Lyrics for I Was a Kaleidoscope as interpreted by jephque

I Was a Kaleidoscope Lyrics
I put on my overcoat and walked into winter
My teeth chattered rhythms
And they were grouped in twos or threes
Like a morse code message was sent from me to me
Cars on slippery slopes, they're stuck
People pushing through their mittens
As I was beginning to feel it soaking through my shoes
Getting colder with every step I took to your apartment, dear

And I was a kaleidoscope:
The snow on my lenses distorting the image
Of what was only one of you
And I didn't know which one to address
As all your lips moved

This is when I forget breathe
All the things I scripted, they sound unfounded
And the look that you're giving me
It tells me exactly what you are thinking:
"This ain't working anymore"

They got their mothers worked into a panic
Sledding down hills into oncoming traffic
The parents layered clothes until the children couldn't move
Then kept them outside until their noises were blue
And I got left there, too

I put on my overcoat and walked into winter
My teeth chattered rhythms
And they were grouped in twos or threes
Like a morse code message was sent from me to me

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  • 40 Comments
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charlotte
01-06-2002

Rated 0 
Ever hear a song and wonder if they wrote it for you?
Well, except for the overcoat...change that to peacoat.


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hourafterdark
05-04-2002

Rated 0 
This song just kicks so much ass. There's no other way of putting it. The tunes upbeat, and the musics happy, even as the lyrics and imagery get progressively sadder and more bleak. This sort of song writing is exactly what popular music is missing...

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MarsTheStrange
06-14-2002

Rated 0 
amen

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emoJustin
06-15-2002

Rated 0 
oh man, this song is just amazing.

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Imbrifer
08-01-2002

Rated 0 
Once you find the lyrics, this song becomes much more. And because it was fantastic previously, that makes it... fantastic. Death Cab for Cutie definitly have mastered the art of lyrics in music

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condition_oakland
09-27-2002

Rated 0 
I can't help but sing this song at times, but I always have to stop when people start hitting me.. my voice doesn't compare to Gibbard's unfortunately..

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GeeMo
09-27-2002

Rated 0 
Gibbard's is just one of the great song writers, lyrically, of our time... what bugs me about this song is that beautiful part right in the middle "this is when I forget to breath.....tells me exactly what you are thinking...." it's lovely and romantic and then he hits us so non-chellantly(sp?) with "this ain't working anymore"---pow!! oh Ben...

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the magic toaster
03-11-2003

Rated 0 
who friggen doesn't like Kaleidoscope?

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5 times FINAL
03-17-2003

Rated 0 
this winter has been soo fucking filled with snow, and listening to this song has made me feel like actually going outside with a scarf, and perhaps crying and being pitifully emo.

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Title_Track
03-25-2003

Rated 0 
But DCFC's not emo.

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gyroscope
04-03-2003

Rated 0 
that final comparison between the guy and the kids on the street is completely charming.. such a well written song in all respects.

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Cheesepickle
05-03-2003

Rated 0 
title track, you are beautiful.

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strykerchick
06-03-2003

Rated 0 
This song actually makes me LIKE winter. DEFINITELY one of the best DC4C songs.

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andrewtorriente
06-20-2003

Rated 0 
I love the melody to this song, it flows well and is very catchy and poppy in a good way

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Kabukistar
06-29-2003

Rated 0 
This seemed like a very interesting song in the most part, lyrically. Allthough a majority of the song is simply describing winter conditions, DCFC would never make a song so shallow or simplicit, however, and there is the part in the middle that diverges away from a winter theme and seems more to be speaking of a relationship.
My thoughts on the song is a description of a single day, and describing it, rather than in order of how the thought flows or in order of importance, simply in cronological order, and what's percieved as a break-up happening in the middle-end, as it did chronologically.

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deep_and_down
04-12-2004

Rated 0 
i love this song.

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dancehallhips
06-24-2004

Rated 0 
what do you think "i was a kaliedoscope" means.

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strangelittlesecret
09-23-2004

Rated 0 
"what do you think "i was a kaliedoscope" means."

Look at that line in context with the rest of the lines in that particular verse. It all makes sense. He's comparing himself and his vision to that of a kaleidoscope.

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kaleidoscope_
12-18-2004

Rated 0 
I love this song. =)

Yes, I believe I Was a Kaleidoscope means just that, his vision is like a Kaleidoscope.

It always may have deeper meaning, like everything he sees is distorted, not right, different, ect.

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SuCkEr4AcOuStIc
12-24-2004

Rated 0 
freakin amazing

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a fond farewell
01-17-2005

Rated 0 
he obviously had to go meet his girlfriend in the winter and snow was in his eyes which made him see two of her and he didn't know which one to address but he knew what was going on...she breaks up with him...as hes left there in the snow alone with screaming children who are unable to move.

poooorrgibbard.

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kissthesky714
03-13-2005

Rated 0 
this is my favorite death cab song. it makes me smile every time i hear it..i think its the beat or something. i just love it.

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DexMTrip
04-12-2005

Rated 0 
ok when he says "this is when i forget breathe all the things i scripted, they sound unfounded." I feel like he did something to make her break up with him, and he knew that this possablitly was coming, so he made up a bunch of reasons why he did or clames didnt do what he did.

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cult of wooter
07-28-2005

Rated 0 
im pretty sure it's "this ain't working out."

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allyouneediscake
08-22-2005

Rated 0 
this is the perfect song to listen to when it starts to snow for the first time of the season.

"my teeth chattered rhythms. and they were grouped in twos or threes like a morse code message was sent from me to me."

perfect.

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