On 26 September 2006, Haines released the album Knives Don't Have Your Back on Last Gang Records. The album was written and recorded in Los Angeles, Montreal, Toronto, and New York over the previous four years, and features contributors including Sparklehorse's Scott Minor, Broken Social Scene's Justin Peroff, Stars' Evan Cranley, and Metric's Jimmy Shaw.
Though it took Haines four years to complete the album, the singer says she'd been plotting this for years. "When I was a little kid," she said in a statement, "I would creep downstairs to the piano and write rudimentary songs about imaginary places. I'm told the first song I ever wrote was a love song to a cranberry tree. I always used the mute pedal. I hated the idea of anybody hearing me.
"Everywhere I've lived while working with Metric, I've written songs on the piano and played them for no one," she continued. "On the advice of a friend, I decided I'd better start recording them before they were forgotten."
Among those songs are a track that was written while Haines was studying electroacoustics in Montreal while some were recorded in Toronto, Canada in the winter of 2002, shortly after the death of Haines' father.
Official site: http://www.emilyhaines.com
Statuette
Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Another jewel in your crown
Another notch in your belt
You're the captain at the helm
The statuette on your shelf
Says you're better than me
Better than me
All the water and the oil
You can buy any girl in the world
With the soil that you borrow
And the moral you deny
You can buy the eyes of the world
With all the coal in the core
All the water and the oil
You can buy any girl in the world
With the soil that you borrow
And the moral you deny
You can buy the eyes of the world
Better than me (you're better than me)
Better than me (you're better than me)
Better than me (you're better than me)
Like oil in the ocean
I couldn't keep to myself
Your father was a merchant
And i'm a salesman myself
See what we have in common
Is so easy to find
We're wound around each other
Like wires and vines
Wires and vines
Build a shrine to fast goodbyes
And we played sweet adeline
Who should you apologize to?
What is there to say?
Build a shrine to fast goodbyes
And we played sweet adeline
There's nothing more to apologize for
What is there to say?
With all the coal in the core
All the water and the oil
You can buy any girl in the world
With the soil that you borrow
And the moral you deny
You can buy the eyes of the world
With all the coal in the core
All the water and the oil
You can buy any girl in the world
With the soil that you borrow
And the moral you deny
You can buy the eyes of the world
Better than me (you're better than me, you're better than me, you're better than me)
Better than me (you're better than me, you're better than me, you're better than me)
Better than me (you're better than me, you're better than me, you're better than me)
Better than me (you're better than me, you're better than me, you're better than me)
In "Statuette," Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton use evocative imagery to convey a sense of envy and bitterness towards someone who seems to have achieved more success and admiration than the singer. The opening lines paint a picture of someone who has accomplished a lot and is proudly displaying their achievements, with "another jewel in your crown" and "another notch in your belt." The "statuette on your shelf" reinforces this image of a person who is constantly receiving accolades and recognition. The repeated refrain of "better than me" highlights the singer's feelings of inferiority and resentment towards this person.
The second verse shifts the focus to the idea that money and power can buy anything, including love and admiration. The lines "you can buy any girl in the world / with the soil that you borrow / and the moral you deny / you can buy the eyes of the world" suggest that this person has used their resources to manipulate people's perception of them. The singer feels powerless in comparison, unable to compete with the wealth and influence that the other person possesses.
The final verse suggests that the singer and the person they are comparing themselves to have some kind of shared history or connection, possibly as former lovers or colleagues. The lines "we're wound around each other / like wires and vines" convey a sense of entanglement and co-dependency, as well as a reluctance to let go of the past. The repeated refrain of "what is there to say?" suggests that the singer has reached a point of resignation or acceptance towards this person's superiority.
Line by Line Meaning
With a feather in your cap
You have achieved something noteworthy
Another jewel in your crown
Another achievement to add to your list
Another notch in your belt
Another accomplishment to your credit
You're the captain at the helm
You are in control of your life
The statuette on your shelf
A physical representation of your accomplishment
Says you're better than me
You believe yourself to be superior to others
With all the coal in the core
You have access to all the resources you need
All the water and the oil
You have an abundance of resources
You can buy any girl in the world
You can use your resources to attract anyone you desire
With the soil that you borrow
You take from others to enrich yourself
And the moral you deny
You don't care about the consequences of your actions
You can buy the eyes of the world
You can use your resources to manipulate public opinion
Like oil in the ocean
I couldn't keep my thoughts to myself
I couldn't keep to myself
I had to express my thoughts and feelings
Your father was a merchant
You come from a privileged background
And I'm a salesman myself
I also have ambition and the desire to succeed
See what we have in common
We share traits and qualities
Is so easy to find
Our similarities are obvious
We're wound around each other
Our lives and ambitions are intertwined
Like wires and vines
Our connection is both strong and fragile
Build a shrine to fast goodbyes
Our relationship is fleeting and impermanent
And we played sweet Adeline
We were together, but it wasn't meant to last
There's nothing more to apologize for
We have no more regrets or apologies to exchange
What is there to say?
There is nothing left unsaid or worth mentioning
Better than me
You believe yourself to be superior to others
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Emily Haines
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cam
With a feather in your cap
Another jewel in your crown
Another notch in your belt
You're the captain at the helm
The statuette on your shelf
Says you're better than me
Oh
Better than me
Oh
With all the coal in the core
All the water and the oil
You can buy any girl in the world
With the soil that you borrow
And the moral you deny
You can buy the eyes of the world
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Oh
Oh
Like oil in the ocean
I couldn't keep to myself
Your father was a merchant
And I'm a salesman myself
See what we have in common
Is so easy to find
We're wound around each other
Like wires and vines
Wires and vines
Build a shrine to fast goodbyes
And we played Sweet Adeline
Who should you apologize to?
What is there to say?
Build a shrine to fast goodbyes
And we played Sweet Adeline
There's nothing more to apologize for
What is there to say?
With all the coal in the core
All the water and the oil
You can buy any girl in the world
With the soil that you borrow
And the moral you deny
You can buy the eyes of the world
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Oh
Oh
Cory S.
Emily, we love you, keep singing!!!! brilliant song and album ,Cory
Allen r
I love this song and all you do Emily. Thank you for making this often horrid world, better.
Cam
With a feather in your cap
Another jewel in your crown
Another notch in your belt
You're the captain at the helm
The statuette on your shelf
Says you're better than me
Oh
Better than me
Oh
With all the coal in the core
All the water and the oil
You can buy any girl in the world
With the soil that you borrow
And the moral you deny
You can buy the eyes of the world
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Oh
Oh
Like oil in the ocean
I couldn't keep to myself
Your father was a merchant
And I'm a salesman myself
See what we have in common
Is so easy to find
We're wound around each other
Like wires and vines
Wires and vines
Build a shrine to fast goodbyes
And we played Sweet Adeline
Who should you apologize to?
What is there to say?
Build a shrine to fast goodbyes
And we played Sweet Adeline
There's nothing more to apologize for
What is there to say?
With all the coal in the core
All the water and the oil
You can buy any girl in the world
With the soil that you borrow
And the moral you deny
You can buy the eyes of the world
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Better than me (you're better than me)
Oh
Oh
Oh
Kenny Lyda
I believe that I've listened to this everyday for a year so hypnotic
Joshua Stephens
Same
Nicolas Arias
haha me too
RottenBananaStudio
I love this, magical and floats in between happy and sad but expresses so much. So deep visually, sonically and emotionally, much love xx
Amanda Coder
Had no idea new material was released. Love it!
Kanny Sindulfo
Emily and the samba. Fantastic!!
Rachana Singh
Beautiful lyrics and sweet, soothing voice.. my favourite one. Words and voice dominate the song, have so much depth and meaning to them. Loved it ❤