Gold teeth and a curse for this town were all in my mouth
Only, I don't know how they got out, dear
Turn me back into the pet I was when we met
I was happier then with no mind-set

And if you took to me like a gull takes to the wind
Well, I'd 'a jumped from my trees
And I'd a danced like the king of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well

New slang when you notice the stripes, the dirt in your fries
Hope it's right when you die, old and bony
Dawn breaks like a bull through the hall
Never should have called
But my head's to the wall and I'm lonely

And if you took to me like a gull takes to the wind
Well, I'd 'a jumped from my trees
And I'd a danced like the king of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well

Godspeed, all the bakers at dawn
May they all cut their thumbs
And bleed into their buns 'til they melt away

I'm looking in on the good life I might be doomed never to find
Without a trust or flaming fields, am I too dumb to refine?
And if you took to me like
Well I'd a danced like the queen of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well



Lyrics submitted by rudegirl, edited by frenzydiamonds

Track duration: 03:51


New Slang song meanings
Add your thoughts

240 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:New slang when you notice the stripes, the dirt in your fries.

    To me, that line has always been about how people treat you differently when they notice something about you. The stripes is probably referring to nationality, or maybe just the personality of a person. The dirt in your fries, it's something that ruins it for you. So, basically it's saying, "You talk to other people differently when you know more about them." and sometimes, knowing more about them ruins it for you. Just, me.
    Flag Poisonousson May 06, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:And if you took to me like a gull takes to the wind
    Well, I'd 'a jumped from my trees
    And I'd a danced like the king of the eyesores
    And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well

    ---

    This stanza in particular. I think it means that if the girl recognized him as a bird, be it not a very beautiful bird, but a free one then he would have been so joyful.

    The jumping from the trees is like the leap that birds take before they start flying. And he would have danced in the sky, with all the people looking up at him amidst the sun (hence "king of the eyesores").

    If she had just accepted he was a free man, their relationship would have survived.

    That's how I interpret these lines, anyway.
    Flag Sandraskaon April 28, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Memory:Bring me back to the days when you and I were us...
    Flag kalajoaoon February 03, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think it's about a boy who hates his town and has no way out. If this girl had only loved him as much as he loved her they'd be away from there better off. He has no trust, no business (flaming fields) and he thinks he's too dumb to get educated.
    Flag Poshhavenon October 18, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:It has to be about life. About trying to fit into something that you clearly can´t become and failing.
    Flag polvotton July 23, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:I think it's about when you were younger you were happy and oblivious, but when you grow up fall in and out of love, see and experience dissapointment. You get angry and realize you aren't who you used to be. You want someone to trust you and take a liking to you, because you promise it will end well. Even after all of this you realize you are not having a good life and you are just seeing what a good life is supposed to be. you understand you may never have one, and that it is diffucult to even say what that means exactly.
    Flag ashleym917on July 13, 2012   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Hmm. This song is poetry, which makes it very hard to decipher, as a poet uses a lot of metaphors and abstract concepts, and sometimes just throws in a meaningless line 'cause it sounds nice.

    To me, it's about a guy who was with a girl, and ended up getting into a lot of trouble over her (gold teeth) and hating the town and it's inhabitants. However, in this new place he goes to, full of new slang, he calls this girl.
    She has some issues, and doesn't love him back proper. If she did, 'he'd come down from his tree'. Weird interpretation, I know, but I think 'stripes' could refer to track-marks or scars from self-harm, this girl has issues.
    Anyways, after he calls her, and possible has sex with her again, he's regretting getting involved with her again. When they met, she was different, and he was carefree and loyal like a pet.
    But she doesn't take to him.

    I can't quite figure out the bit about bakers though. I like to think it means more then expressing hatred towards the townspeople.
    Or why he suddenly changes from king to queen.

    Haha, one of those songs that can be interpreted a thousand ways. Very beautiful song.
    Flag BillHickson July 05, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It sounds like what this song is talking about is a man who is stuck in a lonely town, which he willingly put himself into to try to escape his past. The only person he can think about is his true love, who is now long gone, or with someone else, and now part of him blames himself for not telling her he loved her, and the other part is mad at her for not telling him the same. Heartbreaking... Anyways, that's my opinion. Not that it's necessarily correct. A song can mean what YOU want it to mean.
    Flag GabrielPerrySongwriteron June 28, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This song is one huge contradiction. The music and the melody are so calming and kinda happy and then the lyrics are...basically the exact opposite. This song is rebellious. A curse on this town, may they all cut their thumbs. James Mercer hated New Mexico, and thats what this song is aimed at. But there are multiple targets I think. I like bluegrimlin2's interpretation, about the ignorance thing. I don;t think it's a love song, I think it's a losing your mind song. Stuck in a town you hate, pissing people off (only I don't know how they got out, dear; never should have called) but just needing someone to talk to. Its a good song, I love the Shins.
    Flag edbaron95on April 04, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:This reminds me of my insomnia/depressed days. feeling restless, hopeless, frustrated. and feeling more hopeless and frustraged when a new day starts and you havent slept, you're just been thinking of people and things and situations thawt did or could have happened.
    "Dawn breaks like a bull through the hall,
    Never should have called
    But my head's to the wall and i'm lonely."
    I'd have this friend that i'd call and say "help, please"


    "Turn me back into the pet that i was when we met.
    I was happier then with no mind-set."
    Sounds like yearning for the early feelings of a relationship when everything's well and you haven't found faults in each other.

    "And if you'd 'a took to me like
    A gull takes to the wind.
    Well, i'd 'a jumped from my tree
    And i'd a danced like the kind of the eyesores
    And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well."
    Sounds like waiting for someone to rescue you and believing that will make everything better =)
    Flag ariesstyleon March 28, 2012   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain