Academia

There are two characters in this story. The girl and the boy. The girl is a writer, while the boy is a mathematician. She agrees to be his calculator, and he agrees to be her alphabet: "You can be my alphabet / And I will be your calculator." ; each being something that the other uses to express their respective art: English and Math. She begins acting as his calculator by timing speed at which he hits bottom, or makes a mistake (hitting rock bottom?) And he measures her reaction, her blowing through the town. He calculates "the mean of heights...root of all our fights," attempting to measure their relationship somehow with that formula. These are the terms he thinks their relationship in. She then describes him in terms of literature. The "pass" (using its definition as a quirky remark) that "swathes" her (bandaging her) using his sympathy or empathy (his knowing)--attracting her. "The word" referred to as being beautiful may be a synecdoche for the "pass". This word may be LOVE; it can be said that LOVE is the "pass" in his poem. Love doesn't have be shown, according to her, which connotates that he exhibits it seldomly--but it doesn't matter, she loves him anyway. This is emphasized in the chorus, he "[soothes] with words...when [she] needs [his] love." He has already conquered her love--indicated by her being "cracked long ago". This being mathematical language, he has put her in terms he can understand. She also explains him in her terms. She believes he regards her as "a novel that [he'd] wish [he'd] never wrote" She understands that he has fit into some range (greater and x, less than y) and her question implies that this range should be something desirable to him--leaving her confused. She puts him in terms she understands as being a "cryptic crossword" and "song [she's] never heard". While she searches for him in a crossword "drawing circles" in an attempt to discover the words hidden in the entity that is him. But she is afraid she may find that she doesn't love her "being hurt". She then attempts to explain him using his terms. Describing him as a "difficult equation" which evades love. She even describes him as a mathematical proof and implies that he usually adds more onto his proof-like quality--implied by the question "or will you add another page on?" She eventually sees the relationship, as a whole, as a "graph" which "comes", implying inevitability, that proves the relationship is going badly and "steals all the laughs" or the present happiness of the relationship. "The pen" that has been "over analyzed again" may be in reference to herself, and he has complicated her in his mind. Lines 25-28 is her attempt (implied by the "if" that one may often use in explanation) in explaining their relationship to him in his terms. She believes they are two of the same number--the quantity expressed in line 25 and 27. However, they differentiate when put into her terms. He is afraid and she isn't (of love). Why aren't they compatible when the numbers match up? Because logically they are, but are complicated by his insecurity. He may be afraid of admitting that she is--in fact--the one for her, but in his human factor, he flaws in being insecure. The human factor may be said to be reflected in her terms, literature being more about emotions, versus in his terms which is mathematical, logical, and emotionless. They would be compatible were it not for his insecurity in finding her perfect for him. Although they are of two different academia, they work, and he may be scared of that.

I think this is my favorite song from the new album.

And if I am a number I'm infinity plus one and if you are five words you are afraid to be the one And if you are a number, you're infinity plus one and if I'm four words then I am needing of your love.

Amazing verse but the entire song is amazing in my opinion.

If this song was a meal, it would be a dessert.

I'm greater than x, and lesser than y So why is it that I still can't catch your eye?

:D I personally love this line.

Agreed

This song is about someone who can't express their feelings very well, so therefore they bury themselves in knowledge.

Clever lyrics, I'm in love

Well I find atomicbread's perspective quite thorough and articulate. Unless you nitwits have something even comparably detailed to offer yourself then I suggest you stop wasting words on bashing other people's opinions.

The song is about a person who is in love with someone who is very academic. despite this persons passionate emotion based nature they are drawn to someone who is all facts and figures and academia. While the emotion based person is craving the others love, all the facts and figures person is offering is cold mental stimulation. I realize that my interpretation of the song could definitely be tainted with my own experience. I thought of myself when I really listened to the lyrics ;-)

aha lifelonglines, i agree foldsbaldwin. def the best off the album imo, love it. it's such a cute, dorky song. i don't really get the sig of academia? i thought it was macademia when i first heard it! like the nut. fave line: you're a difficult equation w/ a knack for heart evasion

I love this song. :) it makes no sense to me ... maybe something about a childhood lover?

I agree, that's my favorite line too.