There are no real palm trees in Toronto, but the city is seeing an uptick in tiki bars—the sort of bamboo-lined spaces with enough beach-scene murals and evergreen faux-fronds to make you think you’ve stepped into a Tahitian resort (at least after you’ve downed four flaming mai tais). But while scuzz-covered Toronto rockers Fake Palms hardly seem like the types to be strategically capitalizing on boutique cocktail trends, band founder Michael le Riche seems well familiar with the sensation of being caught between the world in which he exists and the one he wishes to inhabit.
Le Riche represents a bridge between divergent Toronto indie rock narratives. His former band, the Darcys, were signed to Broken Social Scene’s Arts & Crafts imprint, and, prior to a lineup shake-up last year that’s cast the group’s future in doubt, were being groomed as the label’s next-gen art-rock lynchpins. But with his new full-time concern, le Riche takes a detour down the burning-embered trail blazed by local art-punk heroes Metz to join the freak scene at Buzz Records, whose name is as reflective of the label’s rising profile as its raucous roster’s overheated amplifiers.
Biography by Stuart Berman
Visions
Fake Palms Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rejecting all the ways you never felt in demand
A feeling I have inside that maybe I’m in decline
Or maybe, yeah just maybe you put me in a bind
A common desire
You sell it together
The weight of the weather
Yeah was it all in the past and are you sure it’ll last
Because I’ve been reeling since you came out here last
It wasn’t front of my mind, but they say all in due time
A little bit of everything that’s stopping me blind
It’s under the wire
The feeling you fought for
Some false combination
Of linear measures
I’ll be your reflection you can rest, are you just a vision
I’ll be your reflection you can rest, are you just a vision
Are you just a vision of man
Are you just a vision of man
Are you just a vision
So sell me all of your stride made up and all in due time
This town you claim allegiance to has been redefined
Connections left to be tamed, a lesson that never takes
Rejected for the hell of it your name fell away
To find the illusion
I’ve been all but blinded
Some late execution
Hung up by a wire
I’ll be your reflection you can rest, are you just a vision
I’ll be your reflection you can rest, are you just a vision
Are you just a vision of man
Are you just a vision of man
Are you just a vision
I’ll never figure it out just what you were on about
Kept claiming through the night I never said it aloud
Wished it’d remain all the same but I’m just left in a haze
The puzzle pieces I smashed together put on display
The puzzle pieces I smashed together put on display
The puzzle pieces I smashed together put on display
These lyrics convey a sense of confusion, questioning, and uncertainty within a relationship. The singer is reflecting on a past experience where they feel manipulated or deceived by someone. The opening lines suggest that the person had a plan, and the singer played a role in it, perhaps unknowingly. They feel unappreciated and ignored, leading to a declining feeling within themselves.
The singer expresses their need for validation and connection. They admit to still desiring something from this person, even though it may be unhealthy. The line "The weight of the weather" suggests that they still need the intensity of the emotional storms this person brings.
In the following verses, the singer wonders if this person's actions and presence in their life are just temporary. They feel unsettled and in a vulnerable state since the last encounter. They mention being blinded, indicating they are unable to see the truth clearly due to this person's influence. They also mention a "false combination of linear measures," which could imply the person's behavior is inconsistent or misleading.
The singer then moves on to assert themselves and reclaim their own identity. They reject the person's influence and any allegiance they may have had to them. They acknowledge the connections that need to be controlled or tamed and learn from the experience. The rejection of the person and their name suggests a cutting of ties and an intentional distancing from their influence.
In the final stanza, the singer admits their confusion and inability to comprehend what the other person was trying to communicate. They highlight the frequent claims made by the person throughout the night but never expressed aloud. They express a longing for things to remain the same but are left in a hazy state. The reference to puzzle pieces suggests that the singer attempted to put together the fragments of the relationship but is now left with the broken pieces on display, symbolizing the failure of their efforts.
Line by Line Meaning
So was it all in your plan, another day in a trance
Were your actions intentional or were you just going through the motions?
Rejecting all the ways you never felt in demand
You denied any methods that made you feel unworthy
A feeling I have inside that maybe I’m in decline
I sense a deteriorating state within myself
Or maybe, yeah just maybe you put me in a bind
Perhaps, it's possible that you trapped me
A common desire
A mutual longing
You sell it together
You present it as a united front
But I still require
However, I still need
The weight of the weather
The impact of external circumstances
Yeah was it all in the past and are you sure it’ll last
Were those experiences in the past and will they endure?
Because I’ve been reeling since you came out here last
Since you last appeared, I've been struggling to cope
It wasn’t front of my mind, but they say all in due time
It wasn't my primary concern, but they claim everything will become clear eventually
A little bit of everything that’s stopping me blind
Various factors are hindering my understanding
It’s under the wire
It's approaching the deadline
The feeling you fought for
The emotion you struggled to attain
Some false combination
An incorrect mixture
Of linear measures
Using straight measurements
I’ll be your reflection you can rest, are you just a vision
I'll mirror you and provide comfort, are you merely a figment?
Are you just a vision of man
Are you simply an imaginary representation of a person?
So sell me all of your stride made up and all in due time
Convince me of your confidence, fabricated yet to come
This town you claim allegiance to has been redefined
The place you profess loyalty to has been changed
Connections left to be tamed, a lesson that never takes
Uncontrolled relationships, an unlearned lesson
Rejected for the hell of it your name fell away
You were dismissed without reason, your reputation faded
To find the illusion
To discover the falsehood
I’ve been all but blinded
I've been nearly completely unable to see
Some late execution
A delayed realization
Hung up by a wire
Trapped or suspended by a precarious situation
I’ll never figure it out just what you were on about
I'll never understand your intentions or motives
Kept claiming through the night I never said it aloud
Throughout the night, you insisted I never expressed it verbally
Wished it’d remain all the same but I’m just left in a haze
I hoped things would stay unchanged, but I'm now confused and disoriented
The puzzle pieces I smashed together put on display
The components I forcefully combined are now exhibited
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Michael le Riche
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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