Here is some background information on Clear Heart Full Eyes from the No Future Songfacts . In early 2011 Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn challenged himself to write a new song every day in his Brooklyn apartment for his first solo album. "I had written a bunch of songs that were outside of the norm for The Hold Steady, a little quieter and perhaps more narrative," he said. "I wanted to gain some experience and insight into the process of making a record by working with new people." Finn enlisted producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon) and traveled to an Austin, Texas studio far away from his New York comfort zone. He hooked up with some local musicians there, including members of Phosphorescent and White Denim and sang his vocals live, keeping takes to a minimum and completed recording in a few days. The resulting album, Clear Heart Full Eyes was released on January 24, 2012 on Vagrant Records.
Birds Trapped in the Airport
Craig Finn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A little shaky and scared
I found a thread in the closet
I followed it into darkness
James, I'm glad that you're here
Tonight I'd like you to dance with me
James, I'm glad that you're here
I fell asleep by the pool
Cigarettes with inches of ashes
Premonitions of crashes
We jettisoned all the fuel
I've been screwing computers
James, I'm glad you didn't die
It's been loveless and lonely
It's been faceless and easy
It's been weird
It's been wild
Tonight I'd like you to dance with me
James, I'm glad that you're here
Tonight I'd like you to dance with me
We'll be skeletons and ghosts next year
When I went to the doctor
I didn't feel like talking
I just stood by the window
Acted like I was crying
I just figured that maybe
He might let me skate by
Right now I feel weightless
James, I'm glad you didn't die
The birds trapped in the airport
And the boats in the bath
All the guns in the movies
The premonitions of crashes
And the crosses and crystal
And the pills in her purse
Right now I feel a bit weightless
Last night I felt worse
Tonight I'd like you to dance with me
James, I'm glad that you're here
Tonight I'd like you to dance with me
We'll be skeletons and ghosts next year
The song "Birds Trapped in the Airport" by Craig Finn delves into themes of isolation, loneliness, and fear. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who feels weightless, shaky, and scared. The singer is estranged from their family and has been "screwing computers." They find solace in the presence of their friend James, and invite them to dance. The lyrics become a stream of consciousness, as the singer speaks about birds trapped in airports, premonitions of crashes, crosses, and crystal.
The song's opening lines, "Right now I feel a bit weightless/ A little shaky and scared," set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is vulnerable and in need of comfort. The lyrics "I found a thread in the closet/ I followed it into darkness" suggest a search for something, perhaps a glimmer of hope, in the midst of darkness. The mention of premonitions of crashes and the jettisoned fuel add a sense of urgency and danger to the song.
The chorus, "Tonight I'd like you to dance with me/ We'll be skeletons and ghosts next year," suggests a longing for connection in the face of mortality. The presence of James provides a moment of relief from the singer's isolation and fear. The song ends with the singer describing themselves as "feeling a bit weightless" and contrasting it with feeling worse the night before. The ambiguity of the song's ending leaves the listener with a sense of uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Right now I feel a bit weightless
I'm feeling ungrounded and unsure
A little shaky and scared
I'm feeling nervous and frightened
I found a thread in the closet
I discovered something unfamiliar and intriguing
I followed it into darkness
I explored something mysterious and unknown
James, I'm glad that you're here
I'm grateful for your presence and support
Tonight I'd like you to dance with me
I want to connect with you emotionally and physically
I've been estranged from my family
I've been disconnected from my loved ones
I fell asleep by the pool
I gave in to exhaustion and relaxation
Cigarettes with inches of ashes
I've been smoking heavily and mindlessly
Premonitions of crashes
I have a sense of impending danger or catastrophe
We jettisoned all the fuel
We got rid of all our resources and energy
I've been screwing computers
I've been messing up my work and responsibilities
It's been loveless and lonely
I've been without love and companionship
It's been faceless and easy
I've been living without much meaning or purpose
It's been weird
I've been experiencing strange and unsettling things
It's been wild
I've been experiencing intense and chaotic emotions
We'll be skeletons and ghosts next year
We'll have changed and evolved by next year
When I went to the doctor
I sought help for my problems
I didn't feel like talking
I didn't feel like sharing my feelings
Acted like I was crying
I pretended to feel emotional and vulnerable
I just figured that maybe
I hoped that perhaps
He might let me skate by
He might let me off the hook
The birds trapped in the airport
The restrictions and limitations I feel
And the boats in the bath
The confinement and smallness of my life
All the guns in the movies
The violence and aggression in our culture
And the crosses and crystal
The religious and spiritual symbols in my life
And the pills in her purse
The ways in which I cope with stress and pain
Last night I felt worse
I was feeling even more distressed and hopeless
Writer(s): CRAIG A. FINN
Contributed by Elizabeth P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.