Interpretations:Love Is Eternity

Scratch suggested in the newsgroup a while ago that this song was about a recently married couple in a car crash, and i didn't really see that until i started to figure out some of the lyrics, namely "stuck in a ditch, bleeding," which i originally thought was "stuck in a (?) meeting," and "surrounded by death" which i originally thought was "surrounded by dan." someone else also thought the line was "surrounded by debt," and that might make sense... but the death thing fits more with TMBG's morbid style and the whole car crash scenario. I also think that it could be something about doing something you regret but dying before you can take it back, as if the two got into a huge argument or something before they both bit the dust. anyway, that's what i've concluded so far. --Nathew

well, I'm outta the TMBG loop now, but I know that Dan and Lisa are the real names of two longtime friends of the Johns. This song could have been written as an anniversary present for them. Listening to the song, I hear the more mundane, less morbid interpretations of the lyrics. This is a great site and a great use of wiki. I'll be back with some fun ancient history sometime (if I can find it!) - just an old aquaintance

Yeah, I'd go with the less morbid interpretation. It seems like it's just a song sung at a wedding reception for a Dan and a Lisa. No car crash. After all, it says "So Dan and Lisa, bye/We hardly know you guys" Know is in the present tense, so they're still alive by this point in the song.

From the TMBG.com free MP3 download page: "This song, a wedding gift written for friends of a friend, is a very positive take on the institution of marrige." I have NO idea where the death and horror version came from.

Um, yeah, I believe as the lyrics are posted in this Wiki, Dan is stuck "in a pitch meeting," meaning he likely works for a television network during which TV writers pitch their ideas for a series to network executives, or is a writer pitching his ideas. (Remember Jerry Seinfeld's pitch to NBC about a show about nothing?) Nothing morbid or diabolical; it seems Dan is healthy as well as happily married, presumably. Gosh, let's lighten up, shall we?

I think Dan is Dan Webber, who used to work for Futurama? --Christina 15:06, 19 November 2007 (UTC)

The line "our time on earth is short" makes me think that the Johns are playing 'angels' bringing their message from on high. --Nehushtan 12:13, 17 Feb 2006 (CST)

The 'Surrounded by death' and 'Surrounded by nothing' lyrics make me think maybe they asked the couple something like 'what are you afraid of?' and Lisa said 'death,' and Dan said 'nothing.' - just a thought... Oh, and TMBG *are* angels bringing MANY messages from on high. I thought everybody knew that! :D

Pre-marital counseling

Very often you'll hear "Patience is a virtue!" spoken as an annoying "tsk-tsk" - perhaps addressed to an excited child waiting to get on a carnival ride, or a sports fan disappointed by a game 3 post-season loss. Flans loves to re-route a common phrase so that it winds up in a surprising place. Here he simply adds "... best shared with a spouse." I love it... the moralizing pettiness is gone. Instead we get a helping of good sense to cushion the coming challenges. --Nehushtan (talk) 13:55, 18 March 2021 (EDT)