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Califone Lyrics


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Along your skin lost my language
Black lip and red carnation
Safe house safe

Tap shoes break union station marble
Wrapped in malpractice
Quiet in the sway
Oooo-sing to me pink and sour

Oooo-drop down drop down

De-sung ribcages shelter
Wound river languid
Husk of old jet

Sweet light tavern in the morning
Taxi driver silent
Hard long hands

Oooo-kill the kids kitchen light

Oooo-drop down drop down

Safe house dead trying to whisper
A soft vaccination
Cotton in the calm

Along your side lost my language
On sand and smoke foundation
Loose in the sway

Oooo-sing to me pink and sour





Oooo-kill the kids kitchen light

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Califone’s song Pink & Sour are filled with cryptic imagery that intently contributes to the fragmented and indistinct nature of the song’s meaning. The opening line of “Along your skin lost my language” is a declaration of total submission and surrender to another person or significant other. It is the loss of one's sense of self in relation to the other. The phrase “Tap shoes break union station marble” paves way for a couple of explanations - it could be a reference to the sound of tap shoes on the marble floor of a train station or could signify the downward trajectory or failure of a union. “Wrapped in malpractice” is another ambiguous line, which could be a metaphor for self-imposed restrictions, emotional barriers, or guilt.


The chorus of “Oooo-sing to me pink and sour / Oooo-drop down drop down” is almost like a plea for action or desire fulfilled, but then the verses take on a more introspective and haunting quality. “De-sung ribcages shelter / Wound river languid” implies a sense of emptiness and vacancy, akin to an anti-romance, with “kill the kids kitchen light” seemingly indicating the futility of existence in a rapidly changing world, where the simplest things can lose their luster. The song's cryptic, surreal and fragmented nature is indicative of a post-modern, impressionistic existential state of mind.


Line by Line Meaning

Along your skin lost my language
I am unable to articulate my thoughts when I am with you


Black lip and red carnation
You wear dark lipstick and a bright red flower


Safe house safe
We are in a secure place


Tap shoes break union station marble
The sound of tap shoes hitting the ground echoes through the station


Wrapped in malpractice
I am surrounded by people acting unethically


Quiet in the sway
We are both silent and moving gently


Oooo-sing to me pink and sour
Sing something sweet but with a sour undertone to me


Oooo-drop down drop down
Keep going lower and lower


De-sung ribcages shelter
People who have lost their voices find comfort together


Wound river languid
A river flows slowly, and it is damaged


Husk of old jet
The shell of a plane that has seen better days


Sweet light tavern in the morning
A charming bar that looks great in the daylight


Taxi driver silent
The driver of the taxi is not talking


Hard long hands
Large hands that are firm


Oooo-kill the kids kitchen light
Turn off the lights in the kitchen to bring a dark ambiance


Safe house dead trying to whisper
Someone who is trying to communicate is unable to do so despite being in a secure environment


A soft vaccination
A small amount of something meant to cure or strengthen


Cotton in the calm
A peaceful place filled with soft materials


Along your side lost my language
When we are together, I am at a loss for words


On sand and smoke foundation
Something built on shaky or unstable ground


Loose in the sway
We move nonchalantly




Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benedetto Massarella, Brian Deck, James Becker, Joseph F Adamik, Temistoclas Hugo Rutili

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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