meanings behind song lyrics on STYE?

[emjayhaych]

Hey guys,

I'm more or less a newbie to this forum, but I've been a fan of In Flames since I heard Clayman. Since then I've got every album since Whoracle, and even though I'm not one of those people who think In Flames 'sold out' (argh) around the time of Clayman (I like all their albums), I do wish STYE was more Colonyish *cough*solos*cough* - I've grown to like STYE, specially songs like Evil In A Closet, In Search For I, My Sweet Shadow etc. (In fact the only song I can't stand is F(r)iend, and most of you seem to like it. Hmmm. It's just the chorus....it bores me for some reason.)
Anyway, yeah, so I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on interpreting the lyrics of the new album? Just like, basic themes or meanings.... I always find it interesting to try and interpret the lyrics in my own way, but for some reason I find In Flames lyrics (mostly) harder to figure out than one of my other fav. bands, Dark Tranquillity.
I know there's always some people out there who really dissect the lyrics, so could you offer up any thoughts?

 

[FreaKitchen]

Cool question bud, in my eyes at least...I think F(r)iend is pretty self explanatory. It talks about the fine line between friends and enemies, I head Anders talk about in an interview that after they acquired some fame they encountered many people that pretended to be friends of the band, but turned out not to be. Dead Alone is about alienation and being ostricized (sp.) I believe, maybe being punished for having your own thoughts. Like You Better Dead, I think, is simply a song about someone you dispise, because maybe they wronged you in the past, and you wouldn't shed a tear if they died. Evil..Closet is your love story, I guess you can take your own spin on it...In Search for I is about someone looking for their own identity in a world that wants them to conform to every one else's standards...I also read in an interview that Superhero was based off of a dream Anders had...Well, I don't know if that helped or not...but those are my takes on some of the songs...

 

[anonymousnick2001]

Superhero of the Computer Rage was about a dream Anders had?

Someone should remind him not to smoke crack and listen to Korn before going to sleep.

 

[indian_metalhead]

some of the lyrics seem to be a big fuck you to the haters.

 

[FreaKitchen]

According to an interview in the latest Revolver, yes, it was based on a dream about Anders chasing a man through many dark corridors, and when he finally reached the man he found that it was himself, only with flesh patches over where the eyes and mouth should have been...apparently he wrote the lyrics as soon as he woke from the dream....JUST what the magazine said, mind you...it could be completely incorrect!

 

[egonomic666]

any of you read the lyrics and listened to the cd all the way thru ? it kindof reads like the matrix in a weird way especially with all the static inbetween songs my sweet shadow is my favorite one of the best sounding choruses ive ever heard

 

[emjayhaych]

thanks for your posts so far - I think to be more specific, I can realise what the general message of each song might be, but looking more in depth at the lyrics there just seem to be a lot of strange random lines, eg:

Dead alone:
(my general interpretation - a song about being in an uncaring world that doesn't appreciate you or know what you're going through, dying emotionally)
Odd lyrics:
"The cold worms and me, we are all right"
"The abuse that we use"

Touch of red:
(my general interpretation - about letting life pass you by, realising you're not happy with where you're stuck, and being afraid to break away from it)
Odd lyrics:
"Above her I'm endless"

Like you better dead:
(my general interpretation - about being in a relationship that's draining you, the other person is more a burden than a partner, taking you for granted, and you finally realise you need to get away)
Odd lyrics: None

My Sweet Shadow:
(my general interpretation - about making up for your past mistakes, knowing better days are ahead, leaving your past, and once-indulged-in bad habits, behind)
Odd lyrics: "In circles I catch a torch carried by the immortal"

Evil in a closet:
(my general interpretation - being with that special someone, your soul mate, when life is a struggle...but not sure what the chorus is saying....)
Odd lyrics:
"...yell at me..." (yell?! why?!)
"evil in a closet" (maybe it's just an expression I don't get)

In Search For I:
(my general interpretation - about worrying about the future, scared of what the future holds, not sure of who you really are, and being hesitant to let that special someone get close to you for fear of what might happen)
Odd lyrics:
None. (I really like the whole 'm' and 'e' idea)

Borders and Shading:
(my general interpretation - this confuses me thoroughly.....I think it's about a relationship, maybe one where leeched off him but he seems to take pity on her...shows (her) her faults: "errors stigmatized in you"....."I give you this sacrifice" "I'll crawl into your vault" "your world inside slowly redesigned" and changes her even though he's moving on.....hard to work out....)
Odd lyrics: None really, just confusing
Gay lyric "Don't end up zero"!!!! argh......

Superhero of the computer rage:
(my general interpretation - another hard one, but particularly in the chorus I get the feeling that he's become a virus, getting inside someone's mind and killing them: "dark clouds in your heaven", "I'll leave without a scar", "your end has only begun")
Odd lyrics:
"I am a legend in your infotainment life"
"I am a surprise, even to myself I'm a genius"

Dial 595 escape:
(my general interpretation - about becoming accustomed to a dull repetitive life, and when someone tries to help, you push them away: "heal my wounds with everything - away, you complicate me"...maybe about battling with an inner voice....and when you try to come out of your shell it all becomes too much and you crawl right back inside again.)
Odd lyrics: Why does he say "Memories remains alone"? Why two plurals?

Bottled:
(my general interpretation - about being introvert and afraid of not being in control of the future, but not sure what relevance is of - the paper, the pen, your eyes, etc.)

Anyway, sorry for long post, that's about my current understanding of the lyrics as I analyse them now.

 

[leffe]

thanks for your posts so far - I think to be more specific, I can realise what the general message of each song might be, but looking more in depth at the lyrics there just seem to be a lot of strange random lines, eg:

Dead alone:
(my general interpretation - a song about being in an uncaring world that doesn't appreciate you or know what you're going through, dying emotionally)
Odd lyrics:
"The cold worms and me, we are all right"
"The abuse that we use"

Touch of red:
(my general interpretation - about letting life pass you by, realising you're not happy with where you're stuck, and being afraid to break away from it)
Odd lyrics:
"Above her I'm endless"

Like you better dead:
(my general interpretation - about being in a relationship that's draining you, the other person is more a burden than a partner, taking you for granted, and you finally realise you need to get away)
Odd lyrics: None

My Sweet Shadow:
(my general interpretation - about making up for your past mistakes, knowing better days are ahead, leaving your past, and once-indulged-in bad habits, behind)
Odd lyrics: "In circles I catch a torch carried by the immortal"

Evil in a closet:
(my general interpretation - being with that special someone, your soul mate, when life is a struggle...but not sure what the chorus is saying....)
Odd lyrics:
"...yell at me..." (yell?! why?!)
"evil in a closet" (maybe it's just an expression I don't get)

In Search For I:
(my general interpretation - about worrying about the future, scared of what the future holds, not sure of who you really are, and being hesitant to let that special someone get close to you for fear of what might happen)
Odd lyrics:
None. (I really like the whole 'm' and 'e' idea)

Borders and Shading:
(my general interpretation - this confuses me thoroughly.....I think it's about a relationship, maybe one where leeched off him but he seems to take pity on her...shows (her) her faults: "errors stigmatized in you"....."I give you this sacrifice" "I'll crawl into your vault" "your world inside slowly redesigned" and changes her even though he's moving on.....hard to work out....)
Odd lyrics: None really, just confusing
Gay lyric "Don't end up zero"!!!! argh......

Superhero of the computer rage:
(my general interpretation - another hard one, but particularly in the chorus I get the feeling that he's become a virus, getting inside someone's mind and killing them: "dark clouds in your heaven", "I'll leave without a scar", "your end has only begun")
Odd lyrics:
"I am a legend in your infotainment life"
"I am a surprise, even to myself I'm a genius"

Dial 595 escape:
(my general interpretation - about becoming accustomed to a dull repetitive life, and when someone tries to help, you push them away: "heal my wounds with everything - away, you complicate me"...maybe about battling with an inner voice....and when you try to come out of your shell it all becomes too much and you crawl right back inside again.)
Odd lyrics: Why does he say "Memories remains alone"? Why two plurals?

Bottled:
(my general interpretation - about being introvert and afraid of not being in control of the future, but not sure what relevance is of - the paper, the pen, your eyes, etc.)

Anyway, sorry for long post, that's about my current understanding of the lyrics as I analyse them now.

Those were some great interpretations. The "Yell att me..." part I think means that he wants her to put her troubles on him and take it out on him but then hes say that he is not shure if he will be able to carry the burden, "but my ground is shaking and I might fall".

The part you thought was weird in 595 I think means that he wants to break free, not being scard and wanting to go back to what is safe but instead just leave his memories to be just memories.

 

[emjayhaych]

Thanks for your insight on the "yell at me" part, yeah that definitely makes sense.
With Dial 595-escape though, I wasn't mentioning the "memories remains alone" part because I didn't understand what it could mean, -just for the mere fact that it's not proper english, it should be "memories remain alone", not "memories remains alone". Having two plurals just isn't right.
I just wonder if Anders still has a little trouble with the english language?

 

[WatchMeAllINFLAMES]

I love your interpretation guys... But there's Discover Me Like Emptiness too... I've started to wrote the lyrics... If you could help me to write all of them after we can try to figured out what that song means...

Discover Me Like Emptiness

I run this world alone
A song stuck in my mind
Are you feeling alright?
I don't mind if you ask me once
Discover Me
Like Emptiness

...
...
...

[Chorus]
Play me...
Escape me...
Once you have walked away
Find me...
For my sake... to the grave
I want you...

 

[Nifelheim]

Dead alone:
(my general interpretation - a song about being in an uncaring world that doesn't appreciate you or know what you're going through, dying emotionally)
Odd lyrics:
"The cold worms and me, we are all right"
"The abuse that we use"

OK, so that "The cold worms and me, we are all right" part is, somehow, related to being dead. You see, when you're dead and in a grave worms do, hmm, bother you. Got my point?

My Sweet Shadow:
(my general interpretation - about making up for your past mistakes, knowing better days are ahead, leaving your past, and once-indulged-in bad habits, behind)
Odd lyrics: "In circles I catch a torch carried by the immortal"

That torch is a metaphor. "In circles (his old life eith his old mistakes) I catch a torch carried by the immortal" (here he redeems himself. The torch is a metphor for his brighter future, and the immortal is someone better than him. After all, in almost all mythologies gods are immortal...)

 

[emjayhaych]

Here's how I heard the lyrics

Discover me like emptiness

I run this world alone
A song stuck in my mind
Are you feeling alright?
I don't mind if you ask me once

Discover Me
Like Emptiness

A defence, your broken heart
who offers a smile to learn the trade (not got these lines correct, I'm sure)

always close to the ground
disappear with yesterday
cure me
screaming makes me ___?____

[Chorus]
Play me...
Escape me...
Once you have walked away
Find me...
For my sake... to the grave
I want you...

could never stand the middle
i want to go far further
but something drags me down
shapes me, forms me
into the ocean

always close to the ground
disappear with yesterday
cure me
screaming makes me ___?____

[chorus]

As I bank other options
Make this picture distant
Sign me off, leave me alone
I blur you into the never

always close to the ground
disappear with yesterday
cure me
screaming makes me ___?____

[chorus]

 

[emjayhaych]

Nifelheim,

thanks for your pointers, I guessed the worms related to being dead and rotting, but I wasn't sure. I understand the 'in circles I catch a torch carried by the immortal' now, cheers for that.

Btw, your signature, by The Duskfall, I've got their first album, Frailty and I think its damn good, but I was disappointed with 'The Source', their new album. I know this is an In Flames board, but....do you like it?

 

[Nifelheim]

Yup, totaly agree with you. I love Frailty, but don't like much Source. Well it has good songs, but I prefer Frailty. I think they hardened their sound and that's why it isn't so nice. I like their melodic side more.


Cheers!

 

[Only Human]

Where did the Discover Me Like Emptiness come from? Is it on the digipak or something?

 

[Nifelheim]

Yup, it's a bonus track on the digipack version of STYE...

 

[ClaymanColony]

I interpreted "Evil in a Closet" quite differently...IMHO, it is about an affair. For instance, take the line:

"Maybe in another lifetime, I could be the first you meet."

So he wasn't the first? He wants to be? Sounds like she is taken.

Also, the name 'evil in a closet' itself seems to underline that...closets seem to be a typical place for people to hide what they don't want known...an affair is something you generally don't want known, and is considered an evil act.

Just my two cents.

 

[Black Tears]

I interpreted "Evil in a Closet" quite differently...IMHO, it is about an affair. For instance, take the line:

"Maybe in another lifetime, I could be the first you meet."

So he wasn't the first? He wants to be? Sounds like she is taken.

Also, the name 'evil in a closet' itself seems to underline that...closets seem to be a typical place for people to hide what they don't want known...an affair is something you generally don't want known, and is considered an evil act.

Just my two cents.

This thread has been dead for over a year, none of the previous contributors will read this.

Good interpretation though, never thought of it that way.