Two Headed Boy
Jeff Mangum Lyrics

Two headed boy
The singer describes a boy with two heads, possibly a metaphor for feeling like an outsider or having two opposing emotions.

All floating in glass
The singer sees the boy as fragile and in need of protection, like he is floating in a jar.

The sun it has passed
The day is over and darkness has taken over.

Now it's blacker than black
The darkness is so deep that it's darker than usual.

I can hear as you tap on your jar
The artist is listening to the boy's movements, trying to understand how he feels.

I am listening to hear where you are
The singer wants to understand the boy's experiences and emotions.

Put on Sunday shoes
The boy is getting dressed up for an important occasion.

And dance round the room to accordion keys
The boy is dancing to the music of an accordion, possibly showing his carefree nature.

With the needle that sings in your heart
The boy is moved by music in his heart.

Catching signals that sound in the dark
The boy is listening to subtle or hidden messages in music or sound.

We will take off our clothes
The singer and the boy are taking off their clothes in an intimate and vulnerable moment.

And they'll be placing fingers through the notches in your spine
The artist is touching the boy's back, feeling for the spaces between his vertebrae, perhaps trying to find something unique or special about him.

And when all is breaking
Things are starting to fall apart or go wrong.

Everything that you could keep beside
The things that were previously close to the boy are now falling away.

Now your eyes ain't moving
The boy is still and unresponsive.

Now they just lay there in their climb
The boy's eyes are fixed on something unseen or unknown, like they are climbing towards something or someone.

With pulleys and weights
The boy is creating something, possibly using machinery and tools to build or experiment.

Creating a radio played just for two
The boy is making something specifically for himself and someone else to enjoy and share.

In the parlor with a moon across her face
The scene is set in a room with a mysterious or romantic atmosphere, suggesting an intimate moment.

And through the music he sweetly displays
The boy is expressing his emotions and feelings through his creation, possibly the radio he built.

Silver speakers that sparkle all day
The artists on the radio are precious and shine brightly.

Made for his lover who's floating and choking with her hands across her face
The radio is meant for someone the boy loves, who is struggling or feeling overwhelmed by emotions.

There is no reason to grieve
The singer is trying to comfort the boy, telling him not to feel sad or worried.

The world that you need is wrapped in gold silver sleeves
The boy will find what he needs in something special and valuable, like precious metals or spiritual enlightenment.

Left beneath Christmas trees in the snow
The thing the boy needs is waiting for him in a magical or symbolic place, like under a Christmas tree in the snow.

And I will take you and leave you alone
The singer promises to help the boy and then leave him again, perhaps to help him gain independence or learn on his own.

Watching spirals of white softly flow
The singer is observing something beautiful and peaceful, possibly snow or another natural phenomenon.

Over your eyelids and all you did
The boy is closing his eyes and resting, or perhaps dying, and the artist reflects on his life and accomplishments.

Will wait until the point when you let go
The things the boy did or accomplished will be remembered and celebrated until he passes away, suggesting a bittersweet ending.