Death Cab for Cutie – The Face That Launched 1000 Shits (Revolutionary Hydra cover)

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Send "The Face That Launched 1000 Shits (Revolutionary Hydra cover)" Ringtone to Cell

And I'm standing up in my practice room
I'm all alone
Speakers almost blown
On my new Gibson amp
Oh, what the hell

Things are not so different in my vocal master
You're the face that launched one thousand shits
Greeks and Trojans and the thousand shits
The shits lining the shores of Asia Minor
Lining all the shores of Asia Minor
You can tell that I'm not a minor in Asia no more
I'm standing up

This is the face that launched a thousand shits
I'm standing up
This is the face that launched one thousand shits
This is the face that shot
Who never have replaced
Splitting up his kingdom into three separate parts
For his sons and their three separate hearts

Send "The Face That Launched 1000 Shits (Revolutionary Hydra cover)" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery, edited by Mellow_Harsher


The Face That Launched 1000 Shits (Revolutionary Hydra cover) song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:I think that it refers to the three sons being those that formed religions out of the middle east. God and his three sons for christianity, islam, and judaism. maybe abraham. but calls them shits because they immediately try and convert everyone with their ships/shit.
    Flag theycalledon November 25, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The official title of the song is "The Face That Launched 1000 Shits," a humorous reference to the saying regarding Helen of Troy. This info is on Wikipedia or even Amazon.

    It is written by Jay Chilcote, who, as previously stated, is a member of Revolutionary Hydra.

    "The debut release from JAY CHILCOTE (REVOLUTIONARY HYDRA, writer of DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE's "The Face That Launched A Thousand Shits")..."

    As far as I can tell, this song is relating a girl he knows to Helen of Troy in terms of how much trouble she causes, something like that :P

    It's a pretty unique and interesting song.
    Flag Tarvoson October 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:So the original title with "ships" is from Christopher Marlowe's description of Helen of Troy. I thought Genesis had written it, because it was their song Ripples... that I first heard it. Apparently there are many pop culture references to it. Now I'm not sure what either title, with "ships" or "shits", is supposed to mean exactly...but props to Jay from Rev Hydra for coming up with such a clever pun...
    Flag thirsty_thursdayon May 25, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:In addition, as its a Rev Hydra song, I wouldent read too much into the lyrics, Hydra songs are known for their more literary, academic, and or historical lyrics, kinda like an academic GbV or Pavement.
    Flag nambuon October 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:to clear up misinformation, Ben did not write this song. Jay Chilcote, of said Revolutionary Hydra did. The song also appears on the Rev Hydra/DCFC split cassette.

    The Hydra-DCFC connection: Both bands were formed around the same time in Bellingham WA, and I am sure they knew eachother in the scene, if not in other ways. When the Hydra formed, they had no bass player (they still dont have a permanent one, they switch on and off), so they cycled thru various people on bass. Ben Gibbard played with them thru their second cd, The Antiphony. As well, Chris Walla has produced all of their CD albums, and is their "producer for life". (I was actually rooming with one of the Hydra guitarists the year both bands formed 1996/97)
    Flag nambuon October 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't care about explaining what the song means. There's something more fundamental that's being missed: read.

    Speaking of reading, may I suggest the _failed_ investigation of the song "Louie Louie" by the FBI as a testimony to how feeble the public mind is? I slap my own hand for coming here again.

    courtesy of snopes: snopes.com/music/songs/…
    Flag almost10on March 18, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Why did it take 4 years to decide it's actually Shits? It's clearly a play on words from ships. Fuck me.
    Flag Street Spiriton November 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It kind of sounds like a bad joke or something if you think about it.

    "That one chick was so ugly!"
    "How ugly is she??"
    "She's so ugly.. she's got the face that launched a thousand SHITS!"
    Flag phasetransitionon September 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I find this so funny, reading all of these entries. People take this stuff so literally!! It's a play on words, and not all songs are meant to have one specific meaning, that's what is so great about music. Songs are supposed to make people think and feel all kinds of emotions. That is what I love so much about death cab, the songs they write/or choose to sing always make me think. I think they are probably a bunch of very intelligent and open minded, and also funny group of people.
    Flag dianas83on March 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Everybody is so wrapped up in whether its shits or ships. First of all, its shits. Second of all, maybe by saying "the face that launched a thousand shits" hes talking about a liar or something while using a takeoff of "the face that launched a thousand ships" which is a reference to troy. Not everything has to be taken so literally
    Flag Darkstr958on February 05, 2007   Link

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