The Light & the Glass
Coheed and Cambria Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Memories roll in; of the things you once did
and who you had shared them with. Is somebody thinking of you?
Did I bother telling you this, with the words that cross teeth and jump lips?
A poor choice of words, in wanting to tell you anything.
But words don't come with ease. They're forever my hurt.
Would it really matter, if you were to count the days left with your hands?
Your focus secure and the loves you left; well
You, you left the light on.
There's a chance I might have tripped, girl
You were there to hold on.
Ignoring the words of your obnoxious little brother;
kill or be killed spilled the words from your mother.
I'll lay awake for a while.
I'll leave the light on a while.
But you couldn't last a lifetime. Caught between here and the days of it;
carving her name across your arm with every wish. It's hit or miss... her.
I told you so. I measured distance in lines departing the rest of my life.
But you, you, you... you had better things to do [x2]
Liar, liar, liar, liar. [x6]
Ignoring the words of your obnoxious little brother;
kill or be killed spilled the words from your mother.
I'll lay awake for a while.
I'll leave the light on a while.
But you couldn't last a lifetime. Caught between here and the days of it;
carving her name across your arm with every wish. It's hit or miss... her.
I told you so. I measured distance in lines departing the rest of my life.
If you get put to sleep, like an old dog, you're better off.
If you get put to sleep;
I've been cautious with the words I extend.
Allow this year before the world starts to end.
Your father's dead. He passed in his sleep,
and I woke to the sounds of her crying.
Your father's dead. He passed in his sleep.
Pray for us all. [to fade]
The lyrics of Coheed and Cambria's The Light & the Glass convey a sense of regret and sadness. The song starts with the slow and deliberate motion of writing, with the pen touching the paper as the words are guided into existence. Memories begin to flood into the writer's consciousness, memories of things that were once done and shared with others. The writer wonders if there is someone thinking of them, and if it would matter to count the days left with their hands. The focus is secure, but the pain of love lost lingers on in staged photographs.
The chorus speaks of leaving the light on, which implies a sense of hope and the desire to hold on to something tangible. The writer is caught between the present and the past, carved with every wish to make sense of their memories. The obnoxious little brother's words ring in the mind, "kill or be killed" spilled from the mother's lips. The writer confesses to having been cautious with their words, silently measuring the distance between lines departing from the rest of their life. The song ends with a prayer that seems to encompass all the sadness and loss that has been experienced.
Overall, the song seems to be about the pain of memory and the desire to hold on to something that is quickly slipping away. It speaks to the human desire to hold onto the past and to maintain a connection with loved ones even when they are no longer physically present.
Line by Line Meaning
Slowly the pen touches paper in the guidance of the words that you write.
You carefully pen your thoughts, hoping to find guidance in writing.
Memories roll in; of the things you once did and who you had shared them with. Is somebody thinking of you?
You think back on past experiences and wonder if anyone else remembers them as you do.
Did I bother telling you this, with the words that cross teeth and jump lips?
You question whether your words will convey what you mean, or if they will come out poorly.
A poor choice of words, in wanting to tell you anything.
You regret your choice of words, knowing that they didn't express what you meant to say.
But words don't come with ease. They're forever my hurt.
Expressing yourself is difficult, and it's painful when you don't get it right.
Would it really matter, if you were to count the days left with your hands?
You question the value of counting the days, when time slips away so quickly.
Your focus secure and the loves you left; well smiles staged in photographs here until...
You're confident in your choices and the people you've loved, even though they're only memories now.
You, you left the light on. There's a chance I might have tripped, girl You were there to hold on.
You're grateful for someone who stood by you when you needed them.
Ignoring the words of your obnoxious little brother; kill or be killed spilled the words from your mother.
You remember your annoying little sibling, and your mom's harsh words about life and death.
I'll lay awake for a while. I'll leave the light on a while. But you couldn't last a lifetime. Caught between here and the days of it; carving her name across your arm with every wish. It's hit or miss... her. I told you so. I measured distance in lines departing the rest of my life.
You stayed up worried, but you know that everything has a beginning and an end. You were caught up in someone, but it didn't work out, and now you're moving on with your life.
But you, you, you... you had better things to do [x2] Liar, liar, liar, liar. [x6]
You're bitter about someone lying to you and leaving, even though they had promised to stay.
If you get put to sleep, like an old dog, you're better off. If you get put to sleep; I've been cautious with the words I extend. Allow this year before the world starts to end.
You believe that it's better to die than to continue living a life without purpose. You're careful about what you say, and you hope that people take advantage of the time they have left.
Your father's dead. He passed in his sleep, and I woke to the sounds of her crying.
You mourn the loss of someone close to you, and the sound of someone's grief haunts you.
Your father's dead. He passed in his sleep.
You announce the death of someone you loved.
Pray for us all. [to fade]
You ask for others to pray for everyone.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CLAUDIO SANCHEZ, TRAVIS STEVER, MICHAEL TODD, JOSHUA ERIC EPPARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stevens7518
How this song relates to the story of Armory Wars:
I think Jesse is either standing in a doorway or laying in a cot, looking at Claudio sitting down chronicling in a journal and he's smiling. He knows things will get rough for him but he enjoys the glimpse of that innocent boy that his nephew once was. He thinks to himself "Slowly the pen touches paper in the guidance of words that you write. Memories roll in of the things you once did and who you shared them with. Is somebody thinking of HIM?"
He then explains everything and acknowledges how hard it is to explain "Words don't come with ease; they're forever my hurt" since he's the bearer of bad news. He continues to comfort Claudio and explain that his countdown to return to Newo is in vain and that his focus needs to be on the mission and what's at stake (Would it really matter if you were to count the days left with your hand? Your focus secure and the loves you left well [Newo is safe at home]. Smiles staged in photographs, here until (Those memories are forever])
Claudio then thinks of Newo as he gets close to breaking down.
Jesse then tries to reaffirm his and Claudio's resolve by mentioning Matthew and Cambria, "Ignoring the words of your obnoxious little brother, "Kill or be Killed" spilled the words from your mother. Jesse can't sleep at this point and justs lays back with the light on thinking in silence. Everything is sinking in with Claudio in the silence.
Jesse acknowledges "You couldn't last a lifetime" knowing his nephews life will never be the same and the kid he knew will be gone now that the situation is changing his role in everything. He know's how much Claudio has lost and given up in such a short time. He kind of taunts him as though Claudio won't accept his fate and says I know you have better things to do than avenge your family and save the world; go carve that girls name in your arm.
Claudio can't accept it and starts calling him a liar and isn't believing the story. Claudio tells his uncle, "Liar, lie away..." His uncle then get's angered by being called a liar and Claudio not heeding his words about his family and tells him "If you die in this, it'd be better than what you're about to go through" (If you get to put to sleep like an old dog, you're better off) Jesse then says, I've told you what you need to hear and what i needed to say, now take time to soak it in (I've been cautious with the words I extend. Allow this year before the world starts to end) as Ambellina looks on.
I think Claudio eventually drifts off to sleep but keeps replaying the scenario of what happened with his family according to his uncle and wakes up crying thinking of his mom crying for his dad. He begins accepting it throughout his sleep and begins to dream that he made it home that night (Which is where 21:13 begins)
I think Jesse is "The Light" as he held the truth about the events that transpired, and Claudio was "The Glass" who was about to break at the news of how everything changed for him in one fell swoop.
@jenniferdomasian9535
Slowly the pen touches paper in the guidance of the words that you write.
Memories roll in; of the things you once did
and who you had shared them with. Is somebody thinking of you?
Did I bother telling you this, with the words that cross teeth and jump lips?
A poor choice of words, in wanting to tell you anything.
But words don't come with ease. They're forever my hurt.
Would it really matter, if you were to count the days left with your hands?
Your focus secure and the loves you left; well
smiles staged in photographs here until...
You, you left the light on.
There's a chance I might have tripped, girl
You were there to hold on.
Ignoring the words of your obnoxious little brother;
kill or be killed spilled the words from your mother.
I'll lay awake for a while.
I'll leave the light on a while.
But you couldn't last a lifetime. Caught between here and the days of it;
carving her name across your arm with every wish. It's hit or miss... her.
I told you so. I measured distance in lines departing the rest of my life.
But you, you, you... you had better things to do [x2]
Liar, liar, liar, liar. [x6]
Ignoring the words of your obnoxious little brother;
kill or be killed spilled the words from your mother.
I'll lay awake for a while.
I'll leave the light on a while.
But you couldn't last a lifetime. Caught between here and the days of it;
carving her name across your arm with every wish. It's hit or miss... her.
I told you so. I measured distance in lines departing the rest of my life.
If you get put to sleep, like an old dog, you're better off.
If you get put to sleep;
I've been cautious with the words I extend.
Allow this year before the world starts to end.
Your father's dead. He passed in his sleep,
and I woke to the sounds of her crying.
Your father's dead. He passed in his sleep.
Pray for us all. [to fade]
@erikdavis2945
This band has reinvented the rock opera and become and instant classic. Been obsessed with these guys since 2002!
@CupofJoe_93
Forgot how these songs go from 0-100000000000000
Good lord this is raw.
@AmericanBastad1776
This whole album played over and over while I was in highschool. I still jam this in 2021. (Class of 04)
@jbreee6263
Same, but ‘08. Glad to know Coheed has been making soundtracks to leaving adolescence since forever :D
@aeriagloris4211
06 here. This and system of a Downs steal this album were the first two CDs I ever bought. Oh and The Used album, which still holds up today phenomenally.
@fizzytoms3791
Class of ‘22 here. I can’t believe I haven’t discovered this sooner.
@ryannorton1367
Same here! One of my favorite bands 4 sure
@ryannorton1367
Same here!
@stevens7518
How this song relates to the story of Armory Wars:
I think Jesse is either standing in a doorway or laying in a cot, looking at Claudio sitting down chronicling in a journal and he's smiling. He knows things will get rough for him but he enjoys the glimpse of that innocent boy that his nephew once was. He thinks to himself "Slowly the pen touches paper in the guidance of words that you write. Memories roll in of the things you once did and who you shared them with. Is somebody thinking of HIM?"
He then explains everything and acknowledges how hard it is to explain "Words don't come with ease; they're forever my hurt" since he's the bearer of bad news. He continues to comfort Claudio and explain that his countdown to return to Newo is in vain and that his focus needs to be on the mission and what's at stake (Would it really matter if you were to count the days left with your hand? Your focus secure and the loves you left well [Newo is safe at home]. Smiles staged in photographs, here until (Those memories are forever])
Claudio then thinks of Newo as he gets close to breaking down.
Jesse then tries to reaffirm his and Claudio's resolve by mentioning Matthew and Cambria, "Ignoring the words of your obnoxious little brother, "Kill or be Killed" spilled the words from your mother. Jesse can't sleep at this point and justs lays back with the light on thinking in silence. Everything is sinking in with Claudio in the silence.
Jesse acknowledges "You couldn't last a lifetime" knowing his nephews life will never be the same and the kid he knew will be gone now that the situation is changing his role in everything. He know's how much Claudio has lost and given up in such a short time. He kind of taunts him as though Claudio won't accept his fate and says I know you have better things to do than avenge your family and save the world; go carve that girls name in your arm.
Claudio can't accept it and starts calling him a liar and isn't believing the story. Claudio tells his uncle, "Liar, lie away..." His uncle then get's angered by being called a liar and Claudio not heeding his words about his family and tells him "If you die in this, it'd be better than what you're about to go through" (If you get to put to sleep like an old dog, you're better off) Jesse then says, I've told you what you need to hear and what i needed to say, now take time to soak it in (I've been cautious with the words I extend. Allow this year before the world starts to end) as Ambellina looks on.
I think Claudio eventually drifts off to sleep but keeps replaying the scenario of what happened with his family according to his uncle and wakes up crying thinking of his mom crying for his dad. He begins accepting it throughout his sleep and begins to dream that he made it home that night (Which is where 21:13 begins)
I think Jesse is "The Light" as he held the truth about the events that transpired, and Claudio was "The Glass" who was about to break at the news of how everything changed for him in one fell swoop.
@billysteward8083
Thank you