At some point I went to college in Philadelphia, did some music there (I was in an a cappella group called Off the Beat – yes, I know it’s a terrible name – and a killing rock band called Thriphtway named after a grocery store), and started writing songs in earnest while majoring in music composition (even took a class in Debussy and Bartok with George Crumb – only modern music dorks will know who that is). One song from a little production deal I had with Ruff House Records (think Digable Planets) in Philly wound up on my first album, Careen.
I moved to Los Angeles ‘cuz I didn’t really know where else you could make a living as a musician, and soon found myself working as a composer’s assistant and writing my songs in off hours. Made my first album during these off hours, and started playing shows and being a musician for real, kinda late by most people’s standards.
I’ve done a bunch of music industry stuff that people generally like to enumerate in their bios – far be it from me to break tradition. I won the Overall Grand Prize for the USA Songwriting Competition, I was a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition, got 2nd prize in the Just Plain Folks awards, & I’ve been one of Music Connection’s top 100 unsigned artists a couple years running. Lots of my songs have been on TV and in movies, some quality, some not so quality (you decide which is which) – Arrested Development, Office Space, Ghost Ship, Road Rules, Real World, Sleepover, The Hills, What About Brian, lots more. I ran down the aisles at the Oscars singing with Ellen. The Diamond Wink tour took me all over Europe opening for Alanis Morisette, and I’ve supported Jamie Cullum & Glenn Tillbrook (Squeeze) touring here in the U.S. Oh, and I opened for the Stones (yup, the Rolling ones) on the road with Tim Burgess in the UK, and I’ve played at lots of music festivals (SXSW, CMJ, V Festival in England). This year I sang on the Oscars, which was a riot. I also write score for video games and TV shows and produce other artists as well (Sara Bareilles’ Careful Confessions and Naimee Coleman’s new stuff, of late).
So I just came out with my Tall Buildings, my 4th full length album. Linus of Hollywood (The Charlatans, Puff Daddy, OPM) produced it, Dave Trumfio (Wilco, OK Go, Rilo Kiley) mixed it, and my usual band of lunatics played it – Adam Marcello on drums, Carson Cohen on bass, and Steve Mazur on guitar. Come see us play music – you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, it’s a riot."
Gabriel Mann's "My Little Box" was a part of "Ghost Ship"'s Soundtrack.
My Little Box
Gabriel Mann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I live save inside my cell
In the darkness that surrounds me
I see my own special hell
Comfort in my suffering
Feeling warm inside this pain
Before I was coming down on me
I come on down again
I let you win, you come on to me
And you're so fucking brave
A chewed out lighten candle
Fell in my cool and empty cave
Somewhere in your world
They tell you this is what the people need
Doing all that shit on me
And leave me here to bleed
Cradle falls
(I live save inside my cell)
(In the darkness that surrounds me)
Unholy walls
Cradle falls, unholy walls
Cradle falls
Silent in my sanity
I live save inside my cell
In the darkness that surrounds me
I see my own special hell
Comfort in my suffering
Feeling warm inside this pain
Before I was coming down on me
I come on down again
You woke me out of my secret grave
You let your pretty world in
Cradle falls
(I live silently inside my cell)
(You woke me out of my sin)
Unholy walls
(You woke me out of my secret grave)
(You let your pretty world in)
Fall...
Now you're in my world
Did you dream it be so small
My little box was perfect
'Till you destroyed it all
My sanctity of sorrow gone
Forever in it's place
The Saccharin sweet of you
Is all that's left to taste
Feeling claustrophobic
Now my world is closing in
Subtle retribution
Where I am and where I've been
I'll take you to a place
You never knew could be
Curled up, in my little box
Cradle falls
The lyrics to Gabriel Mann's song, My Little Box, describe a person who is living inside their own mind, trapped in their own thoughts and suffering. The metaphor of a little box is used to represent this person's self-imposed isolation. The person is silent in their own sanity, living in the safety of their cell. They find comfort in their suffering, feeling warm inside this pain. The darkness that surrounds them is their own special hell. Before, they were coming down on themselves, but now they come down again.
The person is confronted by someone who comes onto them, and they feel like a chewed-out candle that has fallen in their cool and empty cave. They feel like someone is doing all that shit on them and leaving them there to bleed. The cradle falls and the unholy walls come crashing down. The person is jolted out of their secret grave by this new person who has let their pretty world in. The song ends with the person feeling claustrophobic because their little box is gone and replaced with a saccharin sweet taste of the new person.
The lyrics of My Little Box are a powerful message about the dangers of self-isolation and the importance of allowing others into our lives. The metaphor of the little box is a poignant one that highlights the negative consequences of withdrawing from society and the world around us. It is important to be open to new experiences and to let people in, even if it means leaving our comfort zones behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Silent in my sanity
I am quiet and calm, living within my own mind
I live save inside my cell
I feel secure and protected within my own thoughts
In the darkness that surrounds me
Despite being in a dark place, I am at peace within myself
I see my own special hell
I am aware of my own pain and suffering that is unique to me
Comfort in my suffering
I find solace and contentment within my own pain
Feeling warm inside this pain
I experience a sense of warmth and familiarity within my own suffering
Before I was coming down on me
Before I became overwhelmed with my own struggles
I come on down again
I have returned to this state of inner turmoil
I let you win, you come on to me
I allowed someone else to have power over me and they took advantage of it
And you're so fucking brave
The person who took advantage of me displayed courage in doing so
A chewed out lighten candle
I am worn out and used up like a burnt-down candle
Fell in my cool and empty cave
I am left feeling alone and empty
Somewhere in your world
In the other person's reality or perspective
They tell you this is what the people need
The other person is told that taking advantage of others is justified or necessary
Doing all that shit on me
The consequences of their actions are falling solely on me
And leave me here to bleed
They have hurt me and left me to suffer the consequences
Cradle falls
The once steady foundation of my life has crumbled
Unholy walls
I feel trapped and confined, unable to escape my situation
You woke me out of my secret grave
The other person brought me out of my isolation and into their world
You let your pretty world in
They brought their world view into mine, disrupting my way of life
Now you're in my world
The other person is now a part of my life
Did you dream it be so small
The other person is surprised by how limited my life has become
My little box was perfect
My isolated life was exactly what I needed, until it was disrupted
Till you destroyed it all
The other person ruined my sense of peace and security
My sanctity of sorrow gone
My safe space for dealing with my own struggles is gone
Forever in its place
The other person has left a permanent impact on my life
The Saccharin sweet of you
The other person's fake kindness is all that remains
Is all that's left to taste
I am left with disappointment and feelings of betrayal
Feeling claustrophobic
I am suffocating in my new reality
Now my world is closing in
The walls are closing in around me, limiting my options
Subtle retribution
I am getting back at the other person in small ways, without them noticing
Where I am and where I've been
Reflecting on how I got to this point
I'll take you to a place
I want to return the other person to the pain they caused me
You never knew could be
I will do so in a way they never expected
Curled up, in my little box
I am returning to my isolated state, but with a sense of determination and revenge
Contributed by Dylan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.