were safe, out love went dormant
we read my mind
        so nervous

the earth is on its side    - fucked up and puke up in 'is mane

design! : to slide around your circle slicing out a hole

()()()()

the films that you sent me!
  loving on your own body...

jesus.

leave me.


for im feeling shot!

!sell my maker!


you're running and injured
just like you oughtta be
to me
now on

could I create it on my body
with soppy marker
long with one line.

(the) BIG red machine;

is all i've learned to suffer

is all i've learned to suffer

is all i've learned to suffer



Lyrics submitted by slowbendingaxe, edited by Winternoise

Big Red Machine song meanings
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10 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    again, very cool. thanks for being so interested. here are the official lyrics i made for aaron dessner's song:

    were safe, out love went dormant we read my mind         so nervous

    the earth is on its side    - fucked up and puke up in 'is mane

    design! : to slide around your circle slicing out a hole

    ()()()()

    the films that you sent me!   loving on your own body...

    jesus.

    leave me.

    for im feeling shot!

    !sell my maker!

    you're running and injured just like you oughtta be to me now on

    could I create it on my body with soppy marker long with one line.

    (the) BIG red machine;

    is all i've learned to suffer

    is all i've learned to suffer

    is all i've learned to suffer

    blobtoweron March 27, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    many thanks for the input slowbendingaxe. I see your transcript above is currently unfinished. I've worked on deciphering the lyrics to this song and this is what I ended-up with:

    Big Red Machine

    We were safe when love would come in We read our minds, so relieved The earth is but a sad fucked up and puked big dismay We resolved to swim around in circles, so slowly

    Those cents, you said you sent me Are rolling alone Burning truth along in one light For I'm feeling sad

    ((((So many killed!))))

    We're running their engine Just like we ought to be for them, real hard Could I quitted on or bought in? The sorry might do it But I've move on with more life in me In the big, red, machine

    'Cause all I've learned is to suffer 'Cause all I've learned is to suffer 'Cause all I've learned is to suffer 'Cause all I've learned is to suffer 'Cause all I've learned is to suffer 'Cause all I've learned is to suffer



    hope you consider and take in the suggested transcript. :)

    arnfdenoon July 06, 2009   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    Here's how I interpret this song:

    [Big Red Machine] Symbolizes the heart, love.

    [We're safe when love would come in] - We feel happy and hopeful when we have love, [We read my mind so many times] - and we learn everything about the people we love. [The Earth is only sand] [Fucked up and puked up in dismay] - even when the earth is a cold and dark, messed up place, [And resolve to slowly run in circles] [So slow] - even when you are forced to live the same painful life day after day.

    [The fence that you sent me] - the fence of love a person gives you protects you from the painful things in life, [Rolling along the bottom] - when we're down and out, [Jesus] [For I'm feeling sad] [So many killed] - we feel bad for the people who are dead inside from what's been done to them in the world.

    [They're running their engine] - those people have hearts just like everyone else, [Just like you ought to be] - just like you should. [To me, my heart] [Could I correct the dawn] - if I could stop the pain I get from being a loving person [My body] [The sorry might do it] - I would be a sorrier person without it. [Long lift one line] - a funeral [Big red machine] - of the heart

    [That's all I've learned: To suffer]- as a loving person you spend a lot of time loving and suffering because of the sadness you feel for others pain.

    eroticasphyxiaon March 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is incredibly beautiful. the sound of it is moving. justin vernon is a wonderful musician, i must say :)

    MCSmateon May 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    note: it should read "fucked up and puked up big dismay." oops.

    arnfdenoon July 06, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    hey arnfdeno,

    actually slowbendingaxe's lyrics are correct. though i think after the line "jesus", "burning the truth" is sung. it's hard to hear though.

    from listen to the song numerous times the lyrics become clearer.

    MCSmateon August 06, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    a valiant effort, but a few mistakes:

    we're safe when love will join us* we read my mind so many times the earth is only sand fucked up and puked up in his men you resolve to slowly run in circles so slow

    the fence that you sent me rolling along the bottom jesus for I'm feeling sad so many killed

    you're running the engine just like you ought to be to me, my heart could i quit to dawn (or don?) my body the sorry might come long with one line big red machine

    *not certain of "join us", but certain its NOT "would come in".

    lostatlimboon November 12, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I've listened to this song hundreds of times and still have NO idea what it means. I know most of the songs on Dark Was the Night have to do with love, sex and AIDS but this one is so ridiculously hard to analyze. Not to mention the lyrics are hard to hear.

    Nonetheless, this is one of my favorite songs from 2009. So hauntingly beautiful.

    TONERon January 15, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Big Red Machine is the Hells Angels

    chrissgon November 07, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    the difference between we're and they're ignore the informality we are going to get married they are going to get married we, when we is not you

    we're safe when love would come in -sex didn't feel poisoned at the time we read my mind so many times -history of our past sexual relationships seemed wonderful the earth is only sand (-i accept that i will die. i accept that all things die. i accept death.) fucked up and puked up in dismay -multiple meanings (literal: symptoms, side effects, etc; w/ the earth is only sand, fucked up and puked up in dismay as one sentence, its an acceptance of death but a pessimistic/realistc world view) and resolve to slowly run in circles -sadness because of disease -life and death, birth, life, death, -time is spent repeated, but with great speed so slow -the joke with running, but also feels even more useless trapped because of disease

    the fence that you sent me -the area i'm confined to regarding the entireity of my life as made impossiple becacuse of the aids yuo sent me, that fence rolling along the bottom -literal, bottom parts, bottom of peoples wishes, bottom of feelings, bottom of everyhing that is bad about the ddiease jesus -relgion, exclamation -guilt with below for I'm feeling sad -i'm down on myself so many killed -guilt because of speakers sadness in regards to how many people die of aids every year with worse lives, kids, africa, asia, usa.

    their running their engine -inspiration, they're moving, they're going and working and getting at it! just like you ought to be -get off your ass!! get to work!! to me, my heart -myself, my feelings could i correct the dawn -can i change the fate of the millions doomed? -hope my body -full fledged existence, excuse, realization, everyhing -mind sharp, body ailing the sorry might do it -guilt - that might help long lift one line -the fence, the death, forever big red machine -machine could be aids -could be like the hospital logo or sometihng -who konws -also the whole song could be about the reds so AOGHAHSL DA;JDSAHJALFJLA;LSLK;

    that's all i've learned: to suffer

    this song can definately be about AIDS. the earth is only sand - death, futility of life birth life death

    baxthevamoochon August 17, 2011   Link

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