Atop a Cake
Alvvays Lyrics

I lie on a sofa awake
The singer is awake and lying on a sofa

It's what you said last night
The following lyrics are in response to something said by another person the night before

You'd like us on top of a cake
The other person expressed a desire to be celebrated or displayed like an item on top of a cake

But you won't let me take a bite
But the other person is preventing the artist from experiencing anything real or tangible

Flowers arriving in fleets
The artist is experiencing a surplus or overabundance of something, possibly gifts or attention

Can't we talk about this?
The singer wants to have a conversation to address the current situation

Why let the State in our sheets?
The singer questions the need for external influence or interference in their personal life

Can't we do without it?
The artist challenges the idea that they need something external to determine the course of their relationship

Well, I don't mean to wind you up
The artist doesn't want to provoke an emotional reaction from the other person

But I'd like to slow it down
But the artist wants to take things more slowly

How do I remain a pup?
The singer wants to maintain a sense of youth or carefree spirit

If you put me in a gown?
But the other person wants the artist to conform to societal norms or expectations

What's it gotta do with you?
The singer questions the other person's motives or intentions

What's it gotta do with me?
The singer wonders why they need to change or conform to the other person's desires

How could I lose control when you're driving from the backseat?
The singer feels like they are not in control of their own life or relationship because the other person is always leading from the backseat

Corners begin to repeat
The artist feels like they are going around in circles or stuck in a pattern

I think we're getting lost
The artist is unsure of where their relationship is headed

We walked to the end of the street
The singer and the other person have tried to progress or move forward

But we were bitten by the frost
But their progress was hindered by something cold or unwelcoming

So if you have to thaw me out
The artist needs the other person to help them thaw or warm up

You can put me in a pail
The artist is willing to be vulnerable or exposed in the relationship

Can we take another route?
The artist suggests trying a different approach or direction in their relationship

I don't want to wear a veil
The singer doesn't want to hide or cover up their true self

I'll wait in the lobby for someone to show
The artist is waiting for someone else to take action or show up

And if they don't come, I will know where to go
If nothing happens, the singer will take matters into their own hands

The bodies are lined up outside in the hall
The situation is dire or unpleasant, with negative consequences or implications

I don't want to decay in a mall
The singer doesn't want to lose their identity or individuality in a superficial and materialistic setting

If everything you say is true
The artist is skeptical of the other person's claims or promises

Then why would I disagree?
But the artist is willing to follow along, as long as they don't have to compromise their values or integrity

How can I lose control...?
The singer is afraid of losing their autonomy or power in the relationship

When you're driving from the backseat
The other person is not leading the relationship directly or honestly, but rather from a passive and manipulative position