they won a contest to record some stuff
Releases include full-length 'These are Good People' (2013), 'Tropical Jinx' (2014) on Run for Cover Records, and a 7" split with Ovlov.
TOKYO DRIFT
Little Big League Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh how black the pavement is
In all the neighborhoods there are left to live
Glaring lapses there have passed
The windows closed to the drafts and the vessels were snatched
Our bodies jointed and julienned in the sun
Clean shaven and pressed down to pleading pulp
Strung up absences pinned up as warnings of
On a tarpaulin in the weeds
They lay me down slow and so easy
They hum your hurting days are through
Even when I'm begging still to follow
In "Tokyo Drift," Little Big League delivers a powerfully cryptic and metaphor-laden song that speaks to themes of loss, decay, and the passage of time. One of the defining features of the song is its vivid imagery, with lines like "oh how black the pavement is" and "inside out now the clotheslines strum dumbly on" conjuring up intense images of a world that is slowly decaying and falling apart. The song's central narrative centers around the idea of bodies being "jointed and julienned in the sun," a metaphor for how time and the elements slowly wear away at us until we are no longer whole.
Throughout the song, Little Big League uses a range of symbolic gestures to evoke feelings of sadness and melancholy. For example, the image of clotheslines swaying in the wind becomes a symbol of the absence and loss that the song's protagonist feels, while the repeated refrain of "they hum your hurting days are through" underscores the idea that our struggles and pain will one day come to an end.
Ultimately, "Tokyo Drift" is a haunting and meditative song that speaks to the transience of life and the inevitability of decay. Through its evocative imagery and powerful storytelling, it paints a portrait of a world that is slowly falling apart, and the emotions that arise in the face of such a reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh how black the pavement is
The singer is noticing the stark darkness of the pavement, which could indicate the lack of light or hope in their surroundings.
In all the neighborhoods there are left to live
The singer seems to feel stuck in their current environment, with no other options for places to live.
Glaring lapses there have passed
Something important or significant was missed or overlooked, and it's now causing the singer distress.
The windows closed to the drafts and the vessels were snatched
The artist may feel trapped or isolated by the people around them, as they use their resources selfishly and offer nothing to help ease others' discomfort.
Our bodies jointed and julienned in the sun
The heat and light of the sun are making the artist feel exposed or vulnerable, especially in a physical sense.
Clean shaven and pressed down to pleading pulp
The singer may feel powerless or desperate, as they use language that implies submission or defeat.
Inside out now the clotheslines strum dumbly on
The clothing hanging on the clotheslines is being played like a musical instrument, making a strange and eerie sound. This could symbolize something unsettling happening in the singer's environment.
Strung up absences pinned up as warnings of
The artist is noticing people or things that are absent, and feels that their disappearance is a warning of some kind. This could signal an impending danger or harm.
On a tarpaulin in the weeds
The artist is describing a location that is typically associated with dirt or messiness, and may be using this image to symbolize their own feelings of confusion or chaos.
They lay me down slow and so easy
The artist may feel that something terrible has happened to them, and they are being placed in a position that is meant to be comforting, but instead feels unbearable.
They hum your hurting days are through
There may be people or voices around the singer that are offering hope or reassurance that things will get better.
Even when I'm begging still to follow
The artist's desire to keep following a certain path despite the advice or warnings of others is preventing them from moving on or growing in a new direction.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Michelle Chongmi Zauner, Kevin O'Halloran, Deven Patrick Craige, Ian Dykstra
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
2whorls
so good, one of my favorites on the album