Lyrics for Unless It's Kicks as interpreted by smileforthecamera

Unless It's Kicks Lyrics
What gives this mess some grace unless it's kicks, man
Unless it's fiction
Unless it's sweat or it's songs?

What hits against this cheat unless it's a sick man's hand
From some midlevel band?
He's been driving too long
On a dark windless night
With the stereo on
With the towns flying by
And the ground getting soft
And the sound in the sky
Coming down from above
It surrounds you and sighs
And it's whispering of
What pulls your body down, and that is quicksand
So, climb out quick, hand over hand
Before your mouth's all filled up

What picks you up from down unless it's tricks, man?
When I been fixed, I am convinced that I will not get so broke up again

And on a seven day high
That heavenly song
Punches right through my mind
And hums through my blood

And I know it's a lie
But I'll still give my love
Hey, my heart's on the line
For your hands to pluck off

What gives this mess some grace unless it's fictions
Unless it's licks, man
Unless it's lies or it's love?

What breaks this heart the most is the ghost of some rock and roll fan
Exploding up from the stands
With her heart opened up
And I want to tell her, "your love isn't lost"
Say, "my heart is still crossed"
Scream, "you're so wonderful"
What a dream in the dark
About working so hard
About glowing so stoned
Trying not to turn off
Trying not to believe in that lie all on your own
La la la la
Ohhh oh ohh

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  • 27 Comments
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smileforthecamera
06-24-2007

Rated 0 
I've only listened to this song once and I'm already fucking in love with it. I want to listen to it over and over and over again. And just dance. It's a dancing song.

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soCtra
06-24-2007

Rated 0 
Yeah this song is amazing! damn, the whole album is amazing. Thank you for posting all the lyrics, I really appreciate it

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fedorkme
06-28-2007

Rated 0 
holy fucking shit, this song makes me explode with ;lKSDJFlkjsdfj'lsdk/.fjs'kjDL"FKJ". It's been on repeat since I downloaded the new album, which was like.. an hour ago, BUT STILL HOMG THIS SON G IS COMPLETELY FUCKING AMAZINg.


On a side note: Will Scheff's voice may not be the best, but it puts so much emotion in the song its fucking incredible, no other singer could give Okkervil the intensity of emotion you feel when you listen to them.

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1 Reply
jadedgypsy
06-29-2007

Rated 0 
And on a seven day high
That heavenly song
Punches right through my mind
And pumps through my blood --> That's more logical, but for some reason i hear "and it comes through my blood".

And, oh, it's a lie --> i think it's "And I know it's a lie"
But I still give my love
And my heart's all alive(?) --> Not sure about this one either
For your hands to pluck off

Also, I imagine this song would be AMAZING live. i haven't heard the rest of the album yet, but like everyone else said, this is a really great song and I REALLY can't wait to hear the rest of the album!

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mychaosdream
08-01-2007

Rated 0 
And my heart's on the line (is what i hear)

Such a great tune, love it.

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JeremyB1
08-09-2007

Rated 0 
I think the part about the ghost in the crowd deals with the uneasy experience of a rock star being worshiped by fans when he's really just as ordinary and fucked up as everyone else. that's all i got for now.

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grasking
08-11-2007

Rated +1 
could it be "my heart's on the vine"? It makes sense within the context of the verse.

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justicehawver
08-11-2007

Rated 0 
Not sure if this song is a cynical abode to the modern world -- grieving for pure rock music -- or a more optimistic look at the things that give us joy. Any thoughts?

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thegoldenjaw
08-13-2007

Rated 0 
it's actually " and i know it's a lie, but i'll still give my love. hey, my heart's on the line for your hands to pluck off"

and the last one is "about glowing so stoned, trying not to turn off, trying not to believe in that lie all on your own."

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tinydancer212
08-15-2007

Rated 0 
justicehawver - i think its optimistic. i think he's talking about how he can become completely and totally consumed by music. and even though he tries to not get emotional about it, he can't help it. but he also wants to reach out to others who feel the same way because he knows how they feel. so in the end i think it's optimistic because it conveys the message that we're not alone.

maybe i just choose to see the song this way, cause i myself am music obsessed and i don't want to depress myself! either way, GREAT song.

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raconteur
08-21-2007

Rated +1 
I think tinydancer has been most accurate so far in deciphering the meaning. In an interview of Will Sheff I read recently, he spoke of fandon:

"I think that in a lot of ways the album is about fandom. Or that's one of the things that it's about. And it's motivated out of fandom. I'm a tremendous fan of pop music, and art, and all of this stuff. I think there's kind of a tragic element to being a fan, where you believe it. You know what I mean? You believe these people are your friends. I've often felt as a child growing up that I was closer to writers that I had never met or that were dead than I was to my friends-- well, I really didn't have that many friends-- but the people that I was hanging out with and seeing everyday. There's something very beautiful about that, but there's also something really pathetic about it. I've been on both sides of it, because I know, also, that sometimes people will come up to me and they'll talk to me and many of the fans are very, very sane.

But there is a kind of fan that will come up to talk to you and they're crazy and it becomes clear after a little bit [laughs], and you start to realize that they have an idea of you in their head that has nothing to do-- well, it actually has something to do-- with who you are, but it isn't who you are. And all you are is a star in their solar system...symbols and things that are personally significant to them but would be inscrutable to anyone else...Being a groupie is, in some ways, just an extreme form of fandom. I think that everyone has experienced, on some level, the emotion that motivates you to be a groupie. Groupies are also regularly disrespected, but all it is is somebody who loves something so much that they get involved with it sexually. Or maybe it doesn't even have to do with sex. I have felt a sense of fandom for things that I have loved that is so intense that it starts to bleed into spirituality, bleed into sexuality, and bleed into all kinds of areas of your life that love for a simple rock album should not be occupying."

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utopian.bookmobile
08-31-2007

Rated 0 
And my heart's all alive(?)
For your hands to pluck off

I think it's:
and my heart's on a line
for your hands to pluck off

it sounds a little clearer on the bonus disc's acoustic version

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ripelivejam
09-02-2007

Rated 0 
ironic that this song just makes me a bigger fan lulz

so catchy it should be illegal

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ripelivejam
09-02-2007

Rated 0 
ironic that this song just makes me a bigger fan lulz

so catchy it should be illegal

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nickvb
09-12-2007

Rated 0 
haha, i love people who say 'lulz' instead of lol.



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MattisTrees
10-06-2007

Rated 0 
damn.. fifteen comments already.. brand new CD.. what is happening to OR?

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nickvb
10-08-2007

Rated 0 
OMG THEY ARE SELL OUTS?

the CD isn't THAT new anyway. okkervil river are a truly amazing band, just because they gain a little popularity it doesn't change that. it also doesn't make you cool just because you heard of them before other people.

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nevito77
12-17-2007

Rated 0 
I like how this songs gets stronger as the song goes by

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LeSerpentMascara
01-18-2008

Rated 0 
By the way it's "hums through my blood"

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LeSerpentMascara
01-18-2008

Rated 0 
By the way it's "hums through my blood"

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whatchamacallme
04-27-2008

Rated 0 
Rock the fuck out.
Beautiful guitar at the end.

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MattisTrees
08-03-2008

Rated 0 
Well you completely blew my comment out of proportion. Good job, crusader!

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spikdboy
10-03-2008

Rated 0 
I can't believe nobody's mentioned this yet... the main reason the words are so catchy is Sheff's consonance.

I'll capitalize every 's' sound:

What giveS thiS meSS Some graCe unleSS it'S kickS, man
UnleSS it'S fiction
UnleSS it'S Sweat or it'S SongS?

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1 Reply
spikdboy
10-03-2008

Rated 0 
*scheff

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spikdboy
10-10-2008

Rated 0 
**Sheff. Damnit, I was right the first time.

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