The band first experienced chart success when their second single "Take Me Out" reached #3 in the UK Charts, followed by their debut album Franz Ferdinand which entered the UK album chart at #3. The band went on to win the 2004 Mercury Music Prize and two BRIT Awards in 2005 for Best British Group and Best British Rock Act. NME named Franz Ferdinand as their Album of the Year. From the album, three top-ten singles were released, "Take Me Out", "The Dark of the Matinée" and "This Fire". The band has also received several Grammy Award nominations.
The band is named after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria whose assassination was one of the main reasons for the start of the First World War. The band decided on the name after seeing a racehorse named Archduke Ferdinand win the Northumberland Plate in 2001, eventually coming to the decision as the alliteration and sound of the name appealed to them.
- Discography
Franz Ferdinand (2004)
You Could Have It So Much Better (2005)
Blood; Franz Ferdinand (2009)
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (2009)
Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (2013)
FFS (2015) (Collaborative album with the band Sparks)
Always Ascending (2018)
Hits to the Head (2022)
Paper Cages
Franz Ferdinand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Step out, of our paper cages
Step out, step out of our cages
Out of our cages, out of our cages
Step out
I like the look of your place
Yes, I love your construction
From the soap in your kitchen?
To turn in a lock
Of your own penal fiction
You're so vivid and free in your imagination
Well we'll never be free
If our incarceration
Is a story we tell
A tale of invention
Is it personal choice
Personal conviction
Or are you living like me in paper cages?
Step out, step out of our cages
Step out, of our paper cages
Step out, step out of our cages
We're living our lives in paper cages
Step out
When you took on your bid
Did you make up your number?
Did you walk like a punk
To the screws at your counter?
Did you say you can't win
When you are the system
That contains in paper cages?
Step out, step out of our cages
Step out, of our paper cages
Step out, step out of our cages
We're living our lives in paper cages
Step out
Come on!
(Step out!)
Living our lives in paper cages
Living our lives in paper cages
Living our lives in paper cages
Step out
Step out, step out of our cages
Step out, of our paper cages
Step out, step out of our cages
We're living our lives in paper cages
Step out
The lyrics to Franz Ferdinand's song "Paper Cages" convey a message about breaking free from societal constraints and the limitations that we impose upon ourselves. The repeated refrain of "step out, step out of our cages" serves as a call to action, urging listeners to liberate themselves from the figurative cages they find themselves in.
The song begins with an observation about someone's living space, expressing admiration for its construction. The mention of carving a key from soap implies resourcefulness and a desire for freedom. The lyrics go on to question whether the sense of imprisonment is self-imposed or influenced by external factors. The line "Is it personal choice, personal conviction, or are you living like me in paper cages?" highlights the theme of personal agency and how our own beliefs and choices can shape our perception of freedom.
The second verse references being incarcerated and the possibility of fabricating a number to define one's time served. The mention of walking like a punk to the prison guards suggests defiance in the face of the system that confines individuals. However, the lyrics also acknowledge the irony that the system itself is constructed by humanity. The song ultimately encourages listeners to reject the narrative of confinement and embrace a life free from perceived limitations.
Line by Line Meaning
Step out, step out of our cages
Break free from the constraints and limitations that hold us back
Step out, of our paper cages
Escape the artificial and restrictive environments we find ourselves in
Out of our cages, out of our cages
Emphasizing the need to break free from our confinement
Step out
Take action and liberate ourselves
I like the look of your place
Admiring someone's unique living situation and choices
Yes, I love your construction
Appreciating the creativity and individuality in someone's chosen lifestyle
Did you carve a wee key
Did you create a small tool or solution for unlocking your own freedom
From the soap in your kitchen?
Using everyday resources and ingenuity to overcome obstacles
To turn in a lock
To unlock and escape from a confinement
Of your own penal fiction
Referring to the self-imposed restrictions and limitations in our lives
You're so vivid and free in your imagination
Appreciating someone's ability to dream and envision a life outside of their current circumstances
Well we'll never be free
If we continue to be bound and controlled
If our incarceration
If the state of being imprisoned or restrained
Is a story we tell
If we continue to believe and adhere to the narrative of our confinement
A tale of invention
A fictional narrative we create in our minds
Is it personal choice
Is our situation a result of our own decisions
Personal conviction
Or is it because of our strong belief system
Or are you living like me in paper cages?
Questioning if others are also trapped in similar artificial environments
When you took on your bid
When you accepted your sentence or commitment
Did you make up your number?
Did you invent or fabricate the extent of your restriction
Did you walk like a punk
Did you rebel or defy the authorities
To the screws at your counter?
To the guards or officials at their station
Did you say you can't win
Did you express hopelessness or defeat
When you are the system
When you are actually part of the oppressive system
That contains in paper cages?
That holds individuals captive using these artificial constraints
Living our lives in paper cages
Describing the reality of being trapped in inauthentic and confining environments
Come on!
Encouraging people to take action and break free
(Step out!)
Reiterating the need to step out of these paper cages
Living our lives in paper cages
Continuing to emphasize the confinement and limitations experienced
Step out
Reiterating the call to take action and liberate ourselves
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alexander Paul Kapranos Huntley, Julian Victor Corrie, Paul Robert Thomson, Robert Hardy, Samuel Potter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind