It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career
Belle and Sebastian Lyrics
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It could have been a brilliant career
Painting lines in a school that was too well known
Painting lines with a friend that had gone before
She challenged everyone to a fight
But the prefects all backed down
And they ran her out of town
Cause she drank and swore and spoke
Out of turn, she was the village joke
She had a stroke at the age of 24
It could have been a brilliant career
Getting clients to finance her strategies
Filling time in on Safeways on Saturday
She wears the clothes of an emperor
But her paintings are a sham
And they're going for a grand
When the dealers come to view
Do they ever see the real you?
He had a stroke at the age of 24
It could have been a brilliant career
Selling lies to the boys with the old Dansettes
Pulling the wool, playing the fool, it's no wonder that
He is dribbling spit tonight
And the one he sent away
Was the only one who stayed
With a spoon and a decent book
And you can tell by the way she looks he is sorry and resigned
As he wets himself for the final time
The song tells the tragic stories of two people whose lives could have been great but were derailed by unfortunate events. The first verse describes a man who had a stroke at the young age of 24, which prevented him from pursuing a promising career in art, painting lines with a friend who had already achieved success. The second verse is about a woman who challenged everyone to a fight, spoke out of turn and was generally considered the village joke. She also suffered a stroke at the age of 24, which prevented her from realizing her full potential as a strategist.
The chorus serves as a sobering reminder of what could have been, with the repetition of the line "It could have been a brilliant career". The next verse features a reflection on the woman's life, as she works part-time at Safeways on Saturdays and wears the clothes of an emperor, all the while selling fake paintings to art dealers. The question posed here is, whether anyone ever sees the real her when they come to view these fake paintings. Finally, the song concludes with the man dribbling spit and wetting himself for the final time, regretting his choices and missed opportunities.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a cautionary tale about how circumstances beyond our control can shape the course of our lives, and how it's important to seize opportunities when they come our way.
Line by Line Meaning
He had a stroke at the age of 24
He suffered a stroke when he was just 24 years old
It could have been a brilliant career
He was talented and had a promising career ahead of him before the stroke
Painting lines in a school that was too well known
He was an artist who painted lines in a prestigious school
Painting lines with a friend that had gone before
He painted lines with a friend who was also an artist
She challenged everyone to a fight
She was confrontational and willing to fight anyone
But the prefects all backed down
Even the authority figures were afraid of her
And they ran her out of town
They forced her to leave the town because of her behavior
Cause she drank and swore and spoke
She drank alcohol, swore, and spoke out of turn
Out of turn, she was the village joke
Her behavior made her the subject of ridicule in the village
Getting clients to finance her strategies
She was trying to secure funding for her business strategies
Filling time in on Safeways on Saturday
She worked at a Safeway on Saturdays to pass the time
She wears the clothes of an emperor
She dresses extravagantly and appears wealthy
But her paintings are a sham
Her artwork is not genuine or of high quality
And they're going for a grand
Despite the low quality of her paintings, they are being sold for a high price
When the dealers come to view
Art dealers come to view her paintings and potentially purchase them
Do they ever see the real you?
Do the art dealers see through her facade and recognize the low quality of her artwork?
Selling lies to the boys with the old Dansettes
He was selling false stories to young boys with old record players
Pulling the wool, playing the fool, it's no wonder that
He fooled and deceived others, so it's not surprising that
He is dribbling spit tonight
He is physically unwell and showing symptoms of his condition
And the one he sent away
He rejected and pushed away the one person who cared for him
Was the only one who stayed
Everyone else left him, but the one he rejected remained by his side
With a spoon and a decent book
The only things he has left are a spoon and a good book
And you can tell by the way she looks he is sorry and resigned
His caretaker can tell by his expression that he is regretful and accepting of his fate
As he wets himself for the final time
He has lost control of his bodily functions and is nearing the end of his life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAMPBE, CHRISTOPHER GEDDES, ISOBEL CAMPBELL, MICHAEL COOKE, RICHARD COLBURN, SARAH MARTIN, STEPHEN JACKSON, STUART MURDOCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind