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The Other Side of Paradise Lyrics

But I settle for a ghost
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Submitted by
mellow_harsher On Aug 28, 2016
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Cover art for The Other Side of Paradise lyrics by Glass Animals

I interpret this song in a weird way. I feel like the speaker's male partner (unsure whether the speaker is meant to be male or female) left them, then became a basketball sensation and met some rich pretty girls, got a taste of luxury and left his dream behind. In the chorus I feel like the 'Bye bye baby blue' line is saying goodbye to his innocence as he is molded into a 'proper' celebrity, and the 'when we were us' line means that he can't recognize himself, and the person who used to love him reunites with him but can barely recognize the person he has become, so he has to 'settle for a ghost.' That's my take on it.

My Interpretation
Cover art for The Other Side of Paradise lyrics by Glass Animals

So I have my own interpretation of this song. So I'm gonna break down the lyrics.

"When I was young and stupid my love Left to be a rock and roll star He told me please don't worry Wise little smile that spoke so safely" -Guy 1 (the singer/the main character) was in a relationship with Guy 2 who pursued to become a rock star. Guy 2 assures he will be okay and Guy 1 is a bit sceptical on Guy 2 leaving.

"He booked a one way ticket Out west that's where they'd make it Six kids stuck in a bedsit To sunswept poolside riches" -I interpreted the first line indicates Guy 2 did not plan on coming back to Guy 1. Guy 2 goes west (probably somewhere like California) and makes it big while there. Guy 2 becomes famous with his 5 other band members, living in a small apartment. Guy 2 enjoys the fame and money.

"He met a girl who wore Versace Pink feather coats and jumbo jewellery Gonna be a hoop phenomenon He's gonna be Hakeem Olajuwon" -Guy 2, while becoming popular, meets a lady fan who seems to also be rich? Maybe the lady is someone who wants to make him a real rock star. Another way to interpret it is he met the girl he would later cheat with on Guy 1. The last line is a reference to a guy who made it to the hall of fame, so I'd interpret it meant the lady promised he'd be that famous one day.

"He's got a gold Camaro He said over the payphone I try to keep my cool but My life turns in slow motion" -Guy 2 talks about how great it is being famous and rich to Guy 1, who isn't taking it well. Guy 1 is having a breakdown cause Guy 2 is changing and in a bad way. Guy 1 also notes that Guy 2 was calling him on a payphone (perhaps hiding Guy 1 from his other girlfriend and not taking chances calling Guy 1 on his phone?)

"Bye bye baby blue I wish you could see the wicked truth Caught up in a rush, it's killing you Screaming at the sun, you blow into Curled up in a grip when we were us Fingers in a fist like you might run I settle for a ghost I never knew Superparadise I held on to But I settle for a ghost" -Guy 1 is saying bye to Guy 2's former self (his innocence/humblness evolving into greed) Guy 2 is blinded by the fame and Guy 1 wishes he'd snap out of it. Guy 1 does not want Guy 2 to leave him. The ghost part is foreshadowing for the ending of the song.

"Where I was from NOLA no one Left to be a rock and roll star He'd stay and treat his lady Give everything to his new baby" -Guy 1 is from New Orleans, where its unlikely someone would leave to become something like a rock star. Guy 1 is in denial about Guy 2 finally breaking up (or maybe even not breaking up and Guy 1 finding out Guy 2 was cheating) Guy 1 talks about how Guy 2 has a new lover.

"I miss him don't you blame me That boy went stone cold crazy Caught up in camera lust he's Chasing that pappy pipe dreams" -Guy 1 misses Guy 2 and seems be having a interaction with himself, in which he both blames himself for Guy 2's cheating and thinks its not his fault and is having an internal conflict with himself. Guy 2 became a dick cause of the fame and money and kept going up the latter because of his greed.

At this point in the song, the song seems to pick up as if it was going to drop the chorus again, but it seemed abruptly stopped by a noise that resembled a shot gun being pumped (that's just where my mind went when I heard it) Then it goes calm.

"I know you don't but I I know you don't but I still try" -Guy 1 seems broken to me in these next few lines. I imagined Guy 1 looming over Guy 2's body or something while talking these lines.

"My thunder shook him down My thunder came and shook him down" -I interpreted Guy 1's "thunder" to be the sound a shotgun makes. He killed Guy 2.

"That girl is gone but I That girl is gone but I still try I think it's over now The bullet hit but maybe not" -More lyrics that point to Guy 1 murdering Guy 2. Guy 1 is actually in shock and wondering if he was actually dead. This also sort of hints the girl left Guy 2 as well cause Guy 2 was a dick.

"I feel so fucking numb It hits my head and I feel numb My body's looking wrong My body's looking wrong My body's looking wrong" -Guy 1 is in total hysteria. He says hes feeling numb cause of the adrenaline of killing his ex. Or maybe he doesn't feel remorse and he realizes how fucked up that is and is freaking out about it. The music in the background picks up and gives the listener anxiety because that is probably what Guy 1 is experiencing.

"Bye bye baby blue I wish you could see the wicked truth" -Guy 1 is saying bye to his own innocence this time I believe. The "wicked truth" being he is now a murderer and doesn't believe he just killed Guy 2.

"Caught up in a rush it's killing you Screaming at the sun you blow into Curled up in a grip when we were us Fingers in a fist like you might run" -Adrenaline rush from murder. He remembers the times before any of this happened.

I settle for a ghost I never knew Superparadise I held on to But I settle for a ghost" -He thinks he is being haunted by the ghost of his ex. "Ghost I never knew" refers to his Ex being a different person his lover. He lives his life in constant paranoia.

Well, that's my interpretation on it. Probably some bumpy details, especially the ending. But ya know.

@shallowkittyartist what if guy1 killed the girl who wore versace instead of guy 2 and that’s why the song says: « that girl is gone »?

@Vitlos That's definitely a possibility. I always imagine the line <That girl is gone but I That girl is gone but I still try> as sort of evidence that the girl left Guy 2 (cause he became a asshole) and that Guy 1 is comparing himself with the girl. (Saying he never left, but she did. Maybe he would have continued the relationship even after Guy 2 became an asshole. But because Guy 2 broke off the relationship, he ended up in this situation where he was truly alone.)

My Interpretation

@shallowkittyartist I have a little bit different theory, Here it is.

So there's a couple One of them want to be a rockstar: ("When I was young and stupid my love Left to be a rock and roll star")

The other one don't like the idea (let's call them baby blue) But he keep telling baby blue is fine: ("He told me please don't worry Wise little smile that spoke so safely")

He doesn't think about the relationship anymore, continuing his dream: ("He booked a one way ticket Out west that's where they'd make it")...

Cover art for The Other Side of Paradise lyrics by Glass Animals

I've spent a lot of time listening to this song... the whole album actually. The concept of the album is that each song tells a story about the different individuals on the artwork, and it is my understanding that all of these stories are somehow interconnected. So... with that being said, here's what I gather:

This song is narrated by a woman whose boyfriend decided to head west to be famous. He left to be a rock and roll star. Obviously, once he gets out west, his life sucks, but he's loving it, as evidenced by the braggadocious phone calls back home where he talks about his gold Camaro, but he's still living in a tiny room with five other people. It's all irrelevant, because it was a one way ticket and he's going to stay there and try to make it big.

The woman is left at home. And she's pregnant. I don't know if she's told the boyfriend or not, but I'd guess she hasn't. She realized it's a lost cause. He's throwing his life away out there and he won't every come home. She's settling for his ghost, phone calls, but she knows he would run away from her for good if he knew that she was pregnant... "fingers in a fist like you might run".

"Bye bye baby blue" refers to the adoption. She knows it's a boy, but she doesn't even name him before she gives him away. The wicked truth is that she wanted the baby, but couldn't support it. She says that where she's from, no one would leave to be a rock and roll star knowing a baby was on the way. He'd stay home and take care of the family. Instead, she screams, "don't you blame me!" because she had to give away her son. (On a side note, we hear about the boy in "Youth" as well as more of mom's story- "Boy, when I left you, you were young...")

Now, that innocent girl is gone. Her body looks wrong (postpartum), and she feels totally numb. She's still settling for the ghost of her boyfriend who won't ever come home.

Who is singing? I don't know. But I think her name could be Agnes, and we'll hear the rest of her story later...

My Interpretation
Cover art for The Other Side of Paradise lyrics by Glass Animals

Okay so... I dunno why but to me this song is about TS(The singer) falling love with LI(Love interest) LI. TS finding out that LI has a love of their own(LOTO) TS finds them... And TS kills the LOTO, scares LI and then TS either A, kills themself. Or LI kills TS... Idk?

Cover art for The Other Side of Paradise lyrics by Glass Animals

Okay like if you never knew the meaning of this song i have a theory on what it means. When i was young and stupid my love left to be a rock and roll star. He told me please don't worry. Wise little smile that spoke so safely..

(So the first part is when I young women got pregnant and the guy left her in order for him to follow his dreams.)

He booked a one way ticket Out west that's where they'd make it Six kids stuck in a bedsit To sunswept poolside riches

He met a girl who wore Versace Pink feather coats and jumbo jewellery Gonna be a hoop phenomenon He's gonna be Hakeem Olajuwon

( he went off and followed his dream but while he was over there he met a pretty women and became a huge star as he wanted)

He's got a gold Camaro He said over the payphone I try to keep my cool but My life turns in slow motion

( the girl finds out about being famous and sgoes into a depression