Sharon Van Etten – Serpents

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  General Comment:These are the lyrics straight from the album booklet:
  
  It was a close call
  Sitting in the back of the room
  with a bowl you had owned,
  But they didn't know.
  Close in on my black eye.
  I feel safe at times.
  Certain emblems
  Tell me it's time
  
  Serpents in my mind
  Looking for your crimes
  Everything changes
  I don't want to mine to this time
  
  You enjoy sucking on dreams
  so I will fall asleep with someone other than you
  I had a thought you would take me seriously
  And listen on
  
  Serpents in my mind
  I am searching for your crimes
  Everything changes
  In time
  
  You'll stay frozen in time
  Collaging girls,
  Controlling minds.
  You hold the mirror well
  To everybody else
  
  Serpents in my mind
  Trying to forgive your crimes
  Everyone changes in time.
  I hope he changes this time.

  Flag proposalson March 23, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:Sharon Van Etten was in an abusive relationship. That was what inspired her album Epic. This song is probably about her coming to terms with her ex, i.e. "serpents in my mind
  trying to forgive your crimes
  everyone changes in time
  i hope he changes this time"

  Flag theGirlNextDormon January 10, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:i think it's a 'boy you would own'
  
  and 'sucking on dreams'
  
  my best guess on the last is 'collaging girls' (as if he collects them?)
  
  dark, nightmarish song about an abusive relationship, i think. it grabs me somehow.

  Flag red norgaardon January 03, 2012   Link

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    0

    'boy you would know'
    
    the singer has a friend she's seeing, maybe just to listen, maybe something more, but she still isn't sure she wants out of the abusive/manipulative relationship
    
    ... it's possible to spend too much time thinking about these things, isn't it...

    Flag red norgaardon January 03, 2012  

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    thank you, i appreciate suggestions.
    
    i think you're right about the boy part. i still hear OWN, rather than KNOW... but you never do know :)
    
    i really can't tell if she's saying "drinks" or "dreams" now. i heard "drinks." then i read your suggestion, and i was sure it was "dreams"... then i listened to it several more times and i don't know anymore.
    
    collaging very well may be it (i was going for the same type of idea -- collecting. i think i meant some variation on the word "coalesce," but i might have gone and just made a word up).
    
    oh... and, no, it's not possible (to spend too much time thinking about these things). i think i'm making that all too apparent.

    Flag TheWrongGirlon January 08, 2012  
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  General Comment:definitely not certain with these. suggestions welcome!

  Flag TheWrongGirlon November 28, 2011   Link

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