A mistake on the part of nature,
You're so fabled, so fair, just sit anywhere,
I've pencil-sketched the scene,
It's feeling byzantine

Mistakes on the part of nature,
The living proof of what they're calling love,
Uncertain sideways streets,
Where things that don't match meet

A mistake on the part of nature,
You are a tall glass, a blast from the past,
Where things were simpler then,
You ask exactly when

A mistake on the part of nature,
It's forgiven, moved on, won't wear my Sunday
Suit to walk that street,
That would feel byzantine

Silhouette tell me a tall tale, go, shout it out,
Silhouette shout from the top,
Sweet talk, Sweet talk
Yeah, Sweet talk, Sweet talk

Amnesia becomes ambition,
Ambition becomes a new sort of,
Charming simplicity,
Like always byzantine

A mistake on the part of nature,
It's forgiven, move on, won't wear my Sunday
Suit to walk that street,
That would feel byzantine

Silhouette tell me a tall tale, go, shout it out,
Silhouette shout from the top,
Sweet talk, Sweet talk
Sweet talk, Sweet talk

Silhouette tell me a tall tale, go, shout it out,
Silhouette shout from the top,
Sweet talk, Sweet talk
Sweet talk, Sweet talk

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The New Pornographers' song Sweet Talk Sweet Talk suggest the complex nature of relationships, which are often filled with mistakes and uncertainty, yet still manage to captivate and inspire the individuals involved. The opening lines describe the subject's beauty and presence, establishing her as a force of nature, but then declare this to be a mistake of nature, imbuing her with a transformative power that creates a complex and byzantine atmosphere. The singer has attempted to capture this feeling through pencil sketches, but the result remains uncertain and difficult to comprehend.

As the song progresses, the lyrics delve further into this idea of ambiguity and complexity within relationships. The reference to "sideways streets" highlights the idea of unexpected encounters and connections between things that seem mismatched. The repeated refrain of "Sweet talk, sweet talk" suggests that the singer is either trying to convince himself or the subject of his affections that things are simpler than they seem, that the ambiguity can be boiled down to charming simplicity.

However, the repetition of the line "That would feel byzantine" reminds us that even when things are simplified, relationships remain mysterious and multifaceted. Even as the singer tries to simplify things, the complexity remains undeniable.

Line by Line Meaning

A mistake on the part of nature,
Humans are a mistake made by nature.

You're so fabled, so fair, just sit anywhere,
You are so popular and attractive that you can have anything you want.

I've pencil-sketched the scene,
I have visualized the situation.

It's feeling byzantine
It is becoming complicated and difficult to understand.

The living proof of what they're calling love,
You are the example of love that they are talking about.

Uncertain sideways streets,
Unknown and ambiguous paths in life.

Where things that don't match meet
Where contrasting and dissimilar things come together.

You are a tall glass, a blast from the past,
You are a refreshing reminder of the past and its simplicity.

Where things were simpler then,
Where life was easier and less complicated in the past.

You ask exactly when
You seek clarity on the timing and details of something.

It's forgiven, moved on, won't wear my Sunday
I have let go of the mistake and moved on; I won't dress up for this.

Suit to walk that street,
I won't put on any airs to impress people.

That would feel byzantine
That would make things unnecessarily complicated.

Silhouette tell me a tall tale, go, shout it out,
A vague and unclear story is being told loudly.

Silhouette shout from the top,
The unclear story is being broadcast loudly.

Sweet talk, Sweet talk
You're saying what I want to hear to get what you want.

Amnesia becomes ambition,
Forgetting the past motivates me to aim higher.

Ambition becomes a new sort of,
Having lofty goals results in a new outlook on life.

Charming simplicity,
Enjoyable simplicity.

Like always byzantine
Always complicated like it tends to be.

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