The band Phideaux comprises many friends who have known each other since early childhood. Each album is unique in sound and content of adventurous art rock music.
Phideaux creates mysterious and melodic music for the sheer love of it, independently releasing recordings which have been complimented for capturing the essence of classic rock music while remaining modern and distinctive.
They are inspired by mellotrons and flutes and keyboard heavy music but also love dual lead guitar and power chords. Syncopation and tricky time signatures are sometimes utilized but always there is melody to be hummed and riffs to invade your ears and mind. The lyrics tell stories, sometimes clearly, sometimes abstrusely, but always with an intent to spark an image or metaphor.
discography
1993: Friction
2003: Fiendish
2004: Ghost Story
2005: Chupacabras
2005: 313
2006: The Great Leap
2007: Doomsday Afternoon
2009: Number Seven
2011: Snowtorch -and- 7½
2012: Infernal
Vultures & Mosquitoes
Phideaux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They can calculate your fate:
Danger
Mosquitoes wait for the candidate staying very still
Though they undulate they crave strangers
But it's all they know
It's all that comes through
And all that consumes with a violence
It comes through in the silence
I want you to know
I want you
Vultures fly over passersby with a hunting eye
That is never dry and cries when it's all through
Mosquitoes wait in the Bering straits hover high and low
Over frozen space afraid hearts can freeze too
And it's all you know
It's all that comes through you
It's all you know
And all that consumes you with violence
It comes through you in silence
Vultures down in the underground
In a tunnel where they are often found
Surrounded but alone
Mosquitoes swarm until early down
With a life so short they can not afford
Delaying, playing, saying, praying
Cos it's all they know and all that comes through you
It's all you know
And all that consumes you in the silence
It comes through you with violence
I want you to know
I want you
The lyrics of "Vultures & Mosquitoes" by Phideaux are a poetic representation of the animal world and how it mirrors the human experience. The first two stanzas focus on vultures and mosquitoes waiting for their prey, ready to calculate or undulate according to their instincts. The lines "It's all they know, it's all that comes through" imply that they have no choice but to act in this way. The third stanza brings the focus to the listener, with the same lines repeated, suggesting that it is all we know, and are consumed by it with violence that comes through in silence.
The second half of the song deepens the metaphor, with vultures flying over passersby and mosquitoes in the Bering straits. They represent the hunters and the hunted, the predators and their victims. The final stanza describes both animals in confined spaces - vultures in an underground tunnel, and mosquitoes swarming until dawn. Here, the lines "It's all they know, and all that comes through you" suggest that their environment shapes their actions, and that they have little agency in the matter. The repetition of "I want you to know, I want you" in the chorus suggests that the singer wants the listener to be aware of their own place in this cycle, and perhaps to break free of it.
Line by Line Meaning
Vultures wait in the everglades staying very still
Vultures patiently wait in the Everglades, remaining completely motionless
They can calculate your fate: Danger
The vultures can foretell danger or impending doom
Mosquitoes wait for the candidate staying very still
Mosquitoes are patient as they wait for a target, patiently hovering in place
Though they undulate they crave strangers
Despite their movements, mosquitoes consistently seek out new, unfamiliar hosts
But it's all they know
This behavior is their natural instinct
It's all that comes through
It's the only way they know how to survive
And all that consumes with a violence
Their actions may be brutal or aggressive in nature
It comes through in the silence
Their actions may be quiet, but still impactful
I want you to know
The artist is expressing a desire for someone to understand
Vultures fly over passersby with a hunting eye
The vultures soar above people, scanning for potential prey
That is never dry and cries when it's all through
Their hunger is insatiable, and they may mourn when their search is over
Mosquitoes wait in the Bering straits hover high and low
Mosquitoes may be found hovering at various heights in the Bering Strait, waiting for an opportunity to feed
Over frozen space afraid hearts can freeze too
In a cold environment, mosquitoes may prey on those who are frightened or vulnerable
Vultures down in the underground
Vultures sometimes reside in underground areas
In a tunnel where they are often found surrounded but alone
Within tunnels or enclosed spaces, they may be surrounded by walls or structures but ultimately be isolated
Mosquitoes swarm until early down
Mosquitoes may swarm and feed until daybreak
With a life so short they can not afford delaying, playing, saying, praying
Given their brief lifespan, mosquitoes must act quickly and decisively to ensure their survival
Cos it's all they know and all that comes through you
This behavior is an innate part of their existence and shapes their actions
It's all you know
Similarly, the subject of the song may feel limited by their own instincts and experiences
And all that consumes you in the silence
These feelings or behaviors may be overwhelming and all-encompassing
It comes through you with violence
These feelings or behaviors may manifest themselves in destructive or aggressive ways
I want you to know
The artist reiterates their desire for someone to understand their perspective
Contributed by Kayla K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.