Introducing Title and Registration
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics

The glove compartment is inaccurately named
This line refers to the fact that the glove compartment in the car is not actually meant to keep gloves but is named as such. It is symbolic of how things can be misleading in life, and how sometimes we have to make changes to fix things that are not working properly.

And everybody knows it
The singer suggests that this is a widely accepted fact, which emphasizes the need for change.

So I'm proposing a swift orderly change
The singer is advocating for swift and efficient action to fix the problem.

'Cause behind its door, there's nothing to keep my fingers warm
The artist is using the lack of warmth in the glove compartment as a metaphor for the coldness in their relationship. It highlights how something seemingly small can represent a much bigger issue.

And all I find are souvenirs from better times
When the artist opens the glove compartment, they find reminders of happier times in their relationship. This suggests that the relationship has changed and that things are not as good as they once were.

Before the gleam of your taillights fading east
This line refers to a moment when the singer's partner left, driving away into the distance. The use of the word 'gleam' suggests a sense of hope or promise, which is now fading away.

To find yourself a better life
The partner is leaving in search of something better, which reflects how their relationship has deteriorated to the point where they can no longer be happy together.

I was searching for some legal document
This line suggests that the artist was searching for something important, which could have legal consequences. This adds further weight to the idea that the relationship has fallen apart and that there may be serious consequences as a result.

As the rain beat down on the hood
This line adds to the sense of sadness and despair in the song, with the artist feeling helpless as the rain pours down around them.

When I stumbled upon pictures I tried to forget
The artist is reminded of happier times in their relationship when they come across old pictures. However, these memories are painful because they highlight how things have changed for the worse.

And that's how this idea was drilled into my head
The discovery of the pictures leads to the singer's realization that something needs to change in order for the relationship to work.

'Cause it's too important to stay the way it's been
This line reinforces the idea that change is necessary, as the relationship is too important to let it continue in its current state.

But there's no blame for how our love did slowly fade
The singer does not want to blame anyone for the end of the relationship, recognizing that it was a gradual process.

And now that it's gone, it's like it wasn't there at all
The relationship has ended, and it feels like it never really existed in the first place. This further emphasizes the sadness and loneliness felt by the singer.

And here I rest where disappointment and regret collide
The singer is stuck in a place of disappointment and regret, unable to move on from the broken relationship.

Lying awake at night
This line represents the artist's inability to sleep, as they are consumed by their thoughts and feelings about the relationship.

And there's no blame for how our love did slowly fade
This line repeats the idea that the end of the relationship is not the fault of anyone involved.

And now that it's gone, it's like it wasn't there at all
This line is repeated to emphasize the idea that the relationship has truly ended and that it was not as meaningful as the singer once thought.

And here I rest where disappointment and regret collide
The repetition of this line emphasizes the singer's sense of being stuck in their feelings of disappointment and regret, unable to move forward.

Lying awake at night, up all night
This repetition of the phrase 'lying awake at night' emphasizes the artist's insomnia, which is symptomatic of their inability to come to terms with the end of their relationship.