A Movie Script Ending
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics


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Whenever I come back
The air on Railroad is making the same sounds
And the shop fronts on Holly are dirty words
Asterisks in for the vowels
We peered through the windows
New bottoms on barstools, but the people remain the same
With prices inflating
Inflating
As if saved from the gallows
There's a bellow of buzzers
And people stop working
And they're all so excited, excited

Passing through unconscious states
When I awoke, I was on
The highway, highway
Highway, highway

With your hands on my shoulders
A meaningless movement, a movie script ending
And the patrons are leaving
Leaving

Passing through unconscious states
When I awoke, I was on
The highway, highway
Highway, highway
Highway, highway
Highway, highway

And now, we all know the words were true
In the sappiest songs, yes, yes
I'll put them to bed, but they won't sleep
Just shuffling the sheets to toss and turn
You can't begin to get it back

Passing through unconscious states
When I awoke, I was on
The onset of a later stage
The headlights are beacons on
The highway, highway
Highway, highway




Highway, highway
Highway, highway

Overall Meaning

In the song “A Movie Script Ending” by Death Cab for Cutie, the singer returns to his hometown and notices that things appear to be the same, yet different. The air on Railroad is making the same sounds, and the shop fronts on Holly are laden with dirty words. Despite new bottoms being added to the barstools, the people remain the same. It seems like the prices are inflating to keep people from facing the gallows. Suddenly, there's a bellow of buzzers, and people stop working. They seem excited about something.


The singer then passes into a state of unconsciousness and wakes up on the highway, with someone's hands on his shoulders. This movement feels meaningless, like it's a part of a movie script ending. The patrons leave, and it's clear that the words spoken were true, even if they were sappy. The singer puts the words to bed, but they remain awake, shuffling the sheets and tossing and turning. He can't begin to get them back.


The singer then passes into another state of unconsciousness, and he awakens at the onset of a later stage. The headlights are beacons on the highway, which suggests that the singer is on a journey or a transition. The song's lyrics seem to convey a sense of being stuck in a loop, trying to escape memories of the past, but never quite succeeding.


Line by Line Meaning

Whenever I come back, the air on Railroad is making the same sounds,
Every time I return to this place, the sounds and atmosphere remain exactly as they were before.


And the shop fronts on Holly are dirty words (asterisks in for the vowels)
The storefronts on Holly Street are covered in vulgar language, censored by the addition of asterisks.


We peered through the windows, new bottoms on barstools but the people remain the same.
We looked inside the bars and saw new furniture, but the same old people were still there.


With prices inflating, as if saved from the gallows.
Despite the rising prices, it feels like the businesses are being saved from financial ruin.


There's a bellow of buzzers and the people stop working and they're all so excited.
The sound of buzzers causes people to stop what they're doing and become excited.


Passing through unconscious states, when I awoke, I was on the highway.
I was driving on the highway, lost in thought and unaware of my surroundings.


With your hands on my shoulders, a meaningless movement, a movie script ending.
Your touch feels hollow and scripted, like a scene from a movie without real emotion.


And the patrons are leaving, now we all know the words were true
As the customers leave, we realize that the things we were saying were actually true.


In the sappiest songs (yes, yes)
Even in the most sentimental songs, there can be truth.


I'll put them to bed, but they won't sleep, they're just shuffling the sheets,
I'll try to forget these thoughts and feelings, but they won't go away and keep me up at night.


They toss and turn (you can't begin to get it back)
I can't seem to reconcile or recapture what has been lost.


Passing through unconscious states, when I awoke, I was on the onset of a later stage:
I realized that I am entering a new chapter of my life while feeling disoriented and lost.


The headlights are beacons on the highway.
The headlights of cars on the highway are guiding lights in the darkness, leading me towards my uncertain future.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Benjamin Gibbard

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

michaelyn watson

Whenever I come back, the air on Railroad is making the same sounds,
And the shop fronts on Holly are dirty words (asterisks in for the vowels)
We peered through the windows, new bottoms on barstools but the people remain the same.
With prices inflating, as if saved from the gallows.
There's a bellow of buzzers and the people stop working and they're all so excited.
Passing through unconscious states, when I awoke, I was on the highway.
With your hands on my shoulders, a meaningless movement, a movie script ending.
And the patrons are leaving, now we all know the words were true
In the sappiest songs (yes, yes)
I'll put them to bed, but they won't sleep, they're just shuffling the sheets,
They toss and turn (you can't begin to get it back)
Passing through unconscious states, when I awoke, I was on the onset of a later stage:
The headlights are beacons on the highway.



All comments from YouTube:

Noncandeggiare

Almost 15 years since I first discovered this song, and every single time it still gives me goosebumps (in a good way)

november ajax

I say ghe same. Since 2007 still hurting

Beth

I can’t remember how many times I fall asleep by listening this song (crying).
I’ve been in a long distance relationship for 4 years! And it was hard as hell. Distance makes you sad and every time you have to say goodbye to your loved one it’s exactly this video... tons of emotions and time goes so fast.

Next week I’m taking an airplane...
¡Im getting married to my boyfriend!
and finally we will be together, in the same country, in the same city, without saying goodbye. :)

november ajax

I can say a very similar situation, but with a bad ending.

BreadlySteadly

@november ajax can I hear it?

november ajax

@BreadlySteadly she is from France, me from the south of Hispanic América. We met in a barbecue, I never forget how shocking was the "love at the first sight" for both. a very good relationship in my country and a complicated long distance relationship. After all things, I hate airports.

BathroomTile

Happy for you, hope your marriage is going well

rosechanel

This video is so good because its so realistic. Unlike most music videos this doesn't have crazy dream stuff going on and models for the parts. It's homey and very relatable. Such a good video.

gg_nugu

I'd always loved this song for some strange reason. It's essentially about coming back to your hometown after a long period of time and looking at the way things have stayed the same, so it reminds me of mine. This video, however, really hits home for me. Its the story of two young people in love, one of them is going away, and it basically shows their last day or two together.  I've literally lived through this situation, and it's so spot-on. By the end I'm always crying.

James Og

Being someone who just travelled back home for the weekend, I know this conflict of familiarity and unfamiliarity very well. Bittersweet…..You know that you're growing and change is inevitable, but it sucks to see places that hold old memories become different. 

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