The Disco Before The Breakdown

john · Subject: The Disco Before The Breakdown Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:42 am

so, i'm wondering why noone has brought this up before.
The song is definately about a somewhat ... odd relationship. Homosexuality?
Does anyone have any background knowledge as to who the couple ist?

If you follow the jaw-line down over the heart,
the curves of your bone and muscle that make up your head to toe...
it's just skin and thread, stitches and ligaments,
words that we spoke only to regret.

I know they're going to laugh at us when they see us out together "holding hands" like this. They wouldn't understand it if we told them all the reasons,
not that I think this deserves any kind of explanation.

We can make it up so we've got a smile painted on all the time,
no matter what it's like on the inside. We'll keep this, keep us like a secret,
because if my family and friends ever found out about the things we could never be,
haunts we'll always keep, so fucking bittersweet

ChuckBS · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:55 am

To the best of my knowledge he said that it was about a gay relationship, but it can mean a whole lot of other things, like interracial relationships stuff like that. I thought there had been a thread on this already though.

e6c · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:40 am

If you follow the jaw-line down over the heart,
the curves of your bone and muscle that make up your head to toe...
it's just skin and thread, stitches and ligaments,
words that we spoke only to regret.

I know they're going to laugh at us when they see us out together "holding hands" like this. They wouldn't understand it if we told them all the reasons,
not that I think this deserves any kind of explanation.

We can make it up so we've got a smile painted on all the time,
no matter what it's like on the inside. We'll keep this, keep us like a secret,
because if my family and friends ever found out about the things we could never be,
haunts we'll always keep, so fucking bittersweet

e6c · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:42 am

Wow, I can't believe I never really listened to the lyrics before... what a depressing song.

**lex** · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:43 am

I love this songs, I agree it definitely seems to fit with a gay relationship but I think it could apply to a lot of other topics. It makes me sad Sad

john · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:02 am

The part where James screams "bittersweet" and the horns set in is just epic.
And thanks for editing the lyrics into my post lex.

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ChuckBS · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:25 pm

It is a sad song, I like the horns with for the deceptive sound.

JAPSoccer13 · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:11 pm

wow, ive actully never really listened to the lyrics.

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kropotkin · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:41 pm

wow - you are all right - the lyrics to this song are really beautiful. I always loved the title of this song - so beautiful - Tom is extremely talented. Where did he say it was about a gay relationship?

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ClockworkRobot · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:00 am

I just always thought that it was about that. I love this song so much.

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ALL I GOT WAS GREEN BEANS, A ROLL AND SOME COLLYFLOWER

Ana · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:23 am

Anything related to disco is gay. I thought this was a given. jk :p

The beat makes me wanna dance. The lyrics are somewhat of a downer. Love it.

ClockworkRobot · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:03 am

thats the best part of the song: the complete contrast between the subject matter and the music.

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ALL I GOT WAS GREEN BEANS, A ROLL AND SOME COLLYFLOWER

e6c · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:23 am

ClockworkRobot wrote:

thats the best part of the song: the complete contrast between the subject matter and the music.

I love it when they do that, it is very similar to Pints of Guinness in that way.

Guest

Definitely one of my all-time favorite AM! songs. I think the last three words of the song sum up the entire thing pretty well, "so fucking bittersweet." It's such a sad song, but whenever I listen to it I just want to dance.

arollo · Subject: Re: The Disco Before The Breakdown Thu May 01, 2008 4:11 am

I always thought that the lyrics were using a forbidden relationship as a metaphor for Against Me! wanting to get/getting bigger, and seeking out more than what they had going. Like wanting fame and fortune is a dirty, shameful thing.

I never thought of it as a gay song. And I think everything is gay. I feel bad now. *tear*

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