I had a brother once
He drowned in a bathtub
Before he had ever learned how to talk
And I don't know what his name was
But my mother does
I heard her say it once

Padriac, my prince, I've all but died
From the sheer weight of my shame
You cried but no one came
And the water filled your tiny lungs
Appear, my dear, and cry for me
It was six years ago today
That I laid you in your grave
Your sweet young skin was shining then too

And so tonight to celebrate, I will, I will poison myself
Another coughing, shaking fit in a bathroom that is spinning

So I close the door and rest my head on the tile floor
Sickness and sleep turning me cold
I'm still not sure
Is there some better place I should be heading towards?
Where the selfishly sick and self absorbed are welcome

I saw the future once
I was drunk in a phone booth
My eyes were wet and red
But I could not tell what was said
And through the screams of the traffic
Voiced carried, saying, "Im sorry"

On a day so gray it's black inside
Watching churches on TV
In a coma you don't dream
You just hope that someone sits with you
Babies turn blue when they're ignored
Like the sky on summer days
Before you turn and walk away
It has changed you

So tonight to compensate, I will, I will poison myself
Another coughing, shaking fit in a bathroom that is spinning

Overall Meaning

The Bright Eyes's song "Padriac My Prince" is a heartbreaking narrative, detailing the pain of losing a loved one and the struggle to cope with that loss. The lyrics revolve around a brother who drowned in a bathtub before he could even speak, and the singer's grief and guilt over not being able to prevent it. The song's melancholic theme is reflected through the haunting melody punctuated by wailing guitar riffs that evoke the pain and longing that the singer feels.

The singer addresses their brother, Padriac, by referring to him as their prince, epitomizing the love and admiration they had for him. The haunting line "You cried but no one came, and the water filled your tiny lungs" speaks to the brother's helplessness and the singer's guilt in not being able to help him. The singer's pain pours out in the stanza, "I've all but died from the sheer weight of my shame," which encapsulates their profound sorrow over the loss.

The song's final verses delve into the singer's addiction and desire to escape reality. They sink into a cycle of self-destruction, poisoning themselves to numb their pain. The final lines are hauntingly poignant. "In a coma, you don't dream. You just hope that someone sits with you. Babies turn blue when they're ignored like the sky on summer days before you turn and walk away. It has changed you." The lyrics show the singer's despair over their continuous suffering, their hopelessness, and the way their pain has transformed them.

Line by Line Meaning

I had a brother once
I once had a sibling

He drowned in a bathtub
He died by suffocating in a bathtub full of water

Before he had ever learned how to talk
He passed away at a very young age, before learning to speak

And I don't know what his name was
I never knew his name

But my mother does
But my mother remembers it

Padriac, my prince, I've all but died
The singer is in a deep state of depression

From the sheer weight of my shame
The singer's grief is overwhelming

You cried but no one came
No one was able to save the person being referred to

And the water filled your tiny lungs
The person drowned

Appear, my dear, and cry for me
The artist is calling out for the deceased person to visit them

It was six years ago today
It has been six years since the person's death

That I laid you in your grave
The artist buried the person

Your sweet young skin was shining then too
The person looked peaceful in death

So tonight to celebrate, I will, I will poison myself
The singer is going to consume a harmful substance to cope with their pain

Another coughing, shaking fit in a bathroom that is spinning
The singer is physically unwell from the poison

So I close the door and rest my head on the tile floor
The artist is trying to find solitude to deal with their pain

Sickness and sleep turning me cold
The poison is causing physical discomfort

I'm still not sure
The singer is uncertain

Is there some better place I should be heading towards?
The singer is contemplating their existence

Where the selfishly sick and self absorbed are welcome
The artist is expressing a desire to be where other people who are struggling with their own problems are accepted

I saw the future once
The artist had a vision of the future

I was drunk in a phone booth
The artist was intoxicated in a phone booth

My eyes were wet and red
The singer was crying

But I could not tell what was said
The artist couldn't understand the conversation they overheard

And through the screams of the traffic
Despite the loud noise of cars passing by

Voices carried, saying, "Im sorry"
The singer hears someone apologize

On a day so gray it's black inside
The day is incredibly gloomy and bleak

Watching churches on TV
The artist is watching religious programs on television

In a coma you don't dream
While in a coma, one does not experience dreams

You just hope that someone sits with you
The singer hopes to have someone by their side during difficult times

Babies turn blue when they're ignored
Neglect can be seriously harmful, even fatal

Like the sky on summer days
The color blue is being used as a metaphor here