) what this is saying is that your forming armor around your sweater(or life) b/c your afraid of what could happen but this armor also hides your true identity or self and you are becoming a boring and dull person b/c of this... now the next line (lifes a match in a gas tank) is another symbol for how fragile life can be... the last line im going to discuss is hard to get kinda but i think that its a metaphor on top of a metaphor (dont ever mourn the ebbing tide) the ebbing tide could be a symbol for the sweater that is unravelling so what it is saying is dont give your pity b/c im more alive then you ever will be with your damn sweater armor your boring loser.... in conclusion: to experience the true beauty of life we must have the careless, askew threads. stop building walls around your heart and your life and just dance on fire and enjoy the ride... thats my two cents....peace...

    "stop trying to control everything and just let go, LET GO!" - tyler durden(Fight Club)
    Flag metamusedon November 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this is the album that really got me into incubus.
    Flag PANTOMIME63on November 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think that this song goes along with the whole bio term 'fight or flight' :would you high-tail home & hide? Or dance on fire & enjoy the ride? mean would you stay and stand your ground or cower like others and fold in this type of situation?
    Flag hilikus619on October 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i thinks this cd is there 1st relationship CD. This song is about gettin in a fight either u can mend the thread/problem or keep pulling it and see how fast one becomes unglued which usually happens. Just dance on fire and enjoy the ride
    Flag mri3igunson September 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:emilieisawesome - incubus is a creative band, obviously the arent going to sound the same after morning view. bands that continue to repeat themselves artistically stop contributing to the world of music, and incubus has managed to change their sound with every album, alluding to older ideas along the way. props to them for doing so.
    Flag neekmanon September 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:emilieisawesome- I totally disagree. You just have to keep listening, I wasnt crazy about it at first but after listening over and over it is an awesome cd. Incubus is growing musically, you have to grow with them. Listen to track 8 and 9, they will grow on you quick.
    Flag mallorypmmon August 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:emilieisawesome - totally agree with your statement. its this song, and maybe...maybe 2 other songs. but yea, Incubus, sad to say has changed their sound. this song captures a little of what they use to sound like. i dug that...anything that came out after Morning View, *throws a swift thumbs down* doesn't sound the same. and that could be said for a few other bands, but i wont name any names. anyways, this song is great. in my opinion its just about life, and how it can throw you curve balls. you can either run away from it, or "dance on fire & enjoy the ride". and that opinion is a little bias given my current situation...heh. right now, im choosing to dance in the flames...
    Flag bignique187on August 19, 2007   Link

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