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They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock,
These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose,
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface.
Cause on the surface the city lights shine,
They're calling at me, "come and find your kind."
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
We rode our bikes to the nearest park,
Sat under the swings, we kissed in the dark,
We shield our eyes from the police lights,
We run away, but we don't know why,
And like a mirror these city lights shine,
They're screaming at us, "we don't need your kind."
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock.
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
Can we ever get away from the sprawl?
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock,
These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose,
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface.
Cause on the surface the city lights shine,
They're calling at me, "come and find your kind."
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
We rode our bikes to the nearest park,
Sat under the swings, we kissed in the dark,
We shield our eyes from the police lights,
We run away, but we don't know why,
And like a mirror these city lights shine,
They're screaming at us, "we don't need your kind."
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock.
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
Can we ever get away from the sprawl?
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
Lyrics submitted by htcdb125
Track duration: 05:28
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(They saw me being myself, they told me what I was doing was wrong and judged me.)
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock,
(You should probably spend your time doing progressive things instead of tedious things.)
These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose,
(Everyone makes me feel terrible, as if there were no reason to live.)
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface.
(I think about it as I'm trying to sleep, trying to figure out why we are so cruel to eachother.)
Cause on the surface the city lights shine,
(People tell us to be ourselves and then judge us upon how we act, dress, talk, our interests. There are so many more people out there being bullied or put down by others.)
They're calling at me, "come and find your kind."
(Those people who are also oppressed of their true personality inspire me to come out and be myself-- a friendly reminder that many are going through the same thing.)
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
(Sometimes I wonder why we have to be so close minded.)
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
(Can we never heal ourselves of this?)
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
(Insult after insult I feel as if we can never tire of this.)
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
(I want to isolate myself from society, someone please put an end to this.)
We rode our bikes to the nearest park,
Sat under the swings, we kissed in the dark,
(We laugh and enjoy life the way we want to)
We shield our eyes from the police lights,
(Yet we sometimes hide ourselves out of fear)
We run away, but we don't know why,
(I feel like I should be able to be myself but something is holding me back.)
And like a mirror these city lights shine,
(We reflect on judgements, insults, trivial comments made to us and it affects our self esteem)
They're screaming at us, "we don't need your kind."
(Now I'm looking at myself, observing all my flaws, everything that they've said to me; and maybe they're right.)
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
(I'm tired of this and it needs to come to an end, however I cannot see our society changing anymore. Society's insults and comments replay in the back of my mind, reminding me of the horrific things they said. The judgmental animals we've become is almost permanent.)
They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock.
(Is this really how pathetic we are? That we cannot do anything more productive than judge each other?)
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
Can we ever get away from the sprawl?
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
(I need an escape)
I think that the song is about society's corruption and how everything is based upon superficial things. However, we cannot blame each other because we are animals too. The narrator wants to find an escape, perhaps drinking, smoking, drug use or suicide. It's disappointing that we are part of a community that feels the need to judge each other. There are things beyond flaws that we don't look at. The narrator is tired of being involved in a society like hers. She cannot live with that on her shoulders. There are three endings, I think. She either wants to commit suicide, put an end to every one's judging, or isolate herself from everything.
I abused the words society, tired, judging, insults, comments, and flaws. Sorry it was for lack of better wording, but you get it right? :D
They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
*You're coming out about being gay, and everyone is telling you to stop it*
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock,
These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose,
*Struggling with being gay, you feel that your life is useless now*
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface.
*But late at night the feelings you've been trying to lock away arise*
Cause on the surface the city lights shine,
*I imagine looking up at the sky, and having those lights shine all around you*
They're calling at me, "come and find your kind."
*The lights are reaching out to you and telling you to find your kind (homosexuals)*
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
*I think the "sprawl" is society, and it's evil ways of telling you that you can't be who you are because it's wrong.*
Living in the sprawl,
*We're always living in a society that's going to make you feel unaccepted.*
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no one to save,
*No one can save you*
I need the doctor someone please cut the lights.
*I always thought they said "doctor" here because it makes sense with the way I see the song. Way back when people use to think that being gay was a sickness. It's convinced people who struggle with being gay that it's wrong. You need a doctor to fix yourself. Cutting the lights represent the darkness you live in, hiding yourself (in the closet ;))*
We rode our bikes to the nearest park,
*You ride your bike to the park with your gf/bf*
Sat under the swings, we kissed in the dark,
*Kissing under the dark so no one can see*
We shield our eyes from the police lights,
*You shield your eyes from the police lights. Again, a long time ago you could get arrested for showing public affection with the same sex.*
We run away, but we don't know why,
*You get up and run, but you're confused because the feelings you have feel SO right, but everyone is telling you that it's wrong. "Why are we running? People should accept us"*
And like a mirror these city lights shine,
They're screaming at us, "we don't need your kind."
*Now that you've been caught, everything is changing, you hear the lights telling you to go away, that they don't need people like you*
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
*"Sprawl" is society, and how you can't get away from all the negative hate*
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
*You feel like there will be no end to how people react towards homosexuality*
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
*You're tired of it all, from running, you need the darkness, you need to hide away, please cut the lights.*
They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
*People hear you talking about how homosexuality is so awesome and right, and they're telling you to stop with it.*
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock.
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
Can we ever get away from the sprawl?
*Can we ever get away from the homophobic structures of society?*
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
*The hate will never stop.*
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights
*The darkness makes you feel safe, that's why so many people stay hidden to friends and family. Cut the lights so I can feel safe*
Goddd, I <3 this song!
Obviously this isn't the exact meaning, but this is my opionon of the song! And I understand that there is actually a first part to thing song, but I haven't had the chance to here it. I only heard this song a few months ago, but everything is so pure in it. I remember lying in bed at night, and getting up to stare out the window. Seeing those lights shine, I could hear a voice saying, " You're beautiful. It's okay that you're gay. There's nothing wrong with it." And I'm be all like "YEAH, I'M GAY" and then the morning would come and all my confidence would disappear. Some days I felt smothered by it all, looking up at the lights expecting to feel better, but then sometimes feeling like I didn't belong.
I'm still in the darkness, I have to admit, I do feel safer. I've come out to one or two friends, but I now know that there is absolutely nothing wrong with me. Maybe I always look for a gay meaning in songs, but it makes me feel like I'm not alone. :)
xo;GorgeousWriter
(Singing represents being yourself, and expressing your emotions)
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock
(Stop thinking singing will make you feel better and go to work where it's tiresome and boring)
These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface
(You don't know why you're living, but in your deepest fears, your feelings show sadness)
Cause on the surface the city lights shine
(In your sad feelings, you see others being happy)
They're calling at me, "come and find your kind"
(And you want to be happy like them)
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small
That we can never get away from the sprawl
Living in the sprawl
(The sprawl represents a place/suburb where people live in fear)
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains
(Dead shopping malls represent memories of old friends and broken relationships. And mountains represent fears because if you were their friend again you would've done it differently)
And there's no end in sight
(In your future you'll still gain more old friends and broken relationships)
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights
(Darkness represents fear. Lights represent the city lights that are fake happiness and hope, because they were made by the people who told you to stop your pretentious singing and punch the clock)
We rode our bikes to the nearest park
(You remember one of your old friends and how easy it was to have fun with them)
Sat under the swings, we kissed in the dark
(You both didn't need anyone else to make you have fun, you just needed each other, knowing you were living with fear, but having fun inspite of it)
We shield our eyes from the police lights
We run away, but we don't know why
And like a mirror these city lights shine
(Like a mirror represents the police lights being a part of the city lights)
They're screaming at us, "we don't need your kind"
(Someone is telling you to stop fearing and avoiding the city lights)
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small
That we can never get away from the sprawl
Living in the sprawl
(The sprawl represents a place/suburb where people live in fear)
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains
(Dead shopping malls represent memories of old friends and broken relationships. And mountains represent fears because if you were their friend again you would've done it differently)
And there's no end in sight
(You think that in your future you'll still gain more old friends and broken relationships)
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights
(Darkness represents fear. Lights represent the city lights that are fake happiness and hope, because they were made by the people who told you to stop your pretentious singing and punch the clock)
They heard me singing and they told me to stop
(Singing represents being yourself, and expressing your emotions)
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock
(Stop thinking singing will make you feel better and go to work where it's tiresome and boring)
Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small
That we can never get away from the sprawl
Living in the sprawl
(The sprawl represents a place/suburb where people live in fear)
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains
(Dead shopping malls represent memories of old friends and broken relationships. And mountains represent fears because if you were their friend again you would've done it differently)
And there's no end in sight
(You think that in your future you'll still gain more old friends and broken relationships)
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights
(Darkness represents fear. Lights represent the city lights that are fake happiness and hope, because they were made by the people who told you to stop your pretentious singing and punch the clock)
These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose,
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface.
Cause on the surface the city lights shine,
They're calling at me, "come and find your kind."
Note the repetition of 'surface' - I think others are interpreting these as separate statements, but this is all one point, the feelings (of life meaning) swim to the surface because the city lights shine on the surface - hence the meaning in life she sometimes finds at night (and I awould assume this is city nightlife, not alone inbed) is the shallow 'surface-deep' city culture, the modern culture of selfish desires that is so appealing to parts of human nature and unify us all: "come and find your kind".
It's a remarkably reflective and conflicting set of feelings, which is for me what sets their lyrics apart from simply having a moan at 'corporate culture' or a reminesce about the 'good old days' as has been done a million times by a million bands - theirs is a deeper sense of feeling, it's shades of grey, not a simplistic black and white, or good and bad.
The title of the book, Mountains Beyond Mountains comes from a Haitian proverb and is a metaphor for life’s challenges. Once you have scaled one mountain, you reach a place where you can see that there are always more mountains farther away: you will never stop climbing, never be finished.
If I can be so bold, the songs are about how society concentrates on creating utopia in the form of communities or cities, but misses the real purpose and fulfillment of life which is to help others and extend the global community. This is relevant concern in this era where the internet can be used to build larger communities, but can be isolating and dead at the same time.
My take anyway - please feel free to comment. F
Such a lovely song.