"How cruel is the golden rule, when the lives we lived are only golden plated"
The Golden Rule states that one has the right to justice, and has the right to ensure justice for others. Therefore, they're saying that justice is cruel and wrongful. As for the second part, their lives were golden plated because they must have been terrible beforehand, which gives them the need to 'golden plate' them.
"And I knew that the lights of the city were too heavy for me"
Even though he knew fame would destroy him, he still went for it.
"Though I carried karats for everyone to see"
And he also knew it would destroy him, no matter how much talent he had to give or show.
"And I saw God cry in the reflection of my enemies"
I see this a little differently than most. I don't think it means God was crying at the reflection of his enemies, rather, he saw God as the reflection, crying. In other words, every one of his enemies (the people that are fame-induced) is a shame in the eyes of God.
"And all the lovers with no time for me"
By lovers, I'm guessing he means potential lovers, who had better things to do than to hook up with a fame-driven musician. (Let it be known, however, that I don't see FOB as fame-driven :P)
"And all of the mothers raise their babies to stay away from me"
I don't think this means literal babies, but more like the poeple around them. Since they don't like to associate with people like that, they don't want anyone else to either.
"Tongues on the sockets of electric dreams"
In other words, dangerous fantasies. If you think about those dreams too much, they could harm you.
"When the sewage of youth drowned the spark of my teens"
It's talking about the electric dreams again. He must've had an overly bad/good experience as a child, which saved him from having/following his 'electric dreams'.
"How cruel is the golden rule, when the lives we lived are only golden plated" The Golden Rule states that one has the right to justice, and has the right to ensure justice for others. Therefore, they're saying that justice is cruel and wrongful. As for the second part, their lives were golden plated because they must have been terrible beforehand, which gives them the need to 'golden plate' them.
"And I knew that the lights of the city were too heavy for me" Even though he knew fame would destroy him, he still went for it.
"Though I carried karats for everyone to see" And he also knew it would destroy him, no matter how much talent he had to give or show.
"And I saw God cry in the reflection of my enemies" I see this a little differently than most. I don't think it means God was crying at the reflection of his enemies, rather, he saw God as the reflection, crying. In other words, every one of his enemies (the people that are fame-induced) is a shame in the eyes of God.
"And all the lovers with no time for me" By lovers, I'm guessing he means potential lovers, who had better things to do than to hook up with a fame-driven musician. (Let it be known, however, that I don't see FOB as fame-driven :P)
"And all of the mothers raise their babies to stay away from me" I don't think this means literal babies, but more like the poeple around them. Since they don't like to associate with people like that, they don't want anyone else to either.
"Tongues on the sockets of electric dreams" In other words, dangerous fantasies. If you think about those dreams too much, they could harm you.
"When the sewage of youth drowned the spark of my teens" It's talking about the electric dreams again. He must've had an overly bad/good experience as a child, which saved him from having/following his 'electric dreams'.