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A Spindle a Darkness a Fever and a Necklace
Bright Eyes Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Alright)
"So long everything" he shouted
Then he ran next door to Margot's house (Margot's)
"I'm moving" he said
"Where?" asked Margot
"Two weeks away"
"Two weeks away?" He said
"Mitchell, where is that?" Asked Margot (Mitchell)
"It's everywhere, I will be after I walk for two weeks" said Mitchell
"I have lived in the same place for a long time
It is time for me to go someplace, east"
"Else"
"No, " said Margot, "You have only lived next door for fifty years"
"Sixty, " said Mitchell
"Fifty, sixty. What's the difference?" Said Margot (what's the difference)
"I want you to stay next door forever"
"I can't, " said Mitchell"
"I do not want to go wake up in the same old bed "
"And eat breakfast in the same old kitchen
Every room in my house is the same old room, because I have lived there too long"

You turn on a spindle
You're so much looser now
But you're not explaining how
You gained such new repose

I touch the clasp of your locket
With its picture held
Some secret you wouldn't tell
But let it choke your neck

So we imagine a darkness
Where all shapes divide
Solids changing into light
With a burst of heat so bright

Well fine, don't you do what I want you to
Don't degrade yourself the way I do
Because you don't depend upon all the shit that I use
To make my moods improve

"And you look at me and think, same old face, same old tail
Same old scales, same old walk, same old talk" said Margot
"No, " said Mitchell, "I like your face, tail
Scales, walk and talk. I like you"
"I like, like, like you too, " said Mitchell
He walked through the door
"I must pack" he said

Near a sea of pianos
There were waves of chords
That crashed against the shore
In one huge and useless roar

And there were girls bringing water
Like a dream they came
To cool the fever of my brain
And soothe my burning throat

And they made me a necklace
Hanging beads of sweat
On a string of my regrets
And they placed it 'round my neck

And they were singing
"Don't you do what you've wanted to"
"Yeah, don't destroy yourself
Like those cowards do"
"Maybe the sun keeps coming up
Because it has gotten used to you
And your constant need for proof"

Overall Meaning

The song “A Spindle a Darkness a Fever and a Necklace” by Bright Eyes is a conversational piece between two neighbors – Margot and Mitchell. Mitchell tells Margot that he is moving away from the place where he has lived for fifty years because he wants a new environment. Margot tries to convince him to stay, but Mitchell insists that he has lived there for too long and that he wants a change. They share a sentimental moment before he leaves. The second verse paints a picture of an esoteric and psychedelic world with darkness, solids changing into light, and heat that bursts so bright. The third verse describes how girls come to soothe and cool the fever of the singer’s brain and throat by making him a necklace out of his regrets.


The lyrics are very symbolic and can be interpreted in many ways. One interpretation is that the song is about the fear of stagnation and the desire for change. Margot represents the past, and Mitchell represents the future. Margot tries to hold Mitchell back, but he insists that he has to move forward. The second and third verses can be interpreted as a hallucination or a dream, which can represent the singer's inner struggle to let go of the past and embrace the future.


Line by Line Meaning

"So long everything" he shouted
Mitchell announces his departure in a dramatic manner


Then he ran next door to Margot's house (Margot's)
Mitchell goes to Margot's house to share his news with her


"I'm moving" he said
Mitchell tells Margot that he is moving away


"Where?" asked Margot
Margot inquires where Mitchell is moving to


"Two weeks away"
Mitchell tells Margot how long he has before he moves


"Two weeks away?" He said
Mitchell repeats his response to Margot's question.


"Mitchell, where is that?" Asked Margot (Mitchell)
Margot wants to know where Mitchell is moving.


"It's everywhere, I will be after I walk for two weeks" said Mitchell
Mitchell explains that he will have no specific destination; he will walk for two weeks.


"I have lived in the same place for a long time
Mitchell acknowledges that he has lived in the same place for a long time


It is time for me to go someplace, east"
Mitchell acknowledges his need to change his environment


"Else"
Margot suggests that Mitchell should consider going someplace else


"No, " said Margot, "You have only lived next door for fifty years"
Margot points out that Mitchell has only lived next door to her for fifty years


"Sixty, " said Mitchell
Mitchell corrects Margot, stating that he has actually lived next door to her for sixty years.


"Fifty, sixty. What's the difference?" Said Margot (what's the difference)
Margot implies that there is no real difference between fifty and sixty years.


"I want you to stay next door forever"
Margot shows her affection for Mitchell by expressing her desire that he remains her neighbor


"I can't, " said Mitchell"
Mitchell acknowledges that he can't stay living next door to Margot


"I do not want to go wake up in the same old bed
Mitchell explains that he doesn't want to keep waking up in the same, familiar atmosphere


"And eat breakfast in the same old kitchen
Mitchell expresses his need to change his routine


Every room in my house is the same old room, because I have lived there too long"
Mitchell explains that his environment has become too familiar, and he needs a change.


You turn on a spindle
The beginning of a new process or way of thinking


You're so much looser now
As a result of this process, you're more relaxed


But you're not explaining how
However, it's unclear how you got here


You gained such new repose
You have found a new state of peace


I touch the clasp of your locket
The artist touches a piece of jewelry worn by another person


With its picture held
There is a picture inside of the locket


Some secret you wouldn't tell
The picture inside the locket has a story or information the wearer won't share


But let it choke your neck
Even though the secret affects her, the wearer of the locket keeps the necklace close to herself


So we imagine a darkness
A moment of introspection or self-reflection


Where all shapes divide
Things appear different and more complex than they seemed before


Solids changing into light
Things become less tangible, and they cease to be so literal


With a burst of heat so bright
This process is both shocking and transformative


Well fine, don't you do what I want you to
The artist addresses someone else


Don't degrade yourself the way I do
The artist is being hypocritical, asking another person not to make the same mistakes they've made


Because you don't depend upon all the shit that I use
The other person doesn't rely on the same vices or negative coping mechanisms the artist does


To make my moods improve
Someone else's behavior can affect the singer's mood, and the singer recognizes that they need to fix this.


"And you look at me and think, same old face, same old tail
Margot comments on Mitchell's appearance


Same old scales, same old walk, same old talk" said Margot
Margot notes that Mitchell is familiar, but she appreciates him all the same.


"No," said Mitchell, "I like your face, tail
Mitchell compliments Margot


Scales, walk and talk. I like you"
Mitchell's love and admiration for Margot go beyond surface-level appearances


"I like, like, like you too," said Mitchell
Margot reciprocates Mitchell's positive feelings.


He walked through the door
Mitchell exits Margot's home


"I must pack" he said
Mitchell prepares to begin his journey.


Near a sea of pianos
A metaphorical setting


There were waves of chords
There are many instruments playing different notes


That crashed against the shore
The various sounds are chaotic and overwhelming


In one huge and useless roar
The sounds are indistinguishable and overwhelming


And there were girls bringing water
A new element enters the scene


Like a dream they came
The appearance of these girls has a surreal quality to it


To cool the fever of my brain
The girls serve to calm the singer's thoughts and feelings


And soothe my burning throat
The girls help the singer feel better physically


And they made me a necklace
The girls give the singer a new item of clothing


Hanging beads of sweat
The necklace is made out of sweat from the artist's body


On a string of my regrets
The necklace is representative of the artist's past mistakes


And they placed it 'round my neck
The girls put the necklace on the singer


And they were singing
The girls begin to sing


"Don't you do what you've wanted to"
The girls discourage the artist from making reckless decisions


"Yeah, don't destroy yourself
The girls want the artist to take care of himself


Like those cowards do"
The girls don't want the artist to give into negative emotions or actions


"Maybe the sun keeps coming up
The singer has a realization


Because it has gotten used to you
The artist realizes that their actions and existence may have bigger consequences than they previously thought


And your constant need for proof"
The singer may be stuck in a cycle of doubt and fear.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Conor Oberst

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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