Jack's Mannequin – Diane, the Skyscraper

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I'm living in a waiting room on the tenth floor of a New York City skyscraper
Got the paperwork filled out my friend
Can you tell me how this story ends?
My best girl caught a taxi cab to an uptown bar to meet my band but I don't have the energy so she plugs my machines back in
And the late night T.V. talks to me about God but God why can't I sleep?
As she plugs my machines back in
But my machines back in now don't cha'

Diane
(Diane)
I'd by lying if I said this was my plan
(Diane)
We are all in this together
(Diane)
See I'm trying but I just don't understand
(Diane)
Well I can't predict the weather past the storm
(The weather past the storm)

And there's mornings where I wake up quick and my head it dreams and my stomach's sick alone
To slowly pull the sun from bed
Below the fifty-ninth street bridge
And I feel like I'm a battle tank but there's peace for every pound of strength
I'm waiting for the enemy
While she plugs my machines back in
(Back in)

Diane
(Diane)
I'd be lying if I said this was my plan
(Diane)
We are all in this together
(Diane)
See I'm trying but I just don't understand
(Diane)
Well I can't predict the weather past the storm
(The weather past the storm)
(The weather past the storm)
(The weather past the storm)
(The weather past the storm)
(The weather past the storm)
(The weather past the storm)

I'm living in a waiting room on the tenth floor of a New York City skyscraper
Got the paperwork filled out my friend

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Lyrics submitted by circa_breathe

Track duration: 05:00


Diane, the Skyscraper song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:McMahon explained to Spin magazine that Diane in this song, "was my nurse in the first week that I was in New York, getting diagnosed. It was really the only song that I wrote while I was in the hospital, probably on the second night that I was there, and did a demo of it a year or two later. I love the song."
    Flag FloridaGuyon October 11, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:If you watch Andrew McMahon's documentary, Dear Jack, he talks about how his nurse survived the same form of leukemia he had. I believe this is about her.
    Flag awesomemomo17on July 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think "Diane" was used as a sort of play on words for "Dying." if you listen to the song in that connotation, it brings new meaning about his struggle with leukemia.
    Flag sarahb1105on March 23, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is song is actually about the first nurse he had when we was still in NYC before leaving for LA.
    Flag circa_breatheon November 08, 2009   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:Im beginning to notice a theme in this new jacks mannequin music. i know Andrew has said in interviews that the name annie from annie use your telescope is a version of his wifes middle name. Well now we get this song called diane, which also incorporates the name "anne" in it. I think its probably about his wife again.
    Flag ohheroineon November 06, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I get the feeling that Diane may be the nurse. And Katie is his sister, I believe she gave Andrew bone marrow and helped save his life.
    Flag SomthinCorporaton November 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:oops, his wife is kelley not katie. katie is his sister.
    Flag katlovesyouon November 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song, like the other music on the Dear Jack EP, is about Andrew's battle with leukemia. he talks about his life in the hospital. the paperwork could be DNR papers? or just some sort of papers having to do with the hospital. it describes the uncertainty that he has, lying in the hospital bed. his "best girl" (is this Diane or Katie, his wife?) goes to meet the rest of the band, but he is too sickly and stays in the room to rest. the chorus is about his battle with death as well as the uncertainty that he constantly has. the whole song is so emotion-filled, it's really touching.
    Flag katlovesyouon November 05, 2009   Link

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