The New Pornographers – Challengers

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Send "Challengers" Ringtone to Cell

Yes, I know it was late
We were greeting the sun
Before long
And you live with someone
I live with somebody, too
Leave it there
For safe-keeping
You wanted the West Village in flames
That was the custom
Come dawn

On the walls of the day
In the shade of the sun
We wrote down
Another vision of us
We are the challengers of
The unknown
"Be safe," you say
Whatever the mess you are, you're mine, okay?
If that is the custom
I'm down

Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na
Na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na

Until I see you around
Until we clear the accounts
Leave it there
Leave it to us
We are the challengers of
The unknown

Oh-la, oh-la, oh-la, oh-la
Oh-la, oh-la, oh-la, oh-la

Send "Challengers" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Cerulean_Blu

Track duration: 03:31


Challengers song meanings
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18 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I agree with TriangleMan. Obviously, he's quoting Carl Newman so that doesn't leave much for interpretation. I guess I just wanted to lend my support. When I first heard the song, I assumed it was about two people who were in love and could see a future for themselves but were with other people at the time. To me, the song is about being realistic and putting your love on hold and all the complications that go with that.
    I like these lines especially because it reflects how vague/shallow their idea of being together is.
    "On the walls of the day
    In the shade of the sun
    We wrote down
    Another vision of us"
    And I don't mean shallow as superficial, I mean shallow in the sense that their idea of being together is
    almost impossible and not really rooted in reality. Therefore "walls of the day" and "shade of the sun" demonstrate the intangibility of their love.
    Flag vilageidoit09on September 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I want it to be "You wanted the West Village in flames." I really do. But I'm fairly certain it's "Wandered the west village in flames." Either one conveys a different feeling - "you wanted" is as if some sort of disaster could allow you to flee the lives you're stuck with and pursue the "true love" you're finding out of marriage, and that's a pretty interesting idea... but I think the real lyrics are "Wandered" which is to say, at the end of their night together, they were walking around both in the early sunshine (in flames) and in the flames of passion. Great song though.
    Flag coooldudeon March 25, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"the time comes to forget eachother" what is that supposed to mean?
    Flag DJgifon July 11, 2009   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment: Good song. I agree with zeeb, except the part about "forgetting each other". Honestly, does that happen? I have never forgotten anyone I have loved.
    Flag postmortemon July 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always thought it was "one of the West religions claim.."

    I was obviously wrong. Haha.
    Flag cantturnlefton May 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The lines "On the walls of the day, in the shade of the sun, we wrote down another vision of us" makes me imagine their shadow as they walk together through the city during the day. The shadow they cast is their way of writing a vision (albeit fleeting) of the relationship they cannot yet have together.
    Flag cordongoleon July 31, 2008   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:it's 'you wanted the West Village in flames'

    and yes, the song is about an affair.
    Flag debaser__on July 04, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it seems to be that "walking the west village in flames" could be about the destruction of their previous relationships with this new one. as if they had 'burned down' what they had.
    Flag brentolieon July 03, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm almost positive the line is "Wander the West Village in flames".

    The couple stays together all night, and then when dawn comes, they wander around in the West Village, "in flames" from their love/passion and also from the light of the rising sun.
    Flag Jupeon April 06, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Shea -- I'd have to give the song another close listen, but "wander the west village..." sounds right. Have no idea about "plains" v. "flames"; but I never heard flames, myself.

    But I do think it's "we wrote down"; I don't know if the next line "another vision of us" makes that much sense otherwise. I suppose it could be disconnected. But I think they are talking about writing something -- another vision of themselves, in the future, where they're together. But they're not writing it in a concrete way; they're writing it on "the walls of the day". Days don't have walls; their vision of the future is uncertain, fragile.
    Flag zeebon April 01, 2008   Link

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