i think the lyrics are maybe about the start of a relationship, or thinking back to the start after you've broken up. It seems wistful and nostalgic. Music is a big part of it. Makes me think of making mixtapes for your intended when you first meet.
There's loads of music references in the song: "MBV" = My Bloody Valentine, "black steel" = the song by Public Enemy (or Tricky), "i like you mostly late at night" = Robert Wyatt lyric (from Sea Song), "Virginia plain" = the Roxy Music song, "recorded at the automat, san franscisco mixed with uh oh" = the automat was a recording studio in san fransisco where many bands such as The Clash and Echo And The Bunnymen made albums, "recorded at the power plant" = a liner note about a recording studio(?), "i can't stand the rain" - the song by Anne Peebles (or Missy Elliott), "raining in my room" - the song by Swell Maps, theres probably loads more. Perhaps "i don't trade" refers to trading records?
I think as with most of the LWB lyrics, this seems to be a jumble of really personal references, things that friends might have said, bits taken from the paper or popular culture and really lovely poetic asides - like reading someones notebooks or picking through their brains. But i might be completely wrong of course. Regardless, this song is wicked!
i think the lyrics are maybe about the start of a relationship, or thinking back to the start after you've broken up. It seems wistful and nostalgic. Music is a big part of it. Makes me think of making mixtapes for your intended when you first meet. There's loads of music references in the song: "MBV" = My Bloody Valentine, "black steel" = the song by Public Enemy (or Tricky), "i like you mostly late at night" = Robert Wyatt lyric (from Sea Song), "Virginia plain" = the Roxy Music song, "recorded at the automat, san franscisco mixed with uh oh" = the automat was a recording studio in san fransisco where many bands such as The Clash and Echo And The Bunnymen made albums, "recorded at the power plant" = a liner note about a recording studio(?), "i can't stand the rain" - the song by Anne Peebles (or Missy Elliott), "raining in my room" - the song by Swell Maps, theres probably loads more. Perhaps "i don't trade" refers to trading records?
I think as with most of the LWB lyrics, this seems to be a jumble of really personal references, things that friends might have said, bits taken from the paper or popular culture and really lovely poetic asides - like reading someones notebooks or picking through their brains. But i might be completely wrong of course. Regardless, this song is wicked!