Sylvester
Catch Fire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'll pick a flower for you
One that you're allergic to
So you never forget what I mean to you
You'll talk me out of all the things I wanna do
Pull the moral card and tell me that I should wanna be with you
You never listen to a word I say
Don't point the blame
I'm sick of waking up

Is it not enough that I suffered in silence for so long?
I'm sick of waking up
Is it not enough that I suffered in silence for so long?
"Meet me at Sylvester"
That's what she said when I left her
"Meet me at Sylvester"
That's what she said when I left her
You never listen to a word I say
Don't point the blame
I'm sick of waking up
Is it not enough that I suffered in silence for so long?
I'm sick of waking up

Is it not enough that I suffered in silence for so long?
"Meet me at Sylvester"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Catch Fire's song "Sylvester" depict a strained relationship where one person is picking a flower for the other, but it's an allergy-inducing one to remind them of what they mean to each other. However, the other person is not listening and always tries to talk the singer out of things they want to do. They constantly pull the "moral card" and try to convince the singer that they should want to be with them. The singer is fed up with not being heard and waking up feeling like they have suffered in silence for too long.

The repeated phrase "Meet me at Sylvester" is a plea from the partner who the singer has left. It is unclear what or where Sylvester is, but it could be a symbol of a place where they can meet and try to work things out. However, the singer is still frustrated and feels like they have suffered enough without being heard. The lyrics are full of tension and raw emotions that reflect the difficulties of a relationship where one person constantly feels unheard.

Line by Line Meaning

I'll pick a flower for you
I will offer you a gesture of kindness

One that you're allergic to
However, the flower I choose will have a harmful effect on you

So you never forget what I mean to you
This is meant to serve as a reminder of the love I have for you

You'll talk me out of all the things I wanna do
But you have a tendency to make me feel guilty for pursuing my own interests

Pull the moral card and tell me that I should wanna be with you
You often try to guilt me into staying with you by appealing to a sense of morality

You never listen to a word I say
Even though I express my discontent, you never seem to take my concerns seriously

Don't point the blame
I am not the only one responsible for the issues in our relationship

I'm sick of waking up
I am becoming increasingly unhappy in my current situation

Is it not enough that I suffered in silence for so long?
I have felt unhappy for a while, but I have been keeping it to myself to spare your feelings

"Meet me at Sylvester"
As a last ditch effort, you are asking that we meet at a particular location

That's what she said when I left her
This was the last thing you said to me before I walked away

"Meet me at Sylvester"
You are hoping that seeing each other in a different environment will improve our relationship

You never listen to a word I say
I remain frustrated by your inability to hear me

Don't point the blame
I need you to understand that both of us play a role in this relationship

I'm sick of waking up
I am becoming increasingly aware that something has to change

Is it not enough that I suffered in silence for so long?
I have been holding in my frustration to protect your feelings, but I can't continue to do so

Contributed by Penelope B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS