Band members:
Tim Kasher – lead vocals, guitars, organ
Matt Maginn – bass, backing vocals
Clint Schnase – drums, percussion
Ted Stevens – guitars, backing vocals
Patrick Newbery – miscellaneous instruments
1997 - Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes
1998 - The Storms of Early Summer
2000 - Domestica
2003 - The Ugly Organ
2006 - Happy Hollow
2009 - Mama, I'm Swollen
2012 - I Am Gemini
2018 - Vitriola
2019 - Get Fixed
Driftwood: A Fairy Tale
Cursive Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Himself approaching an enormous huge floating cavern.
Could it be an island? Pinocchio looked closed and he
Saw two huge rows of sharp yellow teeth and he realized
His mistake.
So he would sulk and drink and mope
And cross his arms and hope to die
To bring this sorry boy to life
She pulled some strings, spilled him about
That boy jumped up and began to shout
"My arms, my legs, my heart, my face
They are alive!"
And she would cry, "Liar, liar!
What have I done?
You're no lover, and I'm no fighter"
(The story goes on)
So he would buy her things and kiss her hair
To show he was for real
And she would take those gifts and kisses
Though just stringing him along
She knew about those wooden boys
They take empty love to fill the void
"Pinocchio, oh boy, how your nose has grown!"
So he would cry, "Liar, liar!"
I'll prove it to you!"
But then it grew
He had grown tired of her
So it was true
He left her apartment
And he walked all night long
Until he was stopped by the shore of the ocean
But still he walked on
Amongst the whales and waves
And screamed, "Liar, liar!"
And his wooden body floated away
He just drifted away
And now I wonder how I was made
Now I wonder how I was made
My arms, my legs, my heart, my face
My name is Driftwood
The song "Driftwood: A Fairy Tale" by Cursive tells the story of Pinocchio, the fictional wooden puppet character who dreamt of becoming a real boy. In the beginning, Pinocchio finds himself approaching a huge floating cavern that he mistakes for an island. However, as he moves closer, he realizes that he has made a mistake and is faced with two rows of sharp yellow teeth. After feeling sorry for himself for a while, Pinocchio is visited by a fairy who brings him to life. Pinocchio then falls in love with the fairy, but she knows that he is only interested in her because he is a wooden puppet seeking to become a real boy.
Pinocchio tries to prove his love to the fairy by buying her things and showing her affection, but she knows that he cannot feel real love as he is only a puppet. After a while, Pinocchio grows tired of trying to prove his love to the fairy and walks all night long until he reaches the shore of the ocean. He screams "liar, liar," and his wooden body floats away, and he becomes driftwood. The song ends with the singer wondering how he was made, with the implication being that he is also a piece of driftwood.
Line by Line Meaning
He swam steadily for most of the day. Suddenly he found
Himself approaching an enormous huge floating cavern.
Could it be an island? Pinocchio looked closed and he
Saw two huge rows of sharp yellow teeth and he realized
His mistake.
Pinocchio was swimming and came across a big floating cavern that he thought was an island. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a set of sharp, yellow teeth.
So he would sulk and drink and mope
And cross his arms and hope to die
And then a fairy came one night
To bring this sorry boy to life
She pulled some strings, spilled him about
That boy jumped up and began to shout
"My arms, my legs, my heart, my face
They are alive!"
And she would cry, "Liar, liar!
What have I done?
You're no lover, and I'm no fighter"
Pinocchio was miserable until a fairy came to bring him to life. He was overjoyed to be alive but the fairy was unhappy with him. She believed that he would be unfaithful to her.
(The story goes on)
The story progresses from there.
So he would buy her things and kiss her hair
To show he was for real
And she would take those gifts and kisses
Though just stringing him along
She knew about those wooden boys
They take empty love to fill the void
"Pinocchio, oh boy, how your nose has grown!"
So he would cry, "Liar, liar!"
I'll prove it to you!"
But then it grew
He had grown tired of her
So it was true
Pinocchio tried to prove his love to the fairy by showering her with gifts and affection. She knew he was only trying to fill the emptiness in his wooden heart, but she let him continue. When he promised to prove his love and his nose grew, he realized he no longer loved her and it was true.
He left her apartment
And he walked all night long
Until he was stopped by the shore of the ocean
But still he walked on
Amongst the whales and waves
And screamed, "Liar, liar!"
And his wooden body floated away
He just drifted away
Pinocchio left the fairy's apartment and walked all night until he reached the ocean. He continued to walk for a while, screaming at the fairy and then his wooden body eventually floated away.
And now I wonder how I was made
Now I wonder how I was made
My arms, my legs, my heart, my face
My name is Driftwood
The song ends with the singer of the song, Driftwood, contemplating his own existence and how he was made.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Clint Frederick Schnase, Gretta Mindy Cohn, Matthew Ryan Maginn, Ted James Stevens, Tim Kasher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Roscoe-111
He swam steadily for most of the day. Suddenly
he found himself approaching an enormous
floating cavern. Could it be an island? Pinocchio
looked closed and he saw two huge rows of
sharp, yellow teeth and he realized his mistake.
So he would sulk and drink and mope
and cross his arms and hope to die.
And then a fairy came one night
to bring this sorry boy to life.
She pulled some strings,
spun him about,
that boy sprang up,
and began to shout,
"My arms, my legs, my heart, my face,
they are alive."
And she would cry, "liar, liar,
What have I done?
You're no lover and I'm no fighter."
The story goes on.
So he would buy her things and
kiss her hair to show he was for real.
And she would take those gifts and
kisses though just stringing him along.
She knew about those wooden boys,
it's an empty love to fill the void
Pinocchio, oh boy, how your nose has grown
So he would cry, "liar, liar,
I'll prove it to you"
But then it grew.
He had grown tired of her
so it was true.
He left her apartment
and he walked all night long,
'til he was stopped by the shore of the ocean.
But still he walked on
amongst the whales and waves
and screamed, "liar, liar"
and his wooden body floated away.
He just drifted away.
And now I wonder how I was made
Now I wonder how I was made
My arms, my legs, my heart, my face,
my name is Driftwood.
@alfredlopez7519
I had completely forgotten about this song. It's such a good song, but it's amazing how 14 years later it still carries the negative connotation that defined the dark period of my life when I discovered it.
@SpearFisher85
To quote another great song "And we all float on alright!" Edit: Hopefully 3 years even more later it rings true for you. Many happy successes to you sir.
@mattlewinski2756
I miss this era of music.
@masonfrancoeur2755
they still make amazing music
@frankjohntristan1348
Saw Tim Kasher play today, this song was so amazing live, sung with so much emotion live and the bass/drums are banging, total dance song
@flyingpigs96
i love these lyrics. I love this song. I love this album. Ilove this band
@Roscoe-111
This song came to me at a point in my llfe that I will never wish to relive, but will always cherish. I love this song.
@EMMmaximino
this album and the one before this......... good times for my ears
@skyle2010
Exact same situation, can't believe its been 9 years. Just saw them a few months ago w/Minus the bear (Tim wasn't drunk) and they were incredible. I had forgotten how awesome they are.
@yungpseudonym8601
i remember when i had the cd, i put it in my GIANT computer, and it showed like a mini documentary. i think there were like organ keys as buttons on the menu? im like 98% sure i didn't dream this. it had like live footage too...i think. anybody else see that?