Generally, i think this song is about living in a broken family. Probably from the wife or children that lives inside the house's point-of-view. Maybe Kele was trying to speak in the place of his mother, or maybe he was trying to speak his recollection during his childhood years. Maybe it's a mixture of both, unless we can sit and talk to him personally about it, we'll never know. Some lines are self-explanatory. Let me just try to interpret several key words that are "not so clear":
"It's so cold in this house", "Open mouth swallowing us"
This line refers to the depression that looms inside the house everyday. Entering the house feels like entering a swallowing mouth. Open mouth probably refers to the front door and that feeling the person gets everytime they enter, it's like stepping into misery kinda thing.
This following part is a bit more clear, this is definitely someone speaking of his/her partner's lack of participation in the relationship. "Finger on the pulse" is talking about how this person has always got his hands on the phone, remote control, etc. etc. "You've got your eyes everywhere" refers to the other person to always being occupied, and not being interested to the other person. Also, when you're dishonest or uninterested, it is a human's normal reaction to not make eye contact.
"I can't eat , I can't sleep" "I can't sleep, I can't dream"
Depression is taking over. It's like breaking up, you just feel hollow, and when you can't dream, you're stuck in reality all the time.
"An aversion to light" - Light might refer to a place that's filled with people living in a normal society. The person's self esteem is low, they would rather be cooped up in a safe, quiet place, which is of course self-destructing in nature.
"Got a fear of the ocean" - A place filled with happy couples. Definitely a scene the person bears not to watch.
"Like drinking poison, like eating glass" - It's the truth that he/she knows, but it swallowing feels...like eating poison, like eating glass.
Great song by Bloc Party btw. Ambiguous as always.
Generally, i think this song is about living in a broken family. Probably from the wife or children that lives inside the house's point-of-view. Maybe Kele was trying to speak in the place of his mother, or maybe he was trying to speak his recollection during his childhood years. Maybe it's a mixture of both, unless we can sit and talk to him personally about it, we'll never know. Some lines are self-explanatory. Let me just try to interpret several key words that are "not so clear":
"It's so cold in this house", "Open mouth swallowing us" This line refers to the depression that looms inside the house everyday. Entering the house feels like entering a swallowing mouth. Open mouth probably refers to the front door and that feeling the person gets everytime they enter, it's like stepping into misery kinda thing.
This following part is a bit more clear, this is definitely someone speaking of his/her partner's lack of participation in the relationship. "Finger on the pulse" is talking about how this person has always got his hands on the phone, remote control, etc. etc. "You've got your eyes everywhere" refers to the other person to always being occupied, and not being interested to the other person. Also, when you're dishonest or uninterested, it is a human's normal reaction to not make eye contact.
"I can't eat , I can't sleep" "I can't sleep, I can't dream" Depression is taking over. It's like breaking up, you just feel hollow, and when you can't dream, you're stuck in reality all the time.
"An aversion to light" - Light might refer to a place that's filled with people living in a normal society. The person's self esteem is low, they would rather be cooped up in a safe, quiet place, which is of course self-destructing in nature.
"Got a fear of the ocean" - A place filled with happy couples. Definitely a scene the person bears not to watch.
"Like drinking poison, like eating glass" - It's the truth that he/she knows, but it swallowing feels...like eating poison, like eating glass.
Great song by Bloc Party btw. Ambiguous as always.