Rock Me Now
Metric Lyrics
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Like town where I was born
Was built by white settlers seeking gold and other treasures
Like me she feels uncomfortable in the clothing of her ancestors
"It's not easy" she would say
Putting her fingers in the ashtray
"It's not easy to erase your blood"
Rock me now
Hmm, sing with me
In the arms of cobwebs
Roll me out
In the arms of cobwebs
Once she found a man to treasure
And together they'd planted flowers of warning, fearing frost
Late on shallow evenings while their enemies slept
They hammered the soil asking for answers in green
His value declined when he offered his name
Why did he offer it
His value declined
Ah ah ah ah ah
When he offered his name
Ah ah ah ah ah
His value declined
Ah ah ah ah ah
When he offered his name
Ah ah ah ah ah
When she was seven years old she saw a man get shot but
No one came along for a long time because it happened in a remote parking lot in Las Vegas
And she was waiting for her mom to come back from working the blackjack table at the Circus Circus casino
And that night her mom said that the two of them and the now dead guy
Were the only 3 people who ever lived in Las Vegas.
Everybody else just arrived, ate their complimentary shrimp cocktails, and left
Rock me now
In the arms of cobwebs
It's a one room city, yeah
It's a one room city, yeah
So can you roll with me
Roll me out
In the arms of cobwebs
It's a one room city, yeah
His value declined
Ah ah ah ah ah
When he offered his name.
Ah ah ah ah ah
It's a one room city, yeah
It's a one room city
The wall to wall to wall to wall to wall
Goes to street to street to street
The lyrics of Metric's "Rock Me Now" paint a picture of two people who find common ground in the realization that they both come from towns built by white settlers seeking gold and other treasures. They both feel uncomfortable in the clothing of their ancestors and struggle with the weight of their bloodline. The central character in the song, who may be the singer herself, speaks of how difficult it is to erase one's blood, a feeling that is reflected in her habit of putting her fingers in the ashtray. The chorus of the song, which repeats the phrase "Rock me now," takes on a more ambiguous meaning in this context, sounding both like a plea for comfort and a request to be shaken out of one's complacency.
The narrative of the song takes a turn in the second verse, describing how the central character found a man to treasure and they planted flowers together. However, their value declines when the man offers his name, and the central character's thoughts return to the violence she witnessed as a child. The song ends with a repetition of the phrase "It's a one room city," a stark reminder of the claustrophobic feeling that comes with being trapped in a place with a limited horizon.
Metric's "Rock Me Now" is a complex and nuanced song that deals with themes of identity, heritage, and the limitations imposed by one's environment. The lyrics are rich with metaphor and symbolism, inviting multiple interpretations. The song's haunting melody and Emily Haines' expressive vocals only add to its emotional impact.
Line by Line Meaning
The town where she was born
The place of her birth
Like town where I was born
It is similar to the place of my birth
Was built by white settlers seeking gold and other treasures
White settlers established the town with the aim of discovering gold and other valuable resources
Like me she feels uncomfortable in the clothing of her ancestors
She shares the same feeling of discomfort that I have when wearing clothes similar to those of our ancestors
"It's not easy" she would say
She would utter the phrase "It's not easy" conveying a message of difficulty or hardship
Putting her fingers in the ashtray
She would put her fingers inside the ashtray to play with the ashes or to just keep her hands busy
"It's not easy to erase your blood"
She expresses how difficult it is to change one's roots, to wipe away one's heritage
Rock me now
Hold me tightly, comfort me
Hmm, sing with me
Hum along with me
In the arms of cobwebs
Within a hazy or confusing embrace
Roll me out
Take me for a ride, or guide me out of an uncertain situation
Once she found a man to treasure
She found a man who she valued highly
And together they'd planted flowers of warning, fearing frost
As a team, they would be proactive and plant warning signs, anticipating danger lying ahead
Late on shallow evenings while their enemies slept
In the evenings, when enemies were vulnerable and exposed, they would make plans and strategize
They hammered the soil asking for answers in green
They worked diligently trying to find solutions and progress
His value declined when he offered his name
His worth diminished the moment he shared his username as though he were no longer distinct
Why did he offer it
It isn't clear or it is questionable why he would share his name in the first place
When she was seven years old she saw a man get shot but
At seven years old, she witnessed a shooting, however,
No one came along for a long time because it happened in a remote parking lot in Las Vegas
No one came to the scene for a while, likely due to the place of the incident in a remote location in Las Vegas
And she was waiting for her mom to come back from working the blackjack table at the Circus Circus casino
She was trying to find her mother who was employed as a blackjack dealer at the Circus Circus casino at the time
And that night her mom said that the two of them and the now dead guy
That same night, her mother said that the two of them and the victim were the only people who ever lived in Las Vegas
Were the only 3 people who ever lived in Las Vegas.
The mother expressed that they were the only true residents of Las Vegas, contrary to the 'flaky' nature of the city's visitors
It's a one room city, yeah
It is a monotonous, single-room place
So can you roll with me
Can you stand by my side, can you support me?
It's a one room city, yeah
It is a monotonous, single-room place
It's a one room city, yeah
It is a monotonous, single-room place
His value declined
His worth dwindled
Ah ah ah ah ah
(A meaningless utterance, Possibly emphasizing declining value)
When he offered his name.
His worth decreased in value when he shared his name.
The wall to wall to wall to wall to wall
The thick and resolute nature of the walls
Goes to street to street to street
Extend as far as the street boundaries
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: EMILY HAINES, JAMES SHAW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michelletrevizoponce9109
The town where she was born
Like town where I was born
Was built by white settlers seeking gold and other treasures
Like me she feels uncomfortable in the clothing of her ancestors
"It's not easy" she would say
Putting her fingers in the ashtray
"It's not easy to erase your blood"
Rock me now
Hmm, sing with me
In the arms of cobwebs
Roll me out
In the arms of cobwebs
Once she found a man to treasure
And together they'd planted flowers of warning, fearing frost
Late on shallow evenings while their enemies slept
They hammered the soil asking for answers in green
His value declined when he offered his name
Why did he offer it
His value declined
Ah ah ah ah ah
When he offered his name
Ah ah ah ah ah
His value declined
Ah ah ah ah ah
When he offered his name
Ah ah ah ah ah
When she was seven years old she saw a man get shot but
No one came for a long time because it happened in a remote parking lot in Las Vegas
And she was waiting for her mom to come back from working the blackjack table at the Circus Circus casino
And that night her mom said the two of them and the now dead guy
Were the only 3 people who ever lived in Las Vegas.
Everybody else just arrived, ate their complimentary shrimp cocktail, and left
Rock me now
In the arms of cobwebs
It's a one room city, yeah
It's a one room city, yeah
So can you roll with me
Roll me out
In the arms of cobwebs
It's a one room city, yeah
His value declined
Ah ah ah ah ah
When he offered his name.
Ah ah ah ah ah
It's a one room city, yeah
It's a one room city
The wall to wall to wall to wall to wall
Goes to street to street to street
@warrenlewis5792
This song is one of my Favorite Songs by Metric
@demolition_lovers
One of my favorite songs by anybody, ever.
@mikeh2194
Yes....👊💥
@julestheraccoon
Best Metric Album, even
@marleyofficialmedia
I love this album. Its so unique
@michelletrevizoponce9109
The town where she was born
Like town where I was born
Was built by white settlers seeking gold and other treasures
Like me she feels uncomfortable in the clothing of her ancestors
"It's not easy" she would say
Putting her fingers in the ashtray
"It's not easy to erase your blood"
Rock me now
Hmm, sing with me
In the arms of cobwebs
Roll me out
In the arms of cobwebs
Once she found a man to treasure
And together they'd planted flowers of warning, fearing frost
Late on shallow evenings while their enemies slept
They hammered the soil asking for answers in green
His value declined when he offered his name
Why did he offer it
His value declined
Ah ah ah ah ah
When he offered his name
Ah ah ah ah ah
His value declined
Ah ah ah ah ah
When he offered his name
Ah ah ah ah ah
When she was seven years old she saw a man get shot but
No one came for a long time because it happened in a remote parking lot in Las Vegas
And she was waiting for her mom to come back from working the blackjack table at the Circus Circus casino
And that night her mom said the two of them and the now dead guy
Were the only 3 people who ever lived in Las Vegas.
Everybody else just arrived, ate their complimentary shrimp cocktail, and left
Rock me now
In the arms of cobwebs
It's a one room city, yeah
It's a one room city, yeah
So can you roll with me
Roll me out
In the arms of cobwebs
It's a one room city, yeah
His value declined
Ah ah ah ah ah
When he offered his name.
Ah ah ah ah ah
It's a one room city, yeah
It's a one room city
The wall to wall to wall to wall to wall
Goes to street to street to street
@nederlandsefrhd
I can't help but laugh whenever i hear the part about the guy getting shot, which is kinda grim but the way emily says that entire part is hilarious. Especially when she says "and the now dead guy"
@anacruz5706
this was the first album i ever bought. thus the start of my collection. gotta love zia records.
@Ajay-vk7lz
I sing along to most Metric songs, but not this one (maybe just the chorus parts). I just like to sit quietly and listen to Emily's story.
@missyb1020
Great song, love the guys backup ❤