The Faster Songfacts says that his seventh studio album, Modern Love debuted on #17 on the Billboard 200 for the week of July 9, 2011, making it Nathanson's most successful album to date.
The members of his band have changed over the past years. Among others, he has been accompanied by Aben Eubanks on guitar, keys and vocals, but later replaced by Aaron Tap. John Thomasson has been his bassist since 2004. Jason McKenzie was on drums until Fall 2006; Nick Amoroso on two tours from Fall 2007 through Winter 2008. His current drummer is Konrad Meissner. Before 2005, Nathanson was often accompanied by cellist Matt Fish.
Pigeons
Matt Nathanson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
bowie in the kitchen
pigeons on your balcony
beautiful and barefoot
said you never show your bruises
i was hoping that you might show me
i'd been living in a lifeboat
dizzy on the ocean
a servant at the temple
a hail mary from a drowning man
and it felt romantic to learn a new language desperate & damaged and aching to be yeah you came on like the queen of chaos like some unsolvable mystery
your daddy made a living selling jesus & the manger salvation in the land of sin
and every time that you got me in a vulnerable position
well you told me that i looked like him
and it felt electric to have your attention
full surrender to your gravity
yeah, you came on like the queen of chaos
a child who only could ever play make-believe
and you're never gonna let
anybody stand beside you
you just sell em what they wanna hear
cause you're good at telling stories and talking revolution
and using people
'til they disappear
a goddess when you get what you wanted and when you don't my love, you're mean yeah, you came on like the queen of chaos but i never met anybody less free
anybody less free
The lyrics to Matt Nathanson's song "Pigeons" explores a tumultuous relationship with a complex and enigmatic person. The imagery of the first verse sets the stage, describing the person in a black dress, reminiscent of David Bowie in the kitchen. The mention of pigeons on the balcony adds to the atmosphere of a vibrant, urban environment. The person is presented as beautiful and barefoot, creating a sense of freedom and vulnerability. They reveal a reluctance to show their emotional wounds through the line, "said you never show your bruises," and the singer hopes they will open up to him.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's own struggles before encountering this person. They describe feeling adrift in life, like being on a lifeboat in the vast ocean, with no solid ground in sight. However, they "washed up on your doorstep," implying that meeting this person provided a sense of refuge and purpose. The singer uses religious imagery, referring to themselves as a "servant at the temple" and seeking salvation from this drowning feeling. Learning a new language is described as a romantic endeavor, suggesting that they are willing to adapt and change for this person.
Moving into the chorus, the person is compared to a "queen of chaos" and an "unsolvable mystery." This person seems to have a certain allure and charm, while also being difficult to understand or predict. Their background is revealed, with their father being depicted as someone who made a living selling religion and salvation. There is a power dynamic at play, with the person having the ability to manipulate and control the singer by making comparisons to a person from the singer's vulnerable past. The attention and connection shared feel electric, drawing the singer in.
The third verse describes the person's manipulative tendencies and their ability to use others for their own benefit. They are portrayed as someone who only lets others see what they want them to see, effectively telling stories and creating narratives. There is a sense of cynicism towards the person's motives, suggesting that they are skilled at using people until they are no longer of use and then discarding them. The person is characterized as a "queen of chaos" who lacks freedom, perhaps because of their own self-imposed limitations or the consequences of their actions.
In conclusion, the lyrics of "Pigeons" portray a complex and troubled relationship with a person who is both alluring and manipulative. The singer is drawn to this person's chaos and mystery, but also feels restricted by their controlling nature. The song explores themes of vulnerability, manipulation, and the search for freedom in a tumultuous connection.
Line by Line Meaning
you were in a black dress
You were dressed in black attire.
bowie in the kitchen
You had a David Bowie poster in your kitchen.
pigeons on your balcony
There were pigeons present on your balcony.
beautiful and barefoot
You looked stunningly beautiful without any shoes on.
said you never show your bruises
You claimed to never reveal your physical injuries.
i was hoping that you might show me
I wished that you would be vulnerable enough to share your wounds with me.
i'd been living in a lifeboat
I had been surviving in an isolated and precarious situation.
dizzy on the ocean
I was disoriented and overwhelmed by the vastness of life.
i couldn't tell you when i last saw land
I lost track of when I experienced stability or security.
i washed up on your doorstep
I ended up at your door, seeking refuge or assistance.
a servant at the temple
I felt like a devoted follower in your presence.
a hail mary from a drowning man
I viewed myself as someone desperate, seeking salvation and help.
and it felt romantic to learn a new language
It was enticing and exciting to explore new ways of expressing myself.
desperate & damaged and aching to be
I was in a state of desperation, wounded, and yearning for belonging.
yeah you came on like the queen of chaos
You entered my life with a commanding presence and unpredictability.
like some unsolvable mystery
You seemed like an enigma that couldn't be deciphered.
your daddy made a living selling jesus & the manger
Your father earned a living by preaching Christianity and promoting nativity.
salvation in the land of sin
He offered redemption or deliverance in a morally corrupt world.
and every time that you got me in a vulnerable position
Whenever you had me in a weakened state or emotionally exposed.
well you told me that i looked like him
You remarked that I resembled your father.
and it felt electric to have your attention
It felt exhilarating to have your focused interest and affection.
full surrender to your gravity
I willingly submitted to the irresistible force of your presence.
a child who only could ever play make-believe
You were like a child who could only engage in imaginative pretending.
and you're never gonna let
You are determined to never allow
anybody stand beside you
Anyone to be equal to you or occupy a similar position.
you just sell em what they wanna hear
You simply provide people with what they desire to hear, not necessarily the truth.
cause you're good at telling stories and talking revolution
You possess skills in storytelling and discussing radical change.
and using people
Exploiting individuals for your own benefit.
'til they disappear
Until they vanish from your life or lose their significance.
a goddess when you get what you wanted
You assume the characteristics of a powerful deity when your desires are fulfilled.
and when you don't my love, you're mean
But when you face disappointment or rejection, you become unkind.
but i never met anybody less free
However, I have never encountered someone who lacks freedom as much as you do.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Mark Erelli, Matt Nathanson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@juneg6221
Love everything about this, the lyrics just destroy me in the best possible way.
@jayde.moonstone.6458
Matt always holds that uncanny way to do that.
@tealquartz
Matt does it again.
@beutilfull3957
Thanks Matt ✨
@andreeaursescu9751
Wish you'd come to Romania ❤
@shannonlove2212
🌺
@marcmarasco9304
It been a long time.