You really have to read this through many times before it makes sense.
He is the trapeze swinger in this song. Here goes:
He's singing about a girl he is in love with. They have fond memories and were planning a life together.
He hopes she'll remember the good times they had.
He asks her to remember him fondly. He heard she was still pretty and longs for her forgiveness. He carries a great amount of guilt for the ways in which he ruined their relationship. He keeps referring to the notes on the pearly gates as being welcoming to sinners despite their wrongdoings. He refers to her as being the angel with the great handshake that seems to end in a hurry.
He asks her to remember the time in their lives in which they seemed to forgotten their love for one another. He deceived her in some way and was ashamed afterward. "The season left and then returned" - their love seemed to have gone away, and when it returned, she was lit up like the city.
He says to remember him mistakenly, not to remember his flaws. He again refers to signs at the pearly gates accepting sinners - "Lost and Found" "Don't look down" and "Someone save temptation." He obviously is so guiltridden over his actions that he does not feel deserving of a heavenly afterlife.
He asks her to remember him like in the dream, when their love seemed invincible. All seemed perfect during this time - when she saw the trapeze swinger as high as any savior
He asks her to remember his misery - how his wrongful actions cost him all her ever wanted - her love. He refers to dogs that love the rain and chasing trains and birds that run in circles around a well- refering to the impulsive things animals do whether it makes sense or not "Who the hell can see forever" - must be referring to how people lose touch with what is most important at times.
He says to please remember me SELDOMLY - not to focus on this moment in their relationship. When she tells him the trapeze act was never meant to last - their relationship is ending. He responds with anger. "When it filled with circus dogs, the parking lot had an element of danger" Again referring to dogs and animalistic behavior - His anger toward her could have made the situation dangerous.
He asks her to please remember him finally - and his uphill clawing - his desperate attempts to save the relationship. But if he does make it to the pearly gates, he'll draw a picture - god and lucifer, a boy and girl, an angel kissing a sinner. Again referring to just how devastated he is for the way he wronged her. - And how undeserving he feels for an afterlife. The world is a crazy circus and he's just a frightened trapeze swinger. - He feels as though he is constantly performing different acts in life, many of which are scary, dangerous, and can often lead to him falling.
Thankyou for this very interesting interpretation on the Trapeze Swinger ... such a sad song. I've listened to it many, many times to get a gist on it's meaning ... I get almost the same take with a few diverging thoughts ... thanks
Thankyou for this very interesting interpretation on the Trapeze Swinger ... such a sad song. I've listened to it many, many times to get a gist on it's meaning ... I get almost the same take with a few diverging thoughts ... thanks
@lbs0980 I agree with you. I think the interpretations of this song being about death are too literal. Sam Beam is a poet and he often writes about lost love. Therefore, I also think this song is an extended metaphor for a man who makes mistakes, perhaps an affair during the point where their love seemed to fade and he maybe even felt he was miserable in the relationship. But the mistake costs him the woman he loves, and though he tries to make amends, the relationship is already over for her. It's a stunning song.
@lbs0980 I agree with you. I think the interpretations of this song being about death are too literal. Sam Beam is a poet and he often writes about lost love. Therefore, I also think this song is an extended metaphor for a man who makes mistakes, perhaps an affair during the point where their love seemed to fade and he maybe even felt he was miserable in the relationship. But the mistake costs him the woman he loves, and though he tries to make amends, the relationship is already over for her. It's a stunning song.
You really have to read this through many times before it makes sense. He is the trapeze swinger in this song. Here goes: He's singing about a girl he is in love with. They have fond memories and were planning a life together. He hopes she'll remember the good times they had.
He asks her to remember him fondly. He heard she was still pretty and longs for her forgiveness. He carries a great amount of guilt for the ways in which he ruined their relationship. He keeps referring to the notes on the pearly gates as being welcoming to sinners despite their wrongdoings. He refers to her as being the angel with the great handshake that seems to end in a hurry.
He asks her to remember the time in their lives in which they seemed to forgotten their love for one another. He deceived her in some way and was ashamed afterward. "The season left and then returned" - their love seemed to have gone away, and when it returned, she was lit up like the city.
He says to remember him mistakenly, not to remember his flaws. He again refers to signs at the pearly gates accepting sinners - "Lost and Found" "Don't look down" and "Someone save temptation." He obviously is so guiltridden over his actions that he does not feel deserving of a heavenly afterlife.
He asks her to remember him like in the dream, when their love seemed invincible. All seemed perfect during this time - when she saw the trapeze swinger as high as any savior
He asks her to remember his misery - how his wrongful actions cost him all her ever wanted - her love. He refers to dogs that love the rain and chasing trains and birds that run in circles around a well- refering to the impulsive things animals do whether it makes sense or not "Who the hell can see forever" - must be referring to how people lose touch with what is most important at times.
He says to please remember me SELDOMLY - not to focus on this moment in their relationship. When she tells him the trapeze act was never meant to last - their relationship is ending. He responds with anger. "When it filled with circus dogs, the parking lot had an element of danger" Again referring to dogs and animalistic behavior - His anger toward her could have made the situation dangerous.
He asks her to please remember him finally - and his uphill clawing - his desperate attempts to save the relationship. But if he does make it to the pearly gates, he'll draw a picture - god and lucifer, a boy and girl, an angel kissing a sinner. Again referring to just how devastated he is for the way he wronged her. - And how undeserving he feels for an afterlife. The world is a crazy circus and he's just a frightened trapeze swinger. - He feels as though he is constantly performing different acts in life, many of which are scary, dangerous, and can often lead to him falling.
Thankyou for this very interesting interpretation on the Trapeze Swinger ... such a sad song. I've listened to it many, many times to get a gist on it's meaning ... I get almost the same take with a few diverging thoughts ... thanks
Thankyou for this very interesting interpretation on the Trapeze Swinger ... such a sad song. I've listened to it many, many times to get a gist on it's meaning ... I get almost the same take with a few diverging thoughts ... thanks
@lbs0980 I agree with you. I think the interpretations of this song being about death are too literal. Sam Beam is a poet and he often writes about lost love. Therefore, I also think this song is an extended metaphor for a man who makes mistakes, perhaps an affair during the point where their love seemed to fade and he maybe even felt he was miserable in the relationship. But the mistake costs him the woman he loves, and though he tries to make amends, the relationship is already over for her. It's a stunning song.
@lbs0980 I agree with you. I think the interpretations of this song being about death are too literal. Sam Beam is a poet and he often writes about lost love. Therefore, I also think this song is an extended metaphor for a man who makes mistakes, perhaps an affair during the point where their love seemed to fade and he maybe even felt he was miserable in the relationship. But the mistake costs him the woman he loves, and though he tries to make amends, the relationship is already over for her. It's a stunning song.