Lyrics for Love Dog as interpreted by trystero

Love Dog Lyrics
Lonely little love dog that
No one knows the name of
I know why you cry out
Desperate and devout

Timid little teether
Your eyes set on the ether
Your moon in a bella luna and
Howling hallelujah

Nameless you above me
Come lay me low and love me
This lonely little love dog
That no one knows the name of

Curse me out in free verse
Wrap me up and reverse this
Patience is a virtue
Until it's silence burns you

And something slow
Has started in me as
Shameless as an ocean
Mirrored in devotion

Something slow
Has sparked up in me
As dog cries for a master
Sparks are whirling faster

Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the ways of
Where the land is low is
Where the bones'll show through

Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the days of
Where the land is low is
Where the water flows to
And holds you

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Spicer
09-26-2008

Rated -1 
Has anyone noticed that this song is very similar to Dirtywhirl

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1 Reply
fecky_bord
10-01-2008

Rated -1 
Is this questioning god?

"Nameless you above me
Come lay me low and love me"

"Curse me out in free verse"- much of the bible is written in free verse, Psalms, for example.

"Patience is a virtue
Until it's silence burns you"- The bible preaches the importance of patience, but life doesnt always go according to plan. The good guy doesnt always get the gold

"And something slow
Has started in me as
Shameless as an ocean
Mirrored in devotion"- he is turning away from god, sinning without a care because following the rules has "burned" him.


any thoughts?

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ialm001
10-02-2008

Rated -1 
fecky bord i think your onto something there, it does sound like its about god/religion. this is one of my favourite songs on the album along with DLZ

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Gagsy
10-02-2008

Rated +1 
No, I just think it's quite simply about a woman who craves for love and affection, and he being the only one who notices her, falls for her, but before he can admire to such feelings she drowns herself.

"Where the water flows to
And holds you"

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radioheadfan
10-03-2008

Rated 0 
not seeing god or drowning lover. Good try because I have nothing to offer for this one. It is a beautiful song though.

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Mclay88
10-03-2008

Rated 0 
"Lonely little love dog that
No one knows the name of"

A girl that he is smitten with whom is no one special and doesn't get much attention.

"I know why you cry out
Desperate and devout"

She's sad, lonely and desperate for help so she begins to look to God for answers though is unsure of what she's looking to. He understand this feeling as he feels it toward her.

"Timid little teether
Your eyes set on the ether"

She's a "timid little teether" because she's just cutting her teeth on religion. Her eyes are set on the ether, which is another term for space or the heavens.

"Your moon in bella luna and
Howling hallelujah"

Bella Luna is a mysterious man who brings light to life (usually the man in the moon). Finding her Moon in Bella Luna (rather then Bella Luna in the Moon) is her trying to grasp where this mysterious man who brings light to life (God) is. Howling hallelujah kind of explains itself.

"Nameless you above me
Come lay me low and love me"

Trying to figure this out, maybe he wants God to love him (and thus him love God) so that she too will love him or perhaps so he can understand how to obtain her love.

"Curse me out in free verse
Wrap me up and reverse this"

As fecky_bord said much of the bible was written in free verse. He has become fed up God for making him so in love with this girl, he's asking God to curse him and "wrap me up and reverse this" aka take away his love for the girl as it's tormenting him.

"Patience is a virtue
Until it's silence burns you"

I took this as he was silent about his love for her as he couldn't bring himself to tell her or he didn't think she would like him as he is. Waiting so long as been tormenting him.

"And something slow
Has started in me as
Shameless as an ocean
Mirrored in devotion"

He's singing about the love he feels for her, it started slow but has grown. His shameless love is as vast as an ocean, so much so that he says it's parallel to the devotion people feel toward God.

"Something slow
Has sparked up in me
As dog cries for a master
Sparks are whirling faster"

Something slow sparking up in him is him again speaking of how his love for this girl started. Dog cries for a master, the girl is looking for purpose and guidance from above. The sparks whirling faster is his love growing stronger for this her.

"Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the ways of
Where the land is low is
Where the bones'll show through

Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the days of
Where the land is low is
Where the water flows to
And holds you "

I took the "no one knows the ways of" and "no one knows the days of" as he simply can't understand this girl and has no idea how to get her to love him. I didn't get "Where the land is low is where the bones'll show through" and "Where the land is low is where the water flows to and holds you " entirely, I took it along the lines of the bones showing through being him obviously being in love with her (showing his bones or true emotions) and the water that flows in and holds you the emotion of love getting to and possessing him. "Where the land is low" may mean when you let your guard down.

Hope that all makes sense as I'm very tired. This is my favorite song on the album though.

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Mclay88
10-03-2008

Rated 0 
Upon reading my post again I must ask you forgive my typos. Again, very tired =P

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radioheadfan
10-05-2008

Rated 0 
Mclay88 Great job I think you nailed it!

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trystero
10-13-2008

Rated 0 
I agree, awesome work of interpretation!

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Elegnaim
10-16-2008

Rated 0 
Might be a stretch but I wonder if there's a connection to that "But this is beginning to feel like the dog wants her bones saved" line from DLZ.

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Debased1988
10-20-2008

Rated 0 
I didn't think much of this song until I heard it live - managed to move a buddy of mine, who had never heard TVotR before, to tears - and believe me, he's not the type to get all emotional over nothing.

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Iron Goldfish
10-25-2008

Rated 0 
McLay88 and fecky_bord definately have something going here.

Besides, the line does say "Wrap me up and reverse this" and 'Dog' reversed is 'God'.

Maybe he is making a point that people should, instead of spending so much time worshiping a deity, spend it loving the people that matter.

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rogerlio
11-07-2008

Rated 0 
I think this song is speaking of a child, perhaps orpahned, or with neglectful parents.

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rogerlio
11-07-2008

Rated 0 
I think this song is speaking of a child, perhaps orpahned, or with neglectful parents.

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stengali
12-01-2008

Rated 0 
every line from dear science is brilliant

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jonamo
12-11-2008

Rated 0 
"Lonely little love dog that
No one knows the name of
I know why you cry out
Desperate and devout

Timid little teether
Your eyes set on the ether
Your moon in a bella luna and
Howling hallelujah"

The speaker is suffering, from heartbreak or existential angst (or something else maybe). He sees, hears, or thinks of a lonely stray dog, crying or howling to the moon. He empathizes with the dog's loneliness. Like the dog, the speaker thinks of himself as fearful and young ("timid little teether") and looking to the moon, either for salvation or because he is smitten.

"Nameless you above me
Come lay me low and love me
This lonely little love dog
That no one knows the name of"

Begging God or the object of his affection to love him, save him from himself.

"Curse me out in free verse
Wrap me up and reverse this
Patience is a virtue
Until it's silence burns you"

This is a tough one. The first two lines could be asking for God or the love object to fix his situation. The next two lines (which are enigmatic, profound, and wonderful) may be a reference to waiting, vainly, for some kind of sign from God. Alternatively, it could mean the speaker is waiting for the right time to say something to his love, but he's too shy and lacks confidence.

"And something slow
Has started in me as
Shameless as an ocean
Mirrored in devotion

Something slow
Has sparked up in me
As dog cries for a master
Sparks are whirling faster"

I don't know what this means! It sounds like a lot of emotion is building up in the speaker, like bleak anger. Like the dog, the speaker is crying for a "master" (this line makes me think it's more about God than a love object).

"Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the ways of
Where the land is low is
Where the bones'll show through

Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the days of
Where the land is low is
Where the water flows to
And holds you"

These lines seem like references to death and the grave.

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hciiman
12-19-2008

Rated 0 



Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the ways of
Where the land is low is
Where the bones'll show through

Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the days of
Where the land is low is
Where the water flows to
And holds you


the "dog / bones" image is also used in the DLZ song:

"Congratulations on the mess you made of things;
On trying to reconstruct the air and all that brings.
And oxidation is the compromise you own
But this is beginning to feel like the dog wants her bones
saved"

and seems to refer to life

According to me those last verses are about
losing hope in this life
and like religion often seems to encourage to do
bet it all on death(life after) instead
for the grave; where the land is low
and where everybody goes,
is where true love(life) must be
and where the Lonely little love dog is letting himself go too.

What do you reckon?


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AnonIsAWoman
01-07-2009

Rated +1 
This song is awesome. The second I heard it, I realized it's a fantastic reference to Rumi, the Persian poet.

Rumi writes,

"There are love dogs
no one knows the names of.

Give your life
to be one of them."

The entire poem can be found here: http://www.uuwestport.org/Readings/lovedogs.html


It's basically about searching for God and yearning for him even if you can't hear him respond.

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echerrr
01-23-2009

Rated 0 
i think it about him looking for God and not finding him in church but still wanting to believe in something.

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anickday
03-01-2009

Rated 0 
So damn good. TV On The Radio were amazing, and when I saw them live, this was the best song.

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falkie
03-08-2009

Rated +1 
I think this song is about searching and longing for God.
Someone on this site brought up many lyric similarities between the TVOTR song Staring at the Sun, and the Rumi poem No Room for Form (as it was translated by Coleman Barks). This intrigued me, so I began researching Rumi, and two things happened: I discovered his wonderful poetry, and learned that someone in TVOTR is definitely a fan... :)

Rumi often uses the word Love instead of God, and refers to God as "The Lover". There is an entire chapter entitled Love Dogs in a book of Rumi poetry by Coleman Barks:
"The Sufis feel that dogs are our teachers with their faithfulness."

Here is a piece of Rumi's poem Love Dogs:

"Why did you stop praying?" "Because
I've never heard anything back."

"This longing you express
is the return message."

The grief you cry out from
draws you towards union.

Your pure sadness
that wants help
is the secret cup.

Listen to the moan of a dog for it's master.
That whining is the connection.

There are love dogs
no one knows the names of.

Give your life
to be one of them.


Ok, now, that being said - Here's what I hear with I listen to this beautiful song:

Lonely little love dog that
No one knows the name of
I know why you cry out
Desperate and devout

Love dog - someone who longs for the connection with and to feel god's love: I know why you yearn so, why you remain so devout.

Timid little teether
Your eyes set on the ether
Your moon in a bella luna and
Howling hallelujah

ether = heavens, you look up at the heavens, and howl hallelujah, I think the moon reference is imagery that plays into the dog metaphor. Howling at the moon, etc'. Bella Luna actually literally means: Beautiful moon, also: Full moon. You howl you hallelujahs at the full moon.

Nameless you above me
Come lay me low and love me
This lonely little love dog
That no one knows the name of

The speaker is asking to feel god's love. Even though he's just a lonely little loyal "nobody" - a love dog, drowned in anonymity.

Curse me out in free verse - I agree with a previous poster: reference to the bible?
Wrap me up and reverse this - take me into your light, and reverse the curse - love me
Patience is a virtue
Until it's silence burns you - This again reminds me of the Rumi poem where "the silence IS the answer"



And something slow
Has started in me as - I am finding faith
Shameless as an ocean - against all odds
Mirrored in devotion - I mirror my inner faith with my devotion to you

Something slow
Has sparked up in me - repetition - still discussing finding faith
As dog cries for a master - As I long for you, God
Sparks are whirling faster - my faith burns stronger (could also be a reference to Sufism, twirling dervishes, etc...)

Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the ways of
Where the land is low is - When times are rough
Where the bones'll show through - suffering

Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the days of
Where the land is low is - When times are rough
Where the water flows to - that's when faith finds you
And holds you - and comforts you


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zephid
03-19-2009

Rated 0 
I swear that lyric is "Sparks are swirling faster."

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1 Reply
dkizzle
04-28-2009

Rated 0 

Great posts by fecky and falkie and others.

I didn't initially notice the perspective the song takes as it changes through out. The first two section are to the "love dog" from the perspective of the narrator or from God. The middle four sections being from the "love dog" (or the narrator as a love dog himself) to God.

I am still curious about the meaning of the fifth and sixth sections.

"And something slow
Has started in me as
Shameless as an ocean
Mirrored in devotion"

I have a theory that this means:

Something slow
has started in me
that something slow is comparable to an ocean (an ocean is huge and powerful, but has no shame)
"Mirrored in devotion" is really important, does it refer to "something slow" or the "ocean" It makes me think it is strong like devotion, but not actually devotion. Might it be a strong frustration with or yearning for God that mirrors the love dog's devotion?


"Something slow
Has sparked up in me
As dog cries for a master
Sparks are whirling faster"

may mean:

Again referencing that same "something slow"
that has sparked/started in me
as I yearn for a God's acknowledgment and love, but do not get it
that "something slow" is getting stronger/faster. Creating feelings similar to those of devotion but out of frustration or longing?

If these parts are describing the frustration and longing for God, the final two sections are a good response from the narrator or from God that when your life is rough and you need help is when God will be there with you.

"Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the ways of
Where the land is low is
Where the bones'll show through"

"Lonely little love dog
That no one knows the days of
Where the land is low is
Where the water flows to
And holds you "


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jewlcomstone
09-22-2009

Rated 0 
why cant it just be about him getting a dog from the pound or something? no reason to over analyze, i think it would be a great song bout a dog

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