This Mess We're In
PJ Harvey Lyrics
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The helicopters?
I'm in New York
No need for words now
We sit in silence
You look me
In the eye directly
You met me
The evening
The mess we're in and
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
Night and day
I dream of making love
To you now, baby
Love-making
On-screen
Impossible dream
And I have seen
The sunrise
Over the river
The freeway
Reminding
Of this mess we're in and
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
The city sunset over me
The city sun sets over me
What were you wanting? (What was it you wanted?)
I just want to say (I just want to say)
Don't ever change now, baby (don't ever change)
And thank you (and thank you)
I don't think we will meet again (I don't think we will meet again)
You must leave now before the sun rises above the skyscrapers
(And you must leave now)
And the city landscape (before the sunrise)
Comes into view (above skyscrapers)
Sweat on my skin, and oh (the sin and)
This mess we're in
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
(Oh) The city sunset over me
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
The lyrics to PJ Harvey's "This Mess We're In" paint a vivid picture of a fleeting, bittersweet romance in the midst of the chaos and isolation of modern urban life. The song opens with a sense of urgency, as the singer and her lover hear the sound of helicopters in the background. They sit in silence, looking into each other's eyes, encapsulating the idea that sometimes words are not needed to understand one another. The singer then reflects on her impossible dream of making love to her lover, which feels just as distant as the sunrise over the river or the cityscape view.
As the song progresses, the singer realizes the complication of the situation and seems to wrap up the entire experience with mixed emotions. She thanks her lover but does not anticipate meeting again, asking them to leave before the sunrise, so they don't become a part of the city landscape, sweating with her and sharing in the mess they are both in. The song is a blend of emotions, from the urgency of the helicopters to the romantic desire for love, to the inevitability of the dawn breaking.
Some of the song meanings might include a sense of loneliness, a feeling of being overwhelmed and anxious by the city's constraints and noise, and a reminder of nostalgia for what could have been. Sometimes the most beautiful moments are fleeting and hard to grasp, like the city sunset we see disappearing on the horizon.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you hear them?
Do you hear that sound in the background?
The helicopters?
It's the sound of helicopters.
I'm in New York
I'm located in New York.
No need for words now
We don't need to speak anymore.
We sit in silence
We are sitting quietly.
You look me
You stare at me.
In the eye directly
You're directly looking into my eyes.
You met me
You came to see me.
I think it's Wednesday
I believe it's Wednesday today.
The evening
It's nighttime.
The mess we're in and
We are in a difficult situation.
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
The sun is setting over the city.
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
The sun is setting over the city.
Night and day
All the time.
I dream of making love
I have dreams of having sex.
To you now, baby
With you, my love.
Love-making
Having sex.
On-screen
In a movie or a TV show.
Impossible dream
It could never happen in reality.
And I have seen
I have witnessed.
The sunrise
The sun rising in the morning.
Over the river
Above the river.
The freeway
The highway.
Reminding
Making me remember.
Of this mess we're in and
Of the situation we're currently in.
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
The sun is setting over the city.
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
The sun is setting over the city.
The city sunset over me
The sun setting over the city.
The city sun sets over me
The sun is setting over the city.
What were you wanting? (What was it you wanted?)
What did you come here for?
I just want to say (I just want to say)
I have only one thing to tell you.
Don't ever change now, baby (don't ever change)
Stay the same way you are, my love.
And thank you (and thank you)
I appreciate you.
I don't think we will meet again (I don't think we will meet again)
I doubt we'll see each other again.
You must leave now before the sun rises above the skyscrapers
You need to go now while it's still dark.
(And you must leave now)
It's imperative that you leave now.
And the city landscape (before the sunrise)
Before the sun comes up and the city is visible.
Comes into view (above skyscrapers)
Is seen above the tall buildings.
Sweat on my skin, and oh (the sin and)
My skin is sweaty and dirty, and it's a shame.
This mess we're in
This complicated situation we're in.
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
The sun is setting over the city.
(Oh) The city sunset over me
The sun is setting over the city.
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
The sun is setting over the city.
(Oh) The city sun sets over me
The sun is setting over the city.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.,
Written by: Polly Harvey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind