On “Kettles” he switched from cliché to oddity in a single line and the effect is oddly moving:
"They say a watched pot never boils/ you can’t raise a baby on motor oil."
Neighborhood #4
Arcade Fire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause I'm sure it's gonna happen then
Time keeps creepin' through the neighborhood
Killing old folks, wakin' up babies
Just like we knew it would
All the neighbors are startin' up a fire
Burning all the old folks the witches and the liars
But my heart keeps watchin'
Through the skin of my eyelids
They say a watched pot won't ever boil
Well I closed my eyes and nothin' changed
Just some water getting hotter in the flames
It's not a lover I want no more
And it's not heaven I'm pining for
But there's some spirit I used to know
That's been drowned out by the radio
They say a watched pot won't ever boil
You can't raise a baby on motor oil
Just like a seed down in the soil
You gotta give it time
The lyrics of Arcade Fire's "Neighborhood #4" are poetic and philosophic. The song opens on a contemplative note with the singer waiting in anticipation. He is waiting for a transformative moment that will change everything, but he doesn't know when it will happen. The passage of time is a central theme in the song. The singer observes how time is creeping through the neighborhood, killing old folks, and waking up babies, just like he knew it would. This shows the inevitability of change and how time waits for no one.
The song then descends into a chaotic scene where the neighbors are starting a fire, burning all the old folks, witches, and liars. The singer's eyes are covered by the hands of his unborn kids, but his heart keeps watching through the skin of his eyelids. This suggests that even though we may be shielded from certain things, we still feel the effects of the chaos around us. The singer then reflects on the saying that a watched pot won't ever boil, which could mean that certain things won't change no matter how much we might want them to. The chorus highlights the importance of giving things time and not rushing to achieve certain things.
Line by Line Meaning
I am waitin' 'til I don't know when
I am eagerly waiting for an uncertain future
'Cause I'm sure it's gonna happen then
I am confident that what I'm waiting for will happen in the future
Time keeps creepin' through the neighborhood
The passage of time is slowly taking its toll on the neighborhood and its inhabitants
Killing old folks, wakin' up babies
Time is affecting both the elderly and the young in the neighborhood by taking away the former and forcing the latter to grow up
Just like we knew it would
The inevitability of Time's effects on the neighborhood is known
All the neighbors are startin' up a fire
The community is coming together to make a change
Burning all the old folks the witches and the liars
They are getting rid of those who are corrupt, deceitful or too old to contribute to the society
My eyes are covered by the hands of my unborn kids
The artist's vision is being obstructed by the potential future of his family
But my heart keeps watchin' through the skin of my eyelids
Despite the obstruction, the artist can still perceive the problems in the neighborhood, which affect him emotionally
They say a watched pot won't ever boil
Being impatient about something won't make it happen faster
Well I closed my eyes and nothin' changed
Trying to ignore the problem won't solve it
Just some water getting hotter in the flames
The problem is still there and getting worse
It's not a lover I want no more
The singer is not searching for a romantic partner anymore
And it's not heaven I'm pining for
The singer is not longing for a heaven or an afterlife
But there's some spirit I used to know
The singer is trying to reconnect with an spirit from his past
That's been drowned out by the radio
Modern media and technology has made it harder to connect with the more spiritual side of life
You can't raise a baby on motor oil
You can't expect a child to grow up with only harmful or questionable influences
Just like a seed down in the soil
A child needs to be nurtured and grown to reach their potential, like a seed in soil
You gotta give it time
Good things take time to develop and mature
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: William Butler, Win Butler, Regine Chassagne, Tim Kingsbury, Richard R Parry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Winter-Alpha-Omega
This song makes me feel as if I were driving through the mountains of British Columbia.
In silence.
I'm going to pick up my sister.
We'll then drive to our childhood home, to pick up our stuff.
Then we'll leave, into Oregon.
@BLACKDOGJOKER
I am waitin’ ‘til I don’t know when
‘Cause I’m sure it’s gonna happen then
Time keeps creepin’ through the neighborhood
Killin’ old folks, wakin’ up babies
Just like we knew it would.
All the neighbors are startin’ up a fire
Burnin’ all the old folks, the witches and the liars
My eyes are covered by the hands of my unborn kids,
But my heart keeps watchin’ through the skin of my eyelids.
They say a watched pot won’t ever boil
Well, I closed my eyes and nothin’ changed
Just some water gettin’ hotter in the flames.
It’s not a lover I want no more
And it’s not heaven I’m pinin’ for
But there’s some spirit I used to know
That’s been drowned out by the radio.
They say a watched pot won’t ever boil
You can’t raise a baby on motor oil
Just like a seed down in the soil, you’ve got to give it time.
@JoeyMannino
this is literally my favorite Arcade Fire song ever and I am so absolutely happy this exists
@tomphoenix8697
The way the whistle of the kettle slowly rises to meet with the music at around 2:44 is among the most beautiful things Arcade Fire created.
@alvarockerdz
I hope you all here have experienced an Arcade Fire gig or will do it in the future. It´s a gorgeous, intense and unique experience. I miss them.
@CheefChaos
My anticipation for the next album is about to boil over!!
@therandomshowthing8413
Good comment
@everythingnowcorp.6278
This truly shows how far they have come over time.
@ryanmillward585
how far in the wrong direction
@MC-eh2ot
Easily my favorite album. This intro song captured me instantly
@Aiur
This album changed everything
@sanchitvarma1282
It greatly changed my taste in music. It was like a shocking eye opener of what modern music was capable of.