Godspeed

"They lied when they said the good die young."

Consider the lyric in the Billy Joel song, "Only The Good Die Young." That song is about a Catholic girl who is pressured into having pre-marital sex, and includes the lyrics:

"They say there's a heaven for those who will wait Some say it's better but I say it ain't I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints Sinners are much more fun."

I believe the message in Godspeed, is to dismiss the idea that the sinners live better, more exciting and adventurous lives. That idea is just a lie, and the truth is that the good people, who don't succumb to society's decadent temptations, are the ones who will really lead the most fulfilling and satifsying lives.

With that said, this song absolutely rocks.

I think it's mostly about giving up everything (burning bridges) and chasing something and not giving up till you're dead (We'll rest in our graves).

Christa released a CD entitled "Chelsea Girl". She died in Ibiza on 18 July 1988 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage while cycling in intense heat.

So perhaps "Chelsea Hotel" is really meant to make an allusion to that. It's like, if you're sleeping in the "Chelsea Hotel", meaning involved in a life of drugs and such, "bad turns to worse and the worst turns into hell", like death [or literally Hell, depending on how harsh you want to be].

Wow, great thought eltroyo.

Great song.

I mean. The lyrics, the vocals, the drums, the guitars. mmmm..perfection =]

I mostly agree with eltroyo11. It's about perseverence. And, about "not falling asleep". In other words, be aware and don't let anything, or anyone rather, lull you to sleep. Know what your goal is and go for it. Don't rest till you achieve it.

Sorry. I had a lessthanthree heart and it killed my whole post! The first post was better, but here's a recap.

Okay, so I'm thinking that the lyrics here have something to do with purity and not being "tainted" if you will, by society. He's trying to disprove the saying the only the good die young thing (see Billy Joel lyrics). There's an element of pushing towards the future and staying true to yourself and your morals/beliefs/ideals/whatever.

Perhaps that just comes from where I am in my life and struggles though. Either way, the song absolutely rocks and I'm so excited to hear that Anberlin has lost nothing in their new two songs. =)

I've seen a lot of interpretations that seem ridiculous, and some that seem to grasp the point, so I'll share what I know off hand...

The Hotel Chelsea is located in Manhattan...it's a well-known place for artists, poets, actors, directors, etc.

"White lines, black tar, the matches" - Drugs, obviously. White lines being cocaine, black tar referring to black tar heroin. Nico/Christa Paffgen was a known heroin addict. ("I need a fix in those heroin eyes" - from Dance, Dance...a double-meaning there...heroin/heroine). She also stayed at the Hotel Chelsea when she was one of Warhol's Factory Girls. During this period (mid-60's) Warhol's factory was located in Manhattan on Lexington Avenue. The corner of Lexington & 125th street was a place where junkies would go to feed their habit. Nico/Christa Paffgen and the Velvet Underground talk about this in the song "I'm Waiting for the Man". Heroin is injected, hence that line about Lexington and veins.

While all of this can be appied to Nico, it also somewhat fits other celebrities as well...

Edie Sedgwick, another of Warhol's Factory Girls who stayed at Hotel Chelsea, was also a heroin user, but not an addict like Nico. She died after a barbituate overdose (which some say might have been a suicide) after attending a fashion show in Santa Barbara. "Fashion statement suicide" sounds similar to that, but whether that's why Stephen Christian wrote the lyrics, I don't know, it's just what I was reminded of.

Another event I was reminded of the first time I heard this song was Sid Vicious (of the Sex Pistols) and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. They were both heroin addicts. They were both staying at the Hotel Chelsea when Sid woke up after doing heroin and found Nancy dead on the bathroom floor. He was arrested and charged with the murder even though he said he had no memory of doing so. "She's still asleep in the Chelsea Hotel, bad to turns to worse and the worse turns into hell." 'Asleep' meaning dead, 'bad turns to worse and the worse turns into hell' meaning he woke up to find her dead, and then is accused of killing her.

"Burning down neverland" - Destroying their 'superstar' lives.

"Kill yourself slowly over time" - obviously about drug use.

"Don't fall asleep" and "Stay with me" - Don't die on me.

"Is this a life lead just to remember, tell them who you were, who you really were" - Wanting to be well-known and remembered, but then their tragic drug-related deaths overshadow their accomplishments, and reveal their real lifestyle.

As a filmmaker, I'm fascinated w/ Edie and Warhol and all of his factory girls, which is why I know some of this info, and it's know that Stephen Christian is fascinated by some of them as well. Just my initial reaction upon hearing the song the first time through.

alright well this is an ahmazing song and i could be soo wrong, but what i got out of this is

that the person is depressed, like in a way with "drugs and needles" and sex and cutting and anorexia [ect] and just trying to want to fit in, but they are slowing killing themselves over time. "they lied when they said the good die young woahh ohh stay with me stay with me tonight" meaning either one of two things in my eyes [1] these people are young, so he doesnt want them to die, they good therefor dont die you in a sense that just trying to keep them to stay alive i guess, if that makes sense to anyone. [2] they are terrible people, the good dont die young, the bad die young cuz they are slowing killing themselves over time, and that they realy don need to die and he wants them to live, they is refering to whoever the song is about, maybe a girl perhaps? not sure, anywayss. , again if anybody understand my crazy lodgic but thats what i think about when i hear it..

Anberlin does lots of charity work for victims of human trafficking and people suffering from suicidal thoughts, addiction, self injury and depression. This song feels like an homeage to the lost souls they're trying to help through their music and outreach. "The good die young" is a blanket statement that only speaks to one side of the age/death correlation. Yes, bad things happen to good people, but self destructive deeds compounded early in one's life can end it pretty quick also. I esp like the line "Fall asleep, don't fall asleep. Stay with me tonight." I imagine one person drugged-out on the verge of overdosing, and another person trying to take care of them/save their life. By falling asleep/not falling asleep, he wants this person to get some rest and sleep it off, but is afraid if they fall asleep they may never wake up again.

"This song is about the ‘glamourous’ lives of musicians that people seem to put up on pedestal and worship. Why? Sex, drugs, and rock and roll seem to get you to about the age of 27 and then you die. Tragically.

Neverland- I always felt like musicians live in a Peter Pan world, no one ever has to grow up (at least no one wants to, and no one wants them to).

White lines (coke) & black tar (heroin)

Death by Misadventure (Research Brian Jones)

Lexington (From the song ‘I’m Waiting for my Man’, a Velvet Underground reference)

Fashion statement suicide- cigarettes

Chelsea Hotel- Sid & Nancy" - Stephen Christian Anberlinlyrics.tumblr.com June 2014

This is by far my favorite Anberlin song. I know there's still a few lines that could use some work. Specifically, the 3rd and 4th lines of the first verse and the "Chelsea hotel" thing in the second. That one sorta makes sense though, cause I believe Chelsea is near London, which I think is a big fashion place. This obviously fits with the line before it. Also, I'm not 100% sure on the whispers in the second chorus, but that is what I hear.