To me, the background of this song is a serious argument between two people and an analysis of one of the primary sources of the conflict: restlessness caused by their mutual small-mindedness. The people in the argument think highly of themselves but have never done anything or been anywhere. They named their children after towns they have never been to and laughed at the stars while their feet clung tight to the ground. The death imagery suggests that they are not really living life even while they are alive. They are standing around waiting to die like hovering hearses. “A Different City” also touches on this suffocating sense of suburban myopia.
“You were so all over town but still Crayola brown” may refer to the phrase “to paint the town red.” Although the person is thinks he/she is doing exciting things (painting the town red), he/she is in fact doing nothing and going nowhere.
Still, I think twougly people also has an interesting interpretation about the double meaning of stars.
To me, the background of this song is a serious argument between two people and an analysis of one of the primary sources of the conflict: restlessness caused by their mutual small-mindedness. The people in the argument think highly of themselves but have never done anything or been anywhere. They named their children after towns they have never been to and laughed at the stars while their feet clung tight to the ground. The death imagery suggests that they are not really living life even while they are alive. They are standing around waiting to die like hovering hearses. “A Different City” also touches on this suffocating sense of suburban myopia.
“You were so all over town but still Crayola brown” may refer to the phrase “to paint the town red.” Although the person is thinks he/she is doing exciting things (painting the town red), he/she is in fact doing nothing and going nowhere.
Still, I think twougly people also has an interesting interpretation about the double meaning of stars.