Interpretations:Sleeping In The Flowers
I think that people need to step away from the whole "stoned in central park" theory. Remember that this is They Might Be Giants, notorious for red herrings and planting false ideas, just to see how people will take it; sort of like the comment on Dr. Worm about how its in their contract, or the RIAA's stance on certain instruments in "Stalk of Wheat.: I really wouldn't put it past them that they just wanted to see how a sly remark could change the entire interpretation of the song.
I think the drunk guy that gave him a ride home gives him some alcohol ("He showed me how to spin my head round and round") which gets him drunk, so he talks to the girl. So I think he got the girl, because at the end it changes from "We could be sleeping in the flowers" to "We'll be sleeping in the flowers." -Micah
This is about a guy who loves a girl who he is too shy to ask out, but he always looks ahead to the future. The slow rock parts are reality and the fast pop parts are his fantasies. It fades out in a fantasy which may imply he never gets the girl.
Flans sings about having a crush on a "copy shop clerk" here, while in "Snowball In Hell" he sings "my panacea's in a Xerox shop." Could this panacea have been the very same girl? The answer is I don't know. sinisterscrawl 04:53, 7 Nov 2005 (EST)
if taken on a more personal level, this song demonstrates the extremes of ones mind. Though I agree, I dont think that it is fully correct. The manic depression of infatuational love is clearly displayed not only in the lyrics, but in the sound. Everything that he says in the "sad parts" are negative, and the "happy parts" happy.
It couldnt be reality vs fantasy, because he eventually turns to "we WILL be sleeping in the flowers". Unless this is a decline into insanity.
This song totally reminds me of thoughts racing and changing when you're baked. After, Flans claims that getting stoned is the subject of the song. I wouldn't put it past the Johns to roll a fat joint on the road.--tehbagel 16:12, 13 Apr 2006 (CDT)
In the most general sense -- like most TMBG songs, this one is about love, and death. In that order exactly. Throw in a bit of work frustration ("tell my boss that I've been fired") and you have that winning TMBG formula! -Jordan
Mr. Flansburgh has already said the song's about getting stoned in Central Park, but I didn't interpret it that way at all. I figured the it was about two different people: an unhappy person and a person who's trying to teach the first person how to be happy, through music and picnics (or generally being outside; I like picnics so I assumed the person in the song would also).
I got a crush Copy shop clerk But she won't look up at me Don't want to be known as the freak Who just comes around to catch her eye
is the first person being unhappy.
We could be sleeping in the flowers We could sleep all afternoon
is the second person introducing the first to the joys of flowers and picnics and lazy naturejoy.
You'd proclaim that you're an island I'd proclaim that I'm one too
This is the second person singing "I Am A Rock," by Simon and Garfunkel. It's the second person introducing the first to music the first could relate to, unhappy music, but unhappy beautiful music. It's edging the first person out of the hole of ugliness in which he lives.
Then we float into the harbor With just piers and boats around
This either means that they'd go on adventures, doing things the first person had never done before, experiencing that little-kid excitement / love of the world... or it means that they'd float together through the water of music and fresh air and flowers and happiness, where the only things around are things that belong in that water.
I declare that I am England You declare that I have drowned
Either the first person declares that he IS the music that's been making him so happy (which by now might be the Beatles, or other English bands) and the second one says "No, you're just surrounded by this music; you are yourself and you're going to need to come to terms with that," or the first person--who I'm supposing is American--tells the second that he has changed and grown so much that he may as well be a whole (unfamiliar) country himself, and the second one tries to put things in perspective--either "If you were England, you would be swallowed by the ocean" or something again about how the first person is just a person, and how that's enough, but he needs to accept who he is...
I got a ride Home with a drunk guy
It's the first person away from the second person. The first person is still spending time with and relying on ("getting rides home from") unhappy, unhealthy people, people who drink to block out the misery they can't get away from, people who care so little about their lives that they drive drunk. This is person one having difficulty changing his life.
How ungrateful I must have seemed
I don't know whether he feels like he's being ungrateful to the second person--"This person is putting so much energy into helping me and yet I'm still doing this"--or to life in general--getting a ride home with a drunk guy shows a lack of gratitude for his very life. In any case, this line shows that even though the first person backslides, he knows he's doing it and wants to stop. Or at least he's aware--if he's ungrateful for life, he is aware that life is not worthless. If he ungrateful for the second person, he at least realizes that the second person is putting energy into making him happy. Perhaps he feels bad because he isn't as far along as he's like to be, happinesswise.
He showed me how To spin my head round and round
Mr. Drunk Guy taught the first person how to think. He started undoing the work of the second person.
The second chorus, and then the instrumental, and then the third chorus... the second person has to re-teach the first person how to be happy, using song and the outside world time and time again. And after lesson after lesson, after picnic after picnic and song after song...
We'll be sleeping in the flowers Tell my boss that I've been fired We'll be sleeping in the flowers Tell my boss that I've been fired We'll be sleeping in the flowers Tell my boss I'm fired We'll be sleeping in the flowers Tell my boss I'm fired
...the first person learns. His boss is his brain--he's been unhappy "like it's his job" his whole life, and now he's telling himself that he's been fired from that job. He's traded misery for picnics. Well done, imaginary song friend. : )
I know it's not what Mr. Flansburgh meant, but I'm quite attached to this interpretation.
Love, Alice Mott
t3h ALMIGHTY TRANSLATION OF THE CONSVERSATION!!!!!
I can't love you. I'm all alone... an island. (You proclaim that you're an island)
Baby, I'm an island too. We're the same. *lying through teeth* (I proclaim that I'm one too)
-later- But I'm England, baby. On my island, there's always room for two (I declare that I am England)
You liar and jerk... you've "drowned". (You declare that I have drowned)
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