Moderation
Cate Le Bon (born Cate Timothy on 4 March 1983) is a Welsh singer-songwrite… Read Full Bio ↴Cate Le Bon (born Cate Timothy on 4 March 1983) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, now based in Los Angeles. She sings in both English and Welsh. She has released six solo albums, three EPs and a number of singles. Le Bon is also known for her collaborations with among others Manic Street Preachers, Neon Neon, and Matt Davies.

Le Bon is singled out by critics for her "beautiful, haunting voice". She described writing and performing music as "important to me, it's just an expression and sometimes it's not necessary to moralise it". Le Bon claimed that "early experiences with a string of pet deaths had a profound lasting effect on me" and informed her initial self-admitted "abnormal fixation with death". She describes her lyric writing as "foraging for [the right] words and then everything falls into place".

Moderation
Cate le Bon Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I get by one eye in the sky
But I can't put my finger on it
I want to cry, I'm out of my mind
Trying to figure it out

Moderation
I can't have it
I don't want it
I wanna touch it

Picture the party where you're standing on a modern age
I was in trouble with a habit of years
And I try to relate

I get by pushing poets aside
'Cause they can't beat the mother of pearl
I quit the Earth, I'm out of my mind
And the fruit of it all

Moderation
I can't have it
I don't want it
I wanna touch it

Picture the party where you're standing on a modern age
I was in trouble with a habit of years
And I try to relate
To the mess I made

Tethered to a mess
Tethered to a mess
Tethered to a mess
Tethered to a mess

Picture the party where you're standing on a modern age




I was in trouble with the habit of years
And I try to relate

Overall Meaning

The song "Moderation" by Cate Le Bon is a reflection on the artist's struggle with addiction and the difficulties of trying to find balance in life. The opening lines, "I get by one eye in the sky, but I can't put my finger on it," suggest a feeling of disorientation and a sense of being lost or disconnected from reality. The image of "one eye in the sky" can be interpreted as an attempt to rise above one's problems and gain a higher perspective, but also hints at a kind of dissociation or detachment.


The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "Moderation, I can't have it, I don't want it, I wanna touch it," captures both the desire for and resistance to moderation. The line "I wanna touch it" suggests a longing for a life of balance and stability, but the preceding lines reveal a conflict within the artist - a recognition that moderation is necessary, but an inability to embrace it fully. This tension is echoed in the subsequent verse: "I get by pushing poets aside 'cause they can't beat the mother of pearl." Here, the artist appears to be pushing away potential sources of inspiration and creative expression in favor of something more elusive and intoxicating.


The song ends on a note of ambiguity, with the repeated line "Picture the party where you're standing on a modern age." The final verse suggests some kind of resolution or attempt at reconciliation: "I was in trouble with the habit of years, and I try to relate to the mess I made." Here, the artist acknowledges the harmful effects of addiction on her life and relationships, but also seems to be searching for a way to integrate these experiences and move forward.


Overall, "Moderation" is a poignant and introspective portrayal of the struggle with addiction and the search for balance and meaning in life.


Line by Line Meaning

I get by one eye in the sky
I manage to carry on, but feel like there's something watching over me


But I can't put my finger on it
I can't quite figure out what it is


I want to cry, I'm out of my mind
I feel overwhelmed and emotional


Trying to figure it out
Attempting to solve the problem


Moderation
Self-restraint in behavior


I can't have it
I find it difficult to exercise self-restraint


I don't want it
I don't want to have to restrain myself


I wanna touch it
I desire to indulge


Picture the party where you're standing on a modern age
Visualize a situation where you are present in a contemporary setting


I was in trouble with a habit of years
I had a long-standing issue with addiction


And I try to relate
I attempt to connect with others


I get by pushing poets aside
I manage to cope by avoiding artistic endeavors


'Cause they can't beat the mother of pearl
Because music cannot compare to the beauty of natural phenomenons


I quit the Earth, I'm out of my mind
I have mentally dissociated from reality


And the fruit of it all
The end result of my actions


To the mess I made
To the problems that I caused


Tethered to a mess
Bound to a situation of chaos


Tethered to a mess
Bound to a situation of chaos


Tethered to a mess
Bound to a situation of chaos


Tethered to a mess
Bound to a situation of chaos




Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Cate Le Bon

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Jean-Luc Louidhon

Moderation Lyrics

[Verse 1]
I get by
One eye on the sky
But I can't put my finger on it
I want to cry, I'm out of my mind
Trying to figure it out

[Pre-Chorus]
Moderation
I can't have it
I don't want it
I want to touch it

[Chorus]
Picture the party where you're standing on a modern age
I was in trouble with a habit of years
And I try to relate

[Post-Chorus]
Ah, ah, ah-ah, ah
Oh, oh, oh
Ah, ah, ah-ah, ah

[Verse 2]
I get by pushing poets aside
Cause they can't beat the Mother of Pearl
I quit the earth
I'm out of my mind
And the fruit of it all

[Pre-Chorus]
Moderation
I can't have it
I don't want it
I want to touch it

[Chorus]
Picture the party where you're standing on a modern age
I was in trouble with a habit of yеars
And I try to relate
To the mеss I made

[Bridge]
Tethered to a mess
Tethered to a mess
Tethered to a mess
Tethered to a mess

[Chorus]
Picture the party where you're standing on a modern age
I was in trouble with the habit of years
And I try to relate

[Outro]
Ah, ah, ah-ah, ah
Oh, oh, oh
Ah, ah, ah-ah, ah
Oh, oh, oh
Ah, ah, ah-ah, ah
Oh, oh, oh
Ah, ah, ah-ah, ah
Oh, oh, oh
Ah, ah, ah-ah, ah
Oh, oh, oh
Ah, ah, ah-ah, ah
Oh, oh, oh
Ah, ah, ah-ah



Silence Blue

A beautiful song.

And the artistic video, in high quality!
A masterpiece that lasts for a long time because it seems timeless...
a careful consideration of the symbolism in the video.

An angelic voice floating through the song.
A melody that stays in your head and a timelessly beautiful video that is full of art.
An exceptional experience !!



All comments from YouTube:

FishboneINK

I've listened to Moderation an immoderate amount of times.

hectooor

No moderation on that I guess...

Maya Magination

Same >.<

Rachel H.

Yes

3 Foxes

Yeah. Me too.

T.b.L.j.__1_9_87

“I get by pushing poets aside / Cause they can’t beat the mother of pearl.” I have no clue what that means but it just sounds so RIGHT in this song, I’ve had it stuck in my head all day 🎶🎸😋

five5x

Is that real mother of pearl was something people use to ask a lot because it meant their necklace or jewelry was worth something. So she could be saying she prefers material things over poetry and empty words. Which is probably most likely a sarcastic line.

DFITZ

I think it's sensual in nature

Bren

@Allison thought the same

Allison

I wonder if it’s a reference to the Roxy music song mother of pearl which is a masterpiece

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