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Hourglass
At the Drive-In Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sucks me in, taking a ride
And I'm wishing for the satellite
Grabbing vein pulling down on the radio
Laughing at the face that's bending down

I'm all alone so far up here
And my oxygen's all gone

Bend the metal
My glory box has failed
We're rocking in our reclining chairs
Drive away that car
That brought us all this harm
Those are the pieces of my story line

I'm all alone so far up here
And my oxygen's all gone

Truly stressing realization
I wish I was an astronaut
Eight hour bitterness all for whose sake
Stain glass Sunday school charades

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to At the Drive-In's Hourglass are a poetic and somewhat cryptic commentary on the nature of humanity's existence and the choices we make. The lines "Sucks me in, taking a ride / And I'm wishing for the satellite" suggest a sense of being pulled into something, perhaps by forces beyond our control, and the desire to escape or find some sort of clarity or perspective. The image of "Grabbing vein pulling down on the radio / Laughing at the face that's bending down" may symbolize the struggle to find a connection with others or with a higher power, and the absurdity of our attempts at communication.


The chorus repeats the lines "I'm all alone so far up here / And my oxygen's all gone," which convey a sense of isolation and desperation, as if the singer is trapped and running out of time. The lines "Bend the metal / My glory box has failed" could refer to the breakdown of our illusions or the limits of our own bodies and minds, while "We're rocking in our reclining chairs / Drive away that car / That brought us all this harm" could suggest a desire to escape or to turn back time and undo the mistakes and traumas of the past. The final lines "Truly stressing realization / I wish I was an astronaut / Eight hour bitterness all for whose sake / Stain glass Sunday school charades" further emphasize the singer's existential angst and disillusionment with the world around them, and the futile nature of our attempts to find meaning or purpose.


Line by Line Meaning

Sucks me in, taking a ride
I'm getting pulled into something I can't avoid and it's taking over my life.


And I'm wishing for the satellite
I need some outside help to guide me or show me the bigger picture.


Grabbing vein pulling down on the radio
I'm desperately searching for something to hold onto or listen to in the chaos.


Laughing at the face that's bending down
I'm finding humor in the situation, even though it's bringing me down.


I'm all alone so far up here
I feel isolated and disconnected from everything around me.


And my oxygen's all gone
I'm suffocating and struggling to breathe.


Bend the metal
I'm pushing myself to the limit and breaking through physical and mental barriers.


My glory box has failed
My past achievements or accomplishments no longer bring me satisfaction or fulfillment.


We're rocking in our reclining chairs
We're comfortable and complacent, ignoring the problems around us.


Drive away that car
Get rid of the thing that's causing harm or holding us back.


That brought us all this harm
The thing that we need to get rid of is the source of our pain and suffering.


Those are the pieces of my story line
These experiences and events make up who I am and how I got here.


Truly stressing realization
I'm finally coming to terms with a difficult truth or realization.


I wish I was an astronaut
I wish I could escape from this world and its problems.


Eight hour bitterness all for whose sake
I'm questioning why we put up with such a difficult and bitter existence.


Stain glass Sunday school charades
The traditions and teachings that we've grown up with may not be as meaningful as we once thought.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CEDRIC BIXLER, TONY HAJJAR, PABLO HINOJOS, OMAR RODRIGUEZ, JIM WARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Bangtanland⁷

"Hourglass"

sucks me in, taking a ride
and i'm wishing for the satellite
grabbing vein pulling down on the radio
laughing at the face that's bending down

i'm all alone so far up here
and my oxygen's all gone

bend the metal
my glory box has failed
we're rocking in our reclining chairs
drive away that car
that brought us all this harm
those are the pieces of my story line

i'm all alone so far up here
and my oxygen's all gone

truly stressing realization
i wish i was an astronaut
eight hour bitterness all for whose sake
stain glass sunday school charades


Love this song. Reminds me of being 16 all over again



All comments from YouTube:

MYX7

I used to cry my eyes out to this song back when I was strung out, shooting junk all day because I had no choice. Don't do drugs kids... "A truly, stressing, realization. I wish I was an astronaut." That line and the delivery by Ward declares, so well, the internalized emotions of someone full of regret. "8 hours, bitterness! And all for who's sake?" No one ever set out in life to work a shit ass 9-5. Everyone can relate to wanting be something more, back in their days of youth and hope. Sometimes, when I'm heading to work, I find myself wishing I too was an astronaut.

johnnyscifi

Everyday...

No Boundaries Music

You still can be!

*b Hodges

Damn that's deep. Their best album Imo. They're so awesome they can make you get amped up and then can make you see shit in a different light and get all emotional. Mars volta too and the 1st sparta album

*b Hodges

In Collapse off Spartas album towards the end this music plays in the background as he's saying "to set it down, you'll set it down" sounds JUST LIKE the music from the Ducktales Nintendo game when the grandpa duck goes to the moon and he hops on his cane lol.

Xcycobob56X

I cry everytime I play this song on guitar. i have a decent job, good friends, and just....something about this song just wants me to shout out everyting. And I get so big a rush after it's over.

7 More Replies...

I Hate Meowself

This song is cool in any way you perceive it. It's a science fiction story, it's a struggle to find a way out of loneliness, it's a melancholy first-person narrative on reaching his breaking point. It's great.

He6ll

Kiedy słyszę ten kawałek to przypominają mi się chwile przed paru lat kiedy byłem w górach i słuchałem tego utworu. Kiedy światło słońca padało mi na twarz czułem zapach rosy. Z kimś kto na tamten czas był dla mnie ważny i wyobrażam sobie ze jestem tak szczęśliwy jak w tamtej chwili.

ThePLANxZ

This song really brings back some bittersweet memories

br4ve

Possibly my favorite atdi in track "Sucks me in, taking a ride and I'm wishing for the satellite" When those vocals come in I just chill the shit out, anyone who's been to 'deep inner space' will feel this one.

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