At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, for… Read Full Bio ↴At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band most recently consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (drums) and Keeley Davis (guitar, vocals). After several early line-up changes, the band solidified into a five-piece, consisting of Bixler-Zavala, Rodríguez-López, Jim Ward, Hinojos and Hajjar. At the Drive-In released three studio albums and five EPs before breaking up in 2001. Their third and final album before their split, 2000's Relationship of Command, received a number of accolades and is cited as a landmark recording. Following the breakup, Bixler-Zavala and Rodríguez-López formed the Mars Volta while Ward, Hinojos, and Hajjar formed Sparta. At the Drive-In reunited in January 2012 and played the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, as well as the 2012 Lollapalooza Festival. In 2016, the band reunited for a second time, with guitarist and occasional lead vocalist Jim Ward no longer participating. He was replaced by Sparta's Keeley Davis. The band released their fourth studio album, in•ter a•li•a, in 2017. At the Drive In headlined the Neon Desert Music Festival in 2018 in El Paso, Texas. The band announced an indefinite hiatus in November 2018.

198d
At the Drive-In Lyrics

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This is forgiven
If the uniform fits
Postponed
At the first showing
This is the tension mold
Of frozen icicles
And it feels like it's snowing
You speak in tongues

Tremors that warn us of ourselves

Born in hearts
Etched in cold
At the first showing
Walk away

Nothing bleeds the same
My travel expenses paid
Postponed
At the first showing
This dance is out of rhythm
We trip on excess steps
Postponed
At the first showing
You speak in tongues
Tremors that warn us of ourselves

Born in hearts
Etched in cold
Swing-sets pay
The playground toll

Tremors that hold us

Tremors that warn us
Nothing bleeds like

Overall Meaning

the cold

The lyrics of the song "198d" by At the Drive-In use abstract imagery to convey themes of tension, anticipation, and disorientation. The opening lines "This is forgiven / If the uniform fits" suggest a sense of absolution, perhaps indicating a willingness to overlook certain flaws or mistakes in someone as long as they conform to expected norms. However, this sense of forgiveness is juxtaposed with the line "Postponed / At the first showing," which suggests that something important has been delayed or put off.

The following lines use ice and snow imagery to create a sense of coldness and tension, with the singer feeling as though "it's snowing" despite no actual precipitation. The phrase "You speak in tongues / Tremors that warn us of ourselves" further underscores the sense of unease and disorientation, perhaps indicating that the singer is struggling to understand or communicate with those around them.

The chorus continues the theme of contrast and delay, with the phrase "Born in hearts / Etched in cold" suggesting a desire for emotional connection or warmth that is being denied or suppressed. The final lines "Swing-sets pay / The playground toll" further emphasize the sense of childhood innocence and playfulness being marred by some sort of physical or emotional cost. Overall, the song 198d by At the Drive-In presents a complex emotional landscape full of conflicting impulses and desires.

Line by Line Meaning

This is forgiven
Whatever was done wrong has been pardoned and let go

If the uniform fits
If a certain set of expectations or standards are met

Postponed
Delaying the inevitable for the time being

At the first showing
The initial presentation or introduction of something new or unfamiliar

This is the tension mold
The current situation is causing stress, anxiety, and mental strain

Of frozen icicles
Similar to the tension mold, it is a metaphor for an uneasy and uncomfortable environment

And it feels like it's snowing
The tension and discomfort is affecting everyone around like a cold and chilly snowfall

You speak in tongues
Talking in an unfamiliar, cryptic, or unclear language or manner

Tremors that warn us of ourselves
The uneasy situation is reflecting back inner problems within ourselves

Born in hearts
The source of something comes from within ourselves.

Etched in cold
Similar to frozen icicles, it is a metaphor for something that is cold, untouched, and unmoved.

Walk away
To leave the situation rather than continuing in the discomfort

Nothing bleeds the same
Even similar experiences can evoke different emotions and reactions within people

My travel expenses paid
A sarcastic line about fulfilling expectations and going through the motions freely, without difficulty or resistance

This dance is out of rhythm
The current situation isn't going as planned and is causing chaos

We trip on excess steps
Complicating the situation by adding more to deal with than necessary

Swing-sets pay
A metaphor for paying the price of childhood innocence and freedom when growing up

The playground toll
The cost or price of growing up from childhood to adulthood

Tremors that hold us
The tension and discomfort are preventing us from moving forward or breaking free from the situation

Tremors that warn us
Like before, the uneasy environment is reflecting back inner problems and other issues

Nothing bleeds like
Similar to the previous line, even similar experiences can evoke different emotions and reactions within people

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CEDRIC BIXLER, JIM WARD, OMAR RODRIGUEZ, PABLO HINOJOS, TONY HAJJAR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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