At the Drive-In – Hourglass

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Sucks me in, taking a ride
And I'm wishing for the satellite
Grabbing vein pulling down on the radio
Laughing at the face that's bending down

I'm all alone so far up here
And my oxygen's all gone

Bend the metal
My glory box has failed
We're rocking in our reclining chairs
Drive away that car
That brought us all this harm
Those are the pieces of my story line

I'm all alone so far up here
And my oxygen's all gone

Truly stressing realization
I wish I was an astronaut
Eight hour bitterness all for whose sake
Stain glass Sunday school charades

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Lyrics submitted by cbennett

Track duration: 03:25

"Hourglass" as written by Omar/bixler Rodriguez

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Hourglass song meanings
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64 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:This song is hands down about their friend that died in the car accident. (see ebroglio)
    Flag exnunson April 20, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree with russellqwerty
    Flag DanStranger51on April 18, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:i think this is about a dead man, who is watching himself live on Earth- from space. He is alone, dead, in space, and he is actually non-existent. But his soul is left in space where all his childhood dreams are/were. He wishes he’d fulfilled childhood dreams and lived with more significance (“I wish I was an astronaut”) He feels as though he is completely hopeless now that he is dead (“I’m all alone so far up here, and my oxygen’s all gone”)
    Flag blah1blah1bleg1on March 22, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is amazing. Knowing that these guys broke up over problems stemming from omars addiction to heroin, I am sure it's all drug related! But it's fun to think otherwise! I'm am an addict as well five years off that shit...this song if I'm right is talking about the daily grind of being a dope fiend...just saying!
    Flag Sofreshandsocleanon November 29, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:heroin dude.
    Flag DTeeon September 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I don't know why but whenever I listen to this song it just gives me a feeling that everything will be alright. Similar to when a child embraces its mother and feels that sense of warmth. Even though, this song has such dark emotion tied to it, in the end it just gives you that sense of hope. The character in the story is reflecting back on a part of his life and realizing that was not the way he wanted to spend his life. In the end, he realizes that he will find the thing in life that makes him happy which is what is all about. I believe that the character in the story is in fact Jim Ward. In/Casino/Out was his triumphant return to at the drive-in after leaving to attend college. (He was not present to record El Gran Orgo) This is the story of his travels, he left the band because he thought it was time to start a career, "sucks me in taking a ride". The satellite reference may be an allusion to the enjoyable times he had while being in a band in high school. "Grab a vein, pullin down on the radio" could be a reference to the modern society and how it tells you to conform. So Jim believed after high school he should go to college and leave the band, however, it wasn't what made him happy in life. ("All alone so far up here") Therefore, the second verse is all about his choices. "My glory box has failed", his plans did not work out the way he expected them too, not so different from your life? "Drive away that car" is an homage to the first line that started it all. He rejected the idea that he should go to college to start a career, and came back to the band full time. The line "stain glass sunday school charades" is the reference to how the band isn't just fun and games anymore. For, he chose to make the band his career.
    Flag russellqwertyon April 14, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Agreed basemies. The first verse alone tells you that its about a drug of some sort. The song is pretty self-explanatory. Great song.
    Flag arcadianskieson April 18, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:this song is about heroin. when you do heroin, your breathing rate slows down incredibly making it feel like your "oxygen's all gone" because you breathe like twice a minute. "so far up here" = high. when you dose, you nod off into your own little world.

    cedric and omar used to do lots of crack and heroin.
    Flag basemieson February 08, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yeah, it is so Jim singing that song. That sounds nothing like Cedric.

    Sparta hasn't played it live, it would be cool if they did... but they wouldn't because they are trying so hard to get rid of the whole "Sparta sounds like At the Drive-In minus the afros" idea. They want to be their own band and not just ride on the coattails of ATDI.
    Flag xdarknessfallsxon January 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:right to clear this UP....

    JIM SINGS THIS SONG. IT'S BEEN STATED IN INTERVIEWS AND ALBUM REVIEWS. HE ALSO PLAYS THE PIANO. I IMAGINE CEDRIC PLAYS THE SMALL SECOND GUITAR PART.

    IT IS NOT POSSIBLY JIM SINGING. IT IS!! HONESTLY IF YOU CANT HEAR THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR EARS.

    i hope you understand that now. and whoever said sparta played this live..they NEVER did. where do all these retarded rumours come from?
    Flag Jakusmackuson October 30, 2007   Link

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