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Cartogram Out of Phase
Kayo Dot Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

On top of the roof
I realized that there was no moon
Searching for it among the sprinkled stars
I gazed into the lights - reaching you (?)
From millions of years ago

See - see in the past
Outside the present
Outward within my room
The castle of monologues
The endless failures of trials (?)

The moon had disappeared
Because now the world is reversed
And my feet are on her land (?)
I'm out of the room of my mind
With a perfect shape of love
Filling the empty hole in my heart

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kayo Dot’s song “Cartogram Out of Phase” are a meditation on time and space. The song’s narrator begins by describing a moment when they are on a rooftop and look up to find no moon, only stars. The singer then wonders if they are able to reach someone through the stars, someone who lived millions of years ago. The image of the absent moon captures the sense of dislocation that runs throughout the song. The lyrics suggest that the absence of the moon has created a space between past and present, leaving the singer searching for something or someone just out of reach.


The second verse continues to explore the theme of dislocation. The singer describes being “outside the present” and stuck in “the castle of monologues”. The “endless failures of trials” suggest a kind of time loop, where the singer is repeating the same mistakes over and over again. However, there is a glimmer of hope in the final lines: “I’m out of the room of my mind / With a perfect shape of love / Filling the empty hole in my heart”. These lines suggest that the singer has broken free from their cycle of self-doubt and is filled with a sense of contentment.


Overall, Kayo Dot’s “Cartogram Out of Phase” is a hauntingly beautiful song that offers a unique perspective on time and space. The lyrics capture a sense of longing for something that may no longer exist, while also acknowledging the possibility of finding joy in the present moment.


Line by Line Meaning

On top of the roof
At an elevated position


I realized that there was no moon
Noticed the absence of the moon


Searching for it among the sprinkled stars
Looking through the scattered stars for the moon


I gazed into the lights - reaching you (?)
Staring into the lights and perhaps connecting with someone/something


From millions of years ago
A reference to the distance/time between current moment and past events


See - see in the past
A call to look into/reflect on past events


Outside the present
Not focused on the current moment


Outward within my room
Externally aware while being in a confined space


The castle of monologues
A place where one talks to oneself


The endless failures of trials (?)
Repeatedly trying and failing


The moon had disappeared
Further reference to the moon's absence


Because now the world is reversed
Implying a change or shift in the world's order


And my feet are on her land (?)
Being on or connected to the earth


I'm out of the room of my mind
Being mentally present in the current moment


With a perfect shape of love
With a feeling of love that is whole and complete


Filling the empty hole in my heart
Acting as a remedy to emotional pain or emptiness




Contributed by Nathaniel T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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