So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
I want to find this girl I know
I need to take her out
I'll set a snare in evening air
Made of faith and hope and doubt
I want to spend some time with her
Learn the secrets of her trade
I wouldn't mean to cross the line
And look into the other side
Forbidden to my kind
Forbidden to my kind
I need to hang out with my love
The raven-headed sprite
I know I'll never dance like her
Or keep her up at night
I need to hang around with her
I need to let her know
Her cause is mine
I'm but a slave
I look in to her wondrous gaze
And taste the strangest core
And make the purest noise
What I would do to meet the girl
I'd stand out in the rain
Outside my window watching close, she will appear again
Still polishing her crazy nails
Still wispy, careless, drunk on song
If I could only right my wrongs and take her to my favorite place
And steal a melody
'Cause I need only see her face
A thousand worries fall away
And music rushes in
Listen to the sound of life
(I don't want to be friends)
Drink deep of the day
(I don't need your advance)
Wait for her, but don't obsess
(Why do you have to ask?)
She called beyond the way
(No, I don't want to dance)
Winds will blow and storms will rage
(But your phrases are poor)
The news is always sad
(And you try hard to rhyme)
Money tends to disappear
(And I can't read your words)
Beauty crumbles with the years
(But I can read your mind)
But music is for us
(Music is for us)
Music is for us
What I would do to meet the girl
I'd stand out in the rain
Outside my window watching close, she will appear again
Still polishing her crazy nails
Still wispy, careless, drunk on song
If I could only right my wrongs and take her to my favorite place
And steal a melody
'Cause I need only see her face
A thousand worries fall away
And music rushes in
If I could only see her face and know that she was close
There is a deeper magic here, the everlasting muse
I left the danger for an hour
I left the sadness for a day
I know that I am in safe hands
She pays the bills and smokes cigars
And on a napkin silk
She weaves a manuscript with skill
An intro, outro, middle 8
A tapestry of words
A subtle gift to modern rock
She says, "be popular, play pop"
And you will win my love
A subtle gift to modern rock
She says, "be popular, play pop"
And you will win, my love.
I need to take her out
I'll set a snare in evening air
Made of faith and hope and doubt
I want to spend some time with her
Learn the secrets of her trade
I wouldn't mean to cross the line
And look into the other side
Forbidden to my kind
Forbidden to my kind
I need to hang out with my love
The raven-headed sprite
I know I'll never dance like her
Or keep her up at night
I need to hang around with her
I need to let her know
Her cause is mine
I'm but a slave
I look in to her wondrous gaze
And taste the strangest core
And make the purest noise
What I would do to meet the girl
I'd stand out in the rain
Outside my window watching close, she will appear again
Still polishing her crazy nails
Still wispy, careless, drunk on song
If I could only right my wrongs and take her to my favorite place
And steal a melody
'Cause I need only see her face
A thousand worries fall away
And music rushes in
Listen to the sound of life
(I don't want to be friends)
Drink deep of the day
(I don't need your advance)
Wait for her, but don't obsess
(Why do you have to ask?)
She called beyond the way
(No, I don't want to dance)
Winds will blow and storms will rage
(But your phrases are poor)
The news is always sad
(And you try hard to rhyme)
Money tends to disappear
(And I can't read your words)
Beauty crumbles with the years
(But I can read your mind)
But music is for us
(Music is for us)
Music is for us
What I would do to meet the girl
I'd stand out in the rain
Outside my window watching close, she will appear again
Still polishing her crazy nails
Still wispy, careless, drunk on song
If I could only right my wrongs and take her to my favorite place
And steal a melody
'Cause I need only see her face
A thousand worries fall away
And music rushes in
If I could only see her face and know that she was close
There is a deeper magic here, the everlasting muse
I left the danger for an hour
I left the sadness for a day
I know that I am in safe hands
She pays the bills and smokes cigars
And on a napkin silk
She weaves a manuscript with skill
An intro, outro, middle 8
A tapestry of words
A subtle gift to modern rock
She says, "be popular, play pop"
And you will win my love
A subtle gift to modern rock
She says, "be popular, play pop"
And you will win, my love.
Lyrics submitted by pseudowood, edited by Tangelope, Mellow_Harsher, merriweather, SaulGoode9
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Going by interviews, I think it's more a literal muse, in the Greek myth sense.
The Muses were goddesses which provided inspiration for art, science
or in a modern sense, songwriting.
"I'll set a snare in evening air Made of faith and hope and doubt"
Faith, hope and doubt are feelings and themes prevalent in many songs. These feelings might inspire "the Muse" to appear and inspire the creativity to write the song.
"Learn the secrets of her trade I wouldn't mean to cross the line And look into the other side Forbidden to my kind"
"My kind" being humanity as opposed to the goddesses.
"The raven-headed sprite I know I'll never dance like her Or keep her up at night"
"Sprite" being a mythical fairy/elf type creature, could be an alternative to the muse. Terpsichore, the muse of dance and music was typically depicted with black or 'raven' hair.
"I need to let her know Her cause is mine ... And make the purest noise"
That his intentions are pure and he just wants to make music.
"What I would do to meet the girl I'd stand out in the rain Outside my window watching close, she will appear again ... And steal a melody 'Cause I need only see her face A thousand worries fall away And music rushes in"
He is desperate for the help and power of the muse to let him create or "steal" a melody.
"If I could only right my wrongs and take her to my favorite place And steal a melody 'Cause I need only see her face A thousand worries fall away And music rushes in"
"Listen to the sound of life (I don't want to be friends) Drink deep of the day (I don't need your advance) Wait for her, but don't obsess (Why do you have to ask?) She called beyond the way (No, I don't want to dance)"
Telling us not to overthink and obsess on the muse as she does not listen or go out of her way to appease and rather comes along of her own accord.
"Winds will blow and storms will rage (But your phrases are poor) The news is always sad (And you try hard to rhyme) Money tends to disappear (And I can't read your words) Beauty crumbles with the years (But I can read your mind) But music is for us (Music is for us) Music is for us"
Life and the world deteriorates with time but music, like the muse, is forever. The lines inside the brackets convey trying to write but failing until the muse comes and understands your words and assists in putting them in a better form.
"If I could only see her face and know that she was close There is a deeper magic here, the everlasting muse I left the danger for an hour I left the sadness for a day I know that I am in safe hands She pays the bills and smokes cigars And on a napkin silk She weaves a manuscript with skill An intro, outro, middle 8 A tapestry of words"
The 'magic' of the muse makes him forget the danger and sadness in the world and his mind and gives him the burst of inspiration to weave a 'tapestry of words' on a napkin, showing the brevity of this burst.
Of course, as with most Belle and Sebastian songs, there are multiple possible interpretations that can be backed up, but that's just my take on it.
Thanks for your interpretation that really helps me a lot in understanding the lyrics, although i doubt the accuracy of the lyrics. It sucks that the official site of Belle and Sebastian doesn't provide lyrics for songs in Girls in Peacetime want to dance. @SaulGoode9
Seeing her is like hearing beautiful music - an everlasting muse
I think Stuart will always pine for Isobel.
She was there right from the start, she's quite the enigma, and they clearly don't see each other very much any more.
Isobel is Stuart's Everlasting Muse.
For some reason I've decided this is about Lady Gaga. The songs Muse is a musician, songwriter, performer, and a very successful one. She doesn't have much time for this sensitive, coddling guy who wants to possess her and her talent, even when he appeals to her as a fellow musician. In the last verse she displays this effortless skill for writing music, just sort of tosses off this amazing "gift to modern rock" writes it on a napkin, and brushes him off. "Be popular, play pop."