Drawing from the common failures of many relationships, Saint Paul based Ro… Read Full Bio ↴Drawing from the common failures of many relationships, Saint Paul based Robbie and Hiromi Matsumoto began writing tongue-in-cheek pop songs soon after they started dating in 2000 and decided to name their efforts after their shared favorite color red, or in Japanese, "Akai". Though most of their raw material was composed on two guitars, in early 2005 producer Eric Elvendahl began to arrange and record their songs with full instrumentation, which by 2006 grew into their first full-length album entitled "Pretty Songs About Ugly Things". 2010 marked the release of their sophomore release, "The Coldest Hour (Is Just Before The Dawn)", a dynamic journey through the metaphoric hours between dusk and dawn. Today Akai draws on the talents of up to 10 musicians for live support, playing mandolin, glockenspiel, flute, classical guitar, accordion and banjo. (www.theakai.com)

Picking Flowers in the Dark
Akai Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Running almost endlessly in a circle doesn't get far
But when beauty's right next to you running straight takes away where you are

So I ran my left, I was mildly impressed
I then left 'til the left was no more
Like flesh 'round an apple's core

But knives started falling from the sky

The day you became mine should have left it all behind

but instead we've got umbrellas made of lead
to deflect wounds from our head even if they hit our hearts

In hindsight not so smart

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Akai's song "Picking Flowers In The Dark" is about the journey towards self-discovery and making tough choices. The first line "Running almost endlessly in a circle doesn't get far" suggests that going through the motions without purpose won't lead to growth. The next line offers an alternative, where true beauty can be found by running towards it in a straight line. The metaphor here implies that one must pursue what they truly want without hesitating.

The following lines recount the singer's experience of leaving their comfort zone, symbolized by running left. They were "mildly impressed" with their progress until they reached a dead end. The line "Like flesh 'round an apple's core" implies that being stuck in a situation is like being trapped in the flesh surrounding an apple's core. The next lines describe the consequences of the singer's decision to continue on this path when they should have let go.

The last verse refers to the day the singer met their partner. They missed the opportunity to leave their stagnant situation behind and are now "deflecting wounds from our head even if they hit our hearts". This line describes their attempts to protect themselves from emotional pain, even though they know it's not a wise choice in hindsight.

Overall, the song is a reflection on the importance of taking risks and making tough choices in order to grow as a person. It also explores the bittersweet nature of missed opportunities and the choices we make.

Line by Line Meaning

Running almost endlessly in a circle doesn't get far
Going around in circles is futile and won't get you anywhere

But when beauty's right next to you running straight takes away where you are
When you're next to something beautiful, going straight towards it makes you lose your current position

So I ran my left, I was mildly impressed
I went left and was only somewhat satisfied with what I found

I then left 'til the left was no more
I kept going left until there was nothing left to find

Like flesh 'round an apple's core
Like the flesh around an apple's core, the good things are hidden within layers

But knives started falling from the sky
Unexpected and harmful things started happening

The day you became mine should have left it all behind
I should have let go of everything when you came into my life

but instead we've got umbrellas made of lead
We have heavy, protective barriers in place to shield ourselves

to deflect wounds from our head even if they hit our hearts
We protect ourselves from emotional pain, even if it comes at the expense of our physical well-being

In hindsight not so smart
Looking back, it wasn't the wisest decision to protect ourselves in this way

Contributed by Christopher W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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