Put The Book Back On The Shelf
Belle and Sebastian Lyrics

Sebastian you're in a mess
You're in a difficult situation, Sebastian.

You had a dream, they called you king
You had an aspiration to be a successful artist, and some people admired you for it.

Of all the hipsters, is it true?
Amongst all the trendy, fashionable young people, were you truly the most admired?

Or are you still the queen?
Perhaps you're actually a woman disguised as a man. Or, maybe you're called 'queen' due to your personality, which is often associated with the word.

Like getting blood out of a stone
Your recent experiences have been like trying to obtain something that is difficult or even impossible to obtain.

The city left you all alone
You feel isolated by the city and the people around you.

You came to dance, but there's no poignancy
You had an expectation to feel deep emotion while dancing or to connect on a meaningful level, but those expectations were not met.

When they all leave you standing alone
It seems like when you needed support and companionship most, everyone deserted you.

The wider issues of the day
World events and problems that affect everyone.

Don't interest you, you'll have to pay
You don't take an interest in the wider issues because it's easier and more convenient for you, but your lack of interest might have consequences.

For looking at the floor
You seem to look down or avoid eye contact with others.

When people talk to you
When others speak to you or ask you a question.

You wrote a book about yourself
You've created an artistic work based on your personal experiences or thoughts.

The people left it on the shelf
Others didn't show much interest in your creation.

You'll write another one
You're not giving up and still plan to create more art.

Now you've got a story that's worth talking about
You've had some recent experiences that will make for interesting material for your art.

Are you happy with yourself?
Are you content with your life, your actions and decisions?

Are you talking to yourself?
Are you reflecting on your own thoughts or giving yourself advice?

Are you happy with yourself?
The same question as earlier - are you content with your own identity.

Put the book back on the shelf
Perhaps it's time to forget about your artistic pursuits and focus on other things.

I know the company you keep
I'm aware of who you spend time with and how they might influence you.

You're on the sofa hidden deep
You're couch-surfing or avoiding responsibility and living a limited life.

While on the telly Sid James speaks
You're distracted by a TV show or other form of media.

To you like God
The media personality is worshipped or regarded highly in some way.

You're always looking for a sign
You seek guidance or answers from the outside world.

But boy you blow it every time
Despite your attempts, you always seem to mess up or make things worse.

You hear a voice begin to speak
You believe you're receiving some sort of guidance or message from an external source.

You ignore it and go softly to sleep
You brush off this possible message and fall asleep, potentially missing out on important guidance.