Longitudinal Centre
John K. Samson Lyrics


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This spring made winter an insulting opening offer down the passing lane
It's getting harder to negotiate, thawing out and icing up again
Past the Mint, where a circle of provincial flags are flagging in the front yard
I'm tired of trying to make us think that it hasn't always been so hard

The sky looks sea-sick on the boxcar sway
Where the Atlantic and Pacific are the very same far away
So the sun pulls me out a bit and lets me go, I'm a vacuum power cord
In the back of that van full of kids, cleaning carpets for the Lord
And I make a little list of sounds I found have comforted us in the past
The roar of the rumble strips and the Mennonite meter of the flood forecast

Oh, how the wind strums on those signs that say
The Atlantic and Pacific are the very same far away





Steer this boat around the slowplow spray
While the Atlantic and Pacific are the very same far away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in John K. Samson's song Longitudinal Centre depict the difficulty of navigating through life's challenges, particularly during a harsh winter. The opening line "This spring made winter an insulting opening offer down the passing lane" suggests that the winter season is not quite ready to let spring take over, and that the transition between the two seasons is full of obstacles. The next line "It's getting harder to negotiate, thawing out and icing up again" further implies the struggle to move forward and make progress.


The lyrics also touch on the feeling of weariness and the desire for something comforting to hold onto. "I'm tired of trying to make us think that it hasn't always been so hard" suggests a sense of exhaustion from trying to maintain a positive outlook in difficult situations. Later, the singer creates a list of comforting sounds that have helped in the past, such as "the roar of the rumble strips and the Mennonite meter of the flood forecast". These sounds provide a sense of familiarity and comfort in the face of uncertainty.


The repetition of the line "The Atlantic and Pacific are the very same far away" suggests a feeling of being disconnected and far from where the singer wants to be. The movement of the sky seen from a boxcar, and the struggle to steer a boat while avoiding slowplow sprays further evoke the sense of trying to navigate through life's challenges while feeling lost and disconnected.


Line by Line Meaning

This spring made winter an insulting opening offer down the passing lane
Spring arrived too late and just made winter feel longer


It's getting harder to negotiate, thawing out and icing up again
The weather is becoming unpredictable and difficult to deal with


Past the Mint, where a circle of provincial flags are flagging in the front yard
Describing the setting of the scene


I'm tired of trying to make us think that it hasn't always been so hard
I'm tired of pretending that life isn't always difficult


The sky looks sea-sick on the boxcar sway
The movement of the boxcar is making the sky look wavy


Where the Atlantic and Pacific are the very same far away
No matter where you go, the distance between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans is the same


So the sun pulls me out a bit and lets me go, I'm a vacuum power cord
The warmth of the sun is rejuvenating, like plugging in a vacuum cord


In the back of that van full of kids, cleaning carpets for the Lord
Describing the job he is doing


And I make a little list of sounds I found have comforted us in the past
Reflecting on things that have brought comfort in the past


The roar of the rumble strips and the Mennonite meter of the flood forecast
Specific examples of comforting sounds


Oh, how the wind strums on those signs that say
The wind creates a musical sound as it blows through the signs


The Atlantic and Pacific are the very same far away
Continuation of the idea that the distance between the two oceans is constant


Steer this boat around the slowplow spray
Navigating through difficult conditions


While the Atlantic and Pacific are the very same far away
Reminding the listener that the distance between the oceans remains constant throughout the journey




Contributed by Jake D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@gurumosh

Best song out of the album. Epic!

@jesuscasademont4340

Impresionante!!!!!!!!!

@vinylempire

@anarachism More specifically, this is an area called "The Interlake" near a place called Gimli.

@Cpt.Phenom

Dammit there should be a video for Letter in Icelandic...

@anarachism

awesome song! Where is the music video made?

@vinylempire

@anarachism Manitoba. Thats the theme of the album.

@fabrasham

Is that hockey guy Ted Harris?

@urfinalnightmare

different

@blastfiend

Alright we're in Manitoba and we have some money to shoot a music video, what do we need? Camera? check. Gas? check. Alright action!

@Trickoflight23

Flagging in the front yard.

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