Brothers on a Hotel Bed
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics


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You may tire of me as our December sun is setting 'cause I'm not who I used to be
No longer easy on the eyes but these wrinkles masterfully disguise the youthful boy below
Who turned your way and saw something he was not looking for
Both a beginning and an end
But now he lives inside someone he does not recognize when he catches his reflection on accident

On the back of a motorbike with your arms outstretched trying to take flight, leaving everything behind
But even at our swiftest speed we couldn't break from the concrete in the city where we still reside
And I have learned that even landlocked lovers yearn for the sea, like navy men,




'Cause now we say goodnight from our own separate sides like brothers on a hotel bed

Overall Meaning

In "Brothers on a Hotel Bed," Death Cab for Cutie's lead singer Ben Gibbard reflects on the passage of time and the changes it brings to a relationship. He acknowledges that he has aged and lost some of his youthful charm, but notes that his partner still sees something in him. However, the two of them have grown apart to the point where they're like "brothers on a hotel bed", sleeping side by side but not really connecting. The song's powerful lyricism and slow, melancholic melody bring out the emotional weight of this realization.


The opening lines of the song set the stage for the themes that will be explored throughout: "You may tire of me as our December sun is setting 'cause I'm not who I used to be / No longer easy on the eyes but these wrinkles masterfully disguise the youthful boy below". Gibbard acknowledges that he has aged and lost some of his youthful charm, but notes that his partner still sees something in him that he can't see in himself anymore. This sense of disconnection is compounded by the refrain: "But now he lives inside someone he does not recognize when he catches his reflection on accident". The singer is aware that he has changed, but isn't sure who he has become.


The second verse describes a failed attempt to leave behind the routine and mundanity of daily life: "On the back of a motorbike with your arms outstretched trying to take flight, leaving everything behind / But even at our swiftest speed we couldn't break from the concrete in the city where we still reside". It is a nod to the longing for escape and adventure that many couples experience, but it also highlights the limitations of the world they live in. The song ends with the bittersweet image of two people who have grown apart, but who still share a deep connection, saying goodnight "like brothers on a hotel bed".


Line by Line Meaning

You may tire of me as our December sun is setting 'cause I'm not who I used to be
I understand that as time goes by, you may lose interest in me because I am not the same person I once was.


No longer easy on the eyes but these wrinkles masterfully disguise the youthful boy below
Although my exterior has aged, my inner self is still youthful and vibrant, masked by my wrinkles.


Who turned your way and saw something he was not looking for
When I met you, I unexpectedly found something I didn't even know I was searching for.


Both a beginning and an end
Our relationship is both the start of something new and the end of our old lives.


But now he lives inside someone he does not recognize when he catches his reflection on accident
I sometimes don't recognize myself when I catch my reflection because I have changed so much since we first met.


On the back of a motorbike with your arms outstretched trying to take flight, leaving everything behind
The two of us were on a motorbike, trying to escape our old lives and start anew.


But even at our swiftest speed we couldn't break from the concrete in the city where we still reside
Even though we were moving quickly, we couldn't escape the city we live in, both physically and emotionally.


And I have learned that even landlocked lovers yearn for the sea, like navy men
As someone who is not near the sea, I have learned that even those who are landlocked can long for it, just like those in the navy.


'Cause now we say goodnight from our own separate sides like brothers on a hotel bed
Our relationship has come to a point where we are still together, but living separate lives, like two brothers sharing a hotel room bed but sleeping on opposite sides.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benjamin Gibbard, Christopher Walla

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

@ivaniaparedes7471

[LYRICS]

You may tire of me as our December sun is setting because I'm not who I used to be
No longer easy on the eyes
But these wrinkles masterfully disguise
The youthful boy below
Who turned your way and saw
Something he was not looking for
Both a beginning and an end
But now he lives inside someone he does not recognize
When he catches his reflection on accident

On the back of a motor bike
With your arms outstretched trying to take flight
Leaving everything behind
But even at our swiftest speed we couldn't break from the concrete
And the city where we still reside
And I have learned that even landlocked lovers yearn for the sea like navy men
Cause now we say goodnight from our own separate sides
Like brothers on a hotel bed
Like brothers on a hotel bed
Like brothers on a hotel bed
Like brothers on a hotel bed
You may tire of me as our December sun is setting because I'm not who I used to be



@nikitanamo2792

You may tire of me as our December sun is setting 'cause I'm not who I used to be
No longer easy on the eyes but these wrinkles masterfully disguise the youthful boy below
Who turned your way and saw something he was not looking for
Both a beginning and an end
But now he lives inside someone he does not recognize when he catches his reflection on accident

On the back of a motorbike with your arms outstretched trying to take flight, leaving everything behind
But even at our swiftest speed we couldn't break from the concrete in the city where we still reside
And I have learned that even landlocked lovers yearn for the sea, like navy men,
'Cause now we say goodnight from our own separate sides like brothers on a hotel bed



All comments from YouTube:

@beaucollinss

“No longer easy on the eyes, but these wrinkles masterfully disguise, the youthful boy below” this lyric always speaks to my soul ❤️

@youtubesgay

It hurts so much.

@benjaminpoolemusic

I remember being 16 and listening to this song on my little bedside iPod speaker and looking out the window, into the woods behind my parents' house at night. The opening shot of this video is shockingly similar to that memory. It's weird to see.

@rosebud4467

Omg. We need to be best friends. Haha
I get so many 16 year old vibes, lying in my bed in my parents house and trying to pretend that I was sleeping & not listening to music. 😉😅

@amandawinkle9951

This is really pretty

@brantleytrace8118

Not sure if you guys cares but if you're stoned like me atm then you can stream pretty much all of the new movies and series on instaflixxer. Been watching with my gf lately :)

@samsonwill5572

@Brantley Trace Yup, I have been watching on Instaflixxer for months myself :D

@markvgarcia

Whered you grow up?

7 More Replies...

@stephanguinn7796

This is by far the best Death Cab For Cutie song ever written, Ben this is a 10/10

@everythingunderthesun2370

Walla actually wrote this one

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