Know something about this song or lyrics?
Add it to our wiki.
Countdown unless you're juvenile, let's go
God bless you're missed somewhere
We're sick for the big sun
It doesn't matter what you did
And if you did like you've been told
True...and everlasting, that's what you want
True...
True...and everlasting, that's what you want
Don't say no, you're breakfast eaten alone
Sister let go, you're borderline withdrawn
Down and lit from the bottom
There's a misfit
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
We're sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick
We're sick for the big sun
Alone though and drip drip drip drip drip drip drip
I realize that too
Your lonesome will
Is this knowledge?
As forgiven as you know somewhere
Your face will remain on
It doesn't matter what you did
And if you didn't ride, let's go
Could...an everlasting, that's what you want
Cool, cool...and everlasting that's what you want
Don't say no, you're breakfast eaten alone
Do you remember when twenty-one years was old?
Down and lit
It doesn't matter that you killed us
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
We're sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick
We're sick for the big sun
Alone and drip drip drip drip drip drip drip
I realize that too
True, true and everlasting
Didn't last that long
We're the lonesome
We're the lonesome
Yeah
True and everlasting
Didn't last that long
True, true and everlasting
Didn't last that long
We're lonesome
We're the lonesome
Yeah
True and everlasting
Didn't last that long
We're the lonesome
We're the lonesome
God bless you're missed somewhere
We're sick for the big sun
It doesn't matter what you did
And if you did like you've been told
True...and everlasting, that's what you want
True...
True...and everlasting, that's what you want
Don't say no, you're breakfast eaten alone
Sister let go, you're borderline withdrawn
Down and lit from the bottom
There's a misfit
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
We're sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick
We're sick for the big sun
Alone though and drip drip drip drip drip drip drip
I realize that too
Your lonesome will
Is this knowledge?
As forgiven as you know somewhere
Your face will remain on
It doesn't matter what you did
And if you didn't ride, let's go
Could...an everlasting, that's what you want
Cool, cool...and everlasting that's what you want
Don't say no, you're breakfast eaten alone
Do you remember when twenty-one years was old?
Down and lit
It doesn't matter that you killed us
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
We're sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick
We're sick for the big sun
Alone and drip drip drip drip drip drip drip
I realize that too
True, true and everlasting
Didn't last that long
We're the lonesome
We're the lonesome
Yeah
True and everlasting
Didn't last that long
True, true and everlasting
Didn't last that long
We're lonesome
We're the lonesome
Yeah
True and everlasting
Didn't last that long
We're the lonesome
We're the lonesome
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
the first line, its saying unless you're before the prime, you're not dying. and the song is basically reviewing over your life, and preparing to die, because the best of your life gone. my favorite line is "do you remember when 21 years was old" its saying remember when 21 was all grown up, when we were in high school, looking foward to growing up, and now past 21 you realize that its still young and the real phase growing up isnt as great as people may think. or simply remember when we were younger than 21 and we thought it was old, and now at (age) we wish we could go back to 21.
And to me the song is just filled with metaphors and ambiguity, and is up to interpretation
by the way, from the phoenix website these are the real lyrics
Countdown unless you’re juvenile let’s go
God bless your miss somewhere
We’re sick for the big sun
It doesn’t matter what you did and if you did it like you been told
True and everlasting that’s what you want
True and everlasting that’s what you want
Don’t say no your breakfast tears are gone
Resist or let go, you’re borderline withdrawn
Down, unlit from the bottom there is a misfit
Better than it looks better than it looks
Better than it looks better than it looks
We’re sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick
We’re sick for the big sun
We rumble and trip trip trip trip trip trip
I realize that too
Hear the lonesome bell, Is this knowledge ?
Ask forgiveness you know somewhere
You’re fixed to an atom
It doesn’t matter what you did and if you did it right let’s go
Cruel and everlasting that’s what you want
Cruel and everlasting that’s what you want
Don’t say no your breakfast tears are wrong
Do you remember when 21 years was old?
Down unlit does it matters that you care the less ?
Better than it looks better than it looks
Better than it looks better than it looks
We’re sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick
We’re sick for the big sun
We rumble and trip trip trip trip trip trip
I realize that too
True and everlasting, It didn’t last that long…
We’re the lonesome, we’re the lonesome yell
True and everlasting, It didn’t last that long…
It seems to me like it could be about idealism and disappointment that the world doesn't live up to one's ideals - I think a few of Phoenix's other songs are very much about idealism and that (e.g. Lasso - "Tryin' to follow your ideal, well sorry, but your so-called life, it is such a waste").
"True and everlasting, that's what you want" = The subject has an ideal of romantic love as true and everlasting.
"breakfast tears" =* Crying over one-night stands, short-lived relationships that had promised much more, and/or general having been deceived or disappointed in a relationship - mainly the one-night stand thing is what I'd lean toward.
"Do you remember when 21 years was old?" = Maybe the subject's intended age of marriage was less than 21 years, and considered 21 years to be and late age to be married.
Now, "Sick for the big sun" is pretty hard to interpret for me, too. So I donno what to say about that, except this:
For me, I've had many sleepless/late nights mulling over mistakes in my life (usually having to do with romantic relationships); and - though I have never expressed it like this, I now feel like this is what I felt then, that - I couldn't wait for the proverbial sun to come out. Gosh, that sounds sickeningly cliche, doesn't it? But I guess I don't mean the sun coming out and drying up the rain or w/e; more like a figurative way of how I literally felt, which was that I couldn't wait for it to be daytime so I could do something worthwhile, something maybe to redeem myself or just to escape from my state of stagnation and make some progress in my life - "forget and not slow down," in the words of Relient K, in their song by the same name.
So I guess it could be kind of like "LOVE-sick for the big sun".
"Hear the lonesome bell, is this knowledge? Ask forgiveness you know somewhere" = I think hints pretty strongly toward religious faith - what perspective it reflects, if any one in particular, I don't know - but then, I don't know any of this for sure. A wonderful thing about art - especially poetry and song lyrics - is that you automatically interpret it to some extent as soon as you listen to it; it speaks to you in a way it speaks to probably no one else. :)
There's my long-winded interpretation. Enjoy! ^-^v
Countdown unless you're juvenile let's go (countdown unless you're young)
God bless your miss somewhere (self-explanatory)
We're sick for the big sun (We're ready to die) (Big Sun - "the light")
It doesn't matter what you did (Doesn't matter if you've sinned)
and if you did it like you been told (if you've accepted Jesus....)
True and everlasting that's what you want (...You'll live for eternity, if that's what you want)
True and everlasting that's what you want (...You'll live for eternity, if that's what you want)
Don't say no your breakfast tears are gone (Don't give up)
Resist or let go, you're borderline withdrawn (Either fight or give up)
Down, unlit from the bottom there is a misfit (Depressed, withdrawn, there's something wrong)
Better than it looks, better than it looks (Life is better than this)
Better than it looks, better than it looks (Life is better than this)
We're sick (We're dying)
We're sick for the big sun (We're ready to die)
We rumble and trip
I realize that too
Hear the lonesome bell, is this knowledge? (Not sure about this line, besides again alluding to loneliness)
Ask forgiveness you know somewhere (Ask for forgiveness (from Jesus))
You're fixed to an atom (You're only an immortal)
It doesn't matter what you did (same)
And if you did it right let's go (If you asked for forgiveness, let's go (die))
Cruel and everlasting that's what you want (This line seems to say... Hell is what you want)
Cruel and everlasting that's what you want (Hell is what you want)
Don't say no your breakfast tears are wrong
Do you remember when 21 years was old?
Down unlit does it matters that you care the less?
Better than it looks, better than it looks
Better than it looks, better than it looks
We're sick
We're sick for the big sun
We rumble and trip
I realize that too
True and everlasting, it didn't last that long
We're the lonesome, we're the lonesome yell
True and everlasting, it didn't last that long
- These last lines confuse me a bit and make me question my own theories to this song now... But my GUESS is that The person killed themselves.... only to realize they were still lonely.
Now even if I'm completely wrong on the lyrics... I'm pretty positive on the theme... Which is to just go through life, cause it's tough... have faith and love those around you and don't live in the past.
We're sick could also just be referring to sick of being depressed... They want to see a brighter future so they are sick for the big sun.
That line has always puzzled me. I have no idea what that means. For a while, I thought he was saying "breakfast teas" which oddly enough makes more sense to me.
See my comment on the song as a whole that I'm about to post. ^-^
"Countdown unless you're juvenile let's go
God bless your miss somewhere
We're sick for the big sun
It doesn't matter what you did
and if you did it like you been told
True and everlasting that's what you want
True and everlasting that's what you want
Don't say no your breakfast tears are gone
Resist or let go, you're borderline withdrawn
Down, unlit from the bottom there is a misfit
Better than it looks, better than it looks
Better than it looks, better than it looks
We're sick
We're sick for the big sun
We rumble and trip
I realize that too"
I believe this to be an unapologetic paean to youth.
"Hear the lonesome bell, is this knowledge?
Ask forgiveness you know somewhere
You're fixed to an atom
It doesn't matter what you did
And if you did it right let's go
Cruel and everlasting that's what you want
Cruel and everlasting that's what you want"
I sense a hint of regret. The writer recognizes the mistakes that were made and the people that may have been hurt.
"Don't say no your breakfast tears are wrong
Do you remember when 21 years was old?
Down unlit does it matters that you care the less?
Better than it looks, better than it looks
Better than it looks, better than it looks
We're sick
We're sick for the big sun
We rumble and trip
I realize that too
True and everlasting, it didn't last that long...
We're the lonesome, we're the lonesome yell
True and everlasting, it didn't last that long..."
Time has past and the long life you thought you had ahead of you really isn't as long. You're old and lonesome.
In summary, I think this song is about the disappointment of adulthood as it is a reflection on youth.