what are the interpretations of this song out there? I haven't heard much about this song's content from the band or from fans. and it's so vague that i don't know what to make of it.

secondly, will this survive a stip merging? I hope so because no one will respond if it's just packaged in with Avocado thoughts. Stip, i'm counting on you.

Some one on this cite thought it had something to do with stem cell research, it was a pretty good explanation, not sure when it was posted.

lyrically-gay marriage

musically-mosh pit

I love this song. It seems to be in my head most days now.

I have a very personal interpretation of this song and it has to do with surfing. Just about the time the album was released, I got caught in a really big wave that just pummeled me.

I didn't quite make the drop and the wave closed out on me. I was sent straight down to the ocean floor and must have done 4 or 5 summersaults as the wave dragged me in. It is one of those things were all you can do is curl into a ball, cover your head, and hope the air in your lungs lasts until you can get to the surface. When I finally did get to the surface, I immediately turned to see what was coming next and that's when I realized that I had got caught in the first wave of a large set. There was a 6ft wave about to break on my head. I sucked in as much air as I could and dove under the wave. My surfboard was still attached to my ankle with the leash and I could feel it pull as the wave hit the board. After the wave passed, I popped up for air again. Rinse and repeat. There were at least 3 more big waves that came in that I had to dive under.

I finally made it to the beach. After about 5 minutes of breathing and shaking I was okay. However, it took me a few weeks to really get over the experience. It was during this time that I really started listening to the song

When I hear Comatose, I feel the power of the ocean again. It is exhilarating and terrifying all at once. That song brings back the feeling of losing control to the ocean for me. It is a good reminder and a wonderful connection to the pure force of nature that is the ocean. When they play it live followed by Leash, it pretty much makes me crazy. You can only imagine how much I enjoy the encore from San Diego

maybe the leash was your problem there, but having never surfed i imagine losing your board was also something you didn't want to do

I am not sure where Stip's walk through the Avocado is, but you should read that for interps.

it always seemed pretty clear to me that it criticizes people who hide from life and try and isolate themselves from experience to be safe

I won't merge this with the comatose thread. Just this one time Kevman, so don't go getting any ideas

This was my take, lifted from here . Even if you don't like my read on the song that thread has a lot of great comments from other posters.


Comatose is a political song, but it’s a lot like whipping, in that it is more about a feeling than a particular issue. It picks right up on the anger felt at the end of WWS. It’s a howl directed at all that is wrong with America, which at times can be so much it defies specifics. The verses and chorus are sung from the perspective of a ‘typical’ (as if there is such a thing) American, lost in his vacuum oblivious to the air and friction of the outside world, unaware of how his actions affect everyone else. There is obvious contempt in Eddie’s voice, and given the subject matter of WWS it’s hard for there not to be. The lyric about hanging upside down attests to the ways in which our priorities and values have become inverted—the ways in which we celebrate hate and selfishness instead of love and community.

The chorus introduces the image of falling, which is a crucial part of the next three songs. Falling implies a mistake, an imperfection. We’re supposed to be standing upright—we fall when we trip, when we’re not careful about where we’re going, or when the ground around us becomes unstable. Down also implies damnation. Up is heaven, down is hell. And if we’re not careful that’s the direction America is heading in. Not hell, per se, but certainly towards disaster—see songs like DTE or the works of Daniel Quinn. But, happy in our vacuums, we have no idea the danger we’re in and no fear of it. After all, we’re Americans (or humans more generally if you want to push the Quinn angle)—problems are for other people. We can keep this up for all eternity. The consequences of our actions never come back to affect us, and if other people don’t like they should have thought of that before they decided to be born somewhere else. Nor is it even clear that, as Americans—God’s chosen people designed to erect his City on the Hill—that we can even make mistakes. Certainly nothing we can’t justify in the name of progress/freedom/democracy/right. Ultimately we are oblivious/comatose with no fear of falling/damnation. The rising could refer to Ed’s anger/awareness, or our own inflated sense of self-importance.

The second verse basically repeats the same sentiments. The blood on all the pistons/running my transmission lines seem to acknowledge that there are consequences to how we live. We’re running our engine into the ground, and taking who knows what with us. But, happy in our vacuum, it’s not our problem.

A few people have speculated that the bridge is about gay marriage. That seems possible, in the same way the album art made whipping seem to be about abortion, but I think the lyrics are meant to be more generic/universal—a prelude to the themes of Marker in the Sand. He’s talking from a perspective that’s high above, one infused with love, compassion, tolerance, and understanding instead of hate, vengeance, and judgment. Those are seductive values. They’re easier, and hate is less demanding than love. His observation that love seems illegal is a direct tie in to WWS and a transition into Marker (although Severed Hand comes first). As a society, and as individuals (since this record is about individual salvation as much as it is group salvation—conveniently they require the same thing) we’ve gotten so swept up in war and hate, are so self-absorbed, that it’s become difficult for us to love one another, and in some cases, even ourselves. When Jesus was crucified he was supposed to die for our sins, to grant us a new beginning, and until we leave the hate on that cross, he’s essentially died in vein

The last line expresses Ed’s general sense of bewilderment. How did things get like this, and since I’m an American, how did I play a part in it. What can I do to change it? The record is in part a working through of that problem (although in the end I’m not totally satisfied with the answer).

Jesus, you are a blowhard. Got a little time on your hands Stipper?

I think Stip nailed it.

I think Stip nailed it too, though when I first heard the song I thought in might have been inspired as well by the whole Terri Schivo (sp?) thing last year.

Losing your board is pretty normal. The Leash gives it back to you. That's how it works. As long as you don't get the board between you and the wave it usually works out okay. If the board does get between you and the wave it can beat you up.

wow, some people think abou this stuff wayyyy too much.




co·ma·tose (km-ts, km-)
adj.

1. Of, relating to, or affected with coma.
2. Marked by lethargy; torpid.

I like music. It has, uh, like sound and stuff in it. Sometimes I like to bang my head in time with the beat. I ignore the words though. They make my head hurt.

It means feel it rising...let's not party.

that is all.

something having to do with pizza... I dunno its like yellow, the music is more imporatnt the meaning.

Three points:

1. Stip: You nailed it. I haven't been so bewildered about a song's interpretation like Comatose for a long time. Now that I read that it makes perfect sense.

2. Regalo: As scary as your story was to live through it makes me want to try surfing that much more

3. Flavdave:


Though it's not my favorie song on the album it's growing on me. Having an idea of what it's about now makes it a little more enjoyable.

i'm going to start making really long posts.