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Sovay
Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Production of Eggs Lyrics
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I was getting set for my
Accidental suicide
The kind where no one dies
No one looks too surprised
Then you realize
That you're riding on the para-success
Of a heavy-handed metaphor
'Cause you've been here before
And you've been here before
Then a word washed to shore
A word:
Sovay, Sovay, Sovay
All along the day
I was getting ready to consider my next plan of attack
I think I'm gonna sack
The whole board of trustees
All those Don Quixotes in their B-17s
And I swear this time yeah this time
They'll blow us back to the seventies
And this time they're playin Ride of the Valkyries
With no semblance of grace or ease
And they're acting on vagaries
With their violent proclivities
And they're playing ride
Ride of the Valkyries
Sovay, Sovay, Sovay
All along the day
The lyrics to Andrew Bird's "Sovay" explore themes of identity, self-destruction, and societal power dynamics. The song begins with the singer preparing to take drastic measures, expressing a sense of resignation and fatalism. The phrase "accidental suicide" is particularly poignant, suggesting a sense of being trapped and helpless despite one's best efforts at rebellion. However, the singer also recognizes the limitations of his own perspective, acknowledging that his feelings of déjà vu suggest that he has been in this position before.
In the second verse, the lyrics take a political turn, as the singer pivots to a critique of the "board of trustees" and the way power is wielded in society. The reference to Don Quixote and B-17s suggests a kind of delusional grandiosity on the part of those in power, who are ultimately threatening to drag society back to a darker time. The reference to "Ride of the Valkyries" further emphasizes this theme by evoking the famous bombing scene from Apocalypse Now, which similarly depicts a twisted, violent exercise of power. Throughout these lyrics, the word "Sovay" is repeated, providing a kind of emotional anchor for the singer amidst the chaos and confusion of the world around him.
Overall, "Sovay" is a song that speaks to the complex interplay between individual identity and societal structures of power. It grapples with the sense of existential dread that can come from feeling trapped within larger systems, while also acknowledging the difficulty of creating meaningful change in such a system.
Line by Line Meaning
I was getting ready to be a threat
I was preparing to take action that would intimidate or harm.
I was getting set for my Accidental suicide
I was putting myself in a situation where failure was guaranteed.
The kind where no one dies
The failure would not have fatal consequences.
No one looks too surprised
Others would not react with shock to the failure.
Then you realize That you're riding on the para-success Of a heavy-handed metaphor
You come to the understanding that you are depending on a metaphorical idea that lacks subtlety.
And a feeling like you've been here before 'Cause you've been here before And you've been here before
The situation feels familiar because it has repeated many times before.
Then a word washed to shore A word:
Suddenly a word appears.
Sovay, Sovay, Sovay All along the day
The word is 'Sovay', repeated several times.
I was getting ready to consider my next plan of attack
I was preparing to devise a new strategy.
I think I'm gonna sack The whole board of trustees
I intend to dismiss the entire group of people responsible for managing an organization.
All those Don Quixotes in their B-17s
Those who are blindly pursuing an unrealistic goal, similar to the titular character of Don Quixote, in their large bombers.
And I swear this time yeah this time They'll blow us back to the seventies
I am convinced that this time they will cause us to regress in time, undoing progress.
And this time they're playin Ride of the Valkyries With no semblance of grace or ease
In their actions they display no art or grace, playing music that is typically associated with warfare.
And they're acting on vagaries With their violent proclivities
They are relying on vague ideas and have a tendency towards violence.
And they're playing ride Ride of the Valkyries
They continue to play Ride of the Valkyries.
Sovay, Sovay, Sovay All along the day
The word 'Sovay' is repeated several more times.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDREW WEGMAN Bird
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind