Ticket
Howard Devoto and Luxuria Lyrics
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Nonsensically sublime
This hammy Armageddon
Turns out to be yours and mine
Your face is just the ticket to everything
I ever wanted to see
Your face is just the ticket to everything
Sweet subtle nothing
Flower of my will
Your physical beauty
Is making me physically ill
I turn up again
Fantastically resplendent
They pack them in to the hilt
Funny thing is
The theatre hasn't even been built
I was up to absolute beauty
Playing it by my own book
Where there's no justice
In matters of beauty
It's stupid to even look
But I held on to my ticket
I'd sit in front of it and stare
Have pity on me
I've still got it somewhere
The lyrics of Ticket by Howard Devoto and Luxuria center around beauty and its paradoxical nature. In the opening lines, the singer describes a "brutal bimbo beauty" that is "nonsensically sublime." This contrast highlights the complex and elusive nature of beauty - it can be both harsh and alluring, senseless and transcendent. The next lines seem to suggest that this beauty is like a theatrical performance of the end of the world, with the singer and the object of their admiration united in their experience of it.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Your face is just the ticket to everything" twice, with a slight variation in the second line. This repetition emphasizes the centrality of beauty to the singer: it is the ticket to everything they want to see or be. The next verse describes the singer becoming physically ill from the beauty they behold, suggesting that beauty can be overwhelming and even destructive. The final lines of the song suggest that the singer has held onto their ticket - their fascination with beauty - even though it brings them pain or pity.
Overall, Ticket is a meditation on the power and vulnerability that comes with an appreciation of beauty. The song invites the listener to consider the ways in which beauty can captivate and perplex us, and to question what it is that we truly desire when we seek it out.
Line by Line Meaning
Brutal bimbo beauty
A paradoxical, stunningly beautiful woman who may not be intellectually sound.
Nonsensically sublime
Something that does not make sense, but is still ultimately beautiful and impressive.
This hammy Armageddon
A dramatic event, possibly exaggerated or presented in a theatrical or overly dramatic way.
Turns out to be yours and mine
This event affects us both, whether we realize it or not.
Your face is just the ticket to everything
Your face is the gateway to all of my desires.
I ever wanted to see
Every visual desire that I have ever had is fulfilled when I look at your face.
I was ever required to be
Your face is also the key to who I should be or aspire to be.
Sweet subtle nothing
Something that is not overt but still has beauty or value.
Flower of my will
You are a symbol of my own desires and aspirations.
Your physical beauty
The outward appearance of your beauty, rather than any internal qualities.
Is making me physically ill
Your beauty is so overwhelming that it is affecting me on a physical level.
I turn up again
I return for another viewing or experience.
Fantastically resplendent
A glorious and impressive display.
They pack them in to the hilt
The space is filled to full capacity.
Funny thing is
Ironically or unexpectedly.
The theatre hasn't even been built
Despite the enormous success, the physical space for the performance does not yet exist.
I was up to absolute beauty
I was fully immersed in the concept and pursuit of beauty.
Playing it by my own book
I was following my own guidelines or standards for beauty.
Where there's no justice
Beauty is subjective and cannot be objectively defined or measured.
In matters of beauty
Beauty is such a complex and personal concept that it cannot be easily judged or understood.
It's stupid to even look
Trying to understand all aspects of beauty is futile or impossible.
But I held on to my ticket
I continue to hold onto my personal desire for beauty.
I'd sit in front of it and stare
I would contemplate or admire what I perceive as beauty.
Have pity on me
I crave sympathy or understanding for my obsession with beauty.
I've still got it somewhere
I still possess or hold onto the idea or desire for beauty.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HOWARD DEVOTO, NORMAN FISHER-JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind