In 2001, Preston School of Industry released All This Sounds Gas, which was recorded mainly in Stockton, California. The album is said to be comprised of the songs that were rejected by Pavement on their final album, Terror Twilight. The band released its second album, Monsoon, in 2004, with studio contributions from members of The Minus 5 and Wilco.
Preston School of Industry went inactive after their September 2004 Australian tour, though Kannberg revealed in late 2006 he had been slowly working on a record: "Don't know when it's going to be released. Just taking my time, nothing special. I've got the songs, I just haven't figured out how I want to do it yet. This winter, I'll probably get it done."
If The Straits of Magellan Should Ever Run Dry
Preston School of Industry Lyrics
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Gutters are spilling seeping with iron
Never get out of the house today
Tracks they lead me
But there's no leaving this land
It's been this way for years
hound tails fox trails
I'm not too tired I'll walk away now
Bye bye bye bye
Till I'm afraid
Bye bye bye bye
The song If The Straits of Magellan Should Ever Run Dry by Preston School of Industry is a melancholic reflection on feeling trapped and stuck in a place that one cannot leave. The first verse talks about the singer's hope for finding something, possibly a way out of their current situation, but the gutters are overflowing with iron, suggesting that there is some sort of stagnant, unmovable energy around them. The second verse directly references the hound tails and fox trails, which could be a metaphor for the paths followed by others that lead to the same dead end. The singer is not too tired to walk away, but it's unclear whether or not they will be successful.
The chorus, with its repeated "bye bye bye bye," suggests a final farewell or goodbye, one that may involve leaving everything behind. The final "till I'm afraid" is a poignant reminder that sometimes it takes an extreme situation or feeling to motivate people to make a change.
Line by Line Meaning
Hope is that I find it
My expectation is to discover what I'm looking for
Gutters are spilling seeping with iron
The streets are damaged with rusty water leaking from them
Never get out of the house today
I have no plans to leave my home today
Tracks they lead me
Footprints guide my path
But there's no leaving this land
I'm trapped in this place
It's been this way for years
This situation has persisted for a long time
hound tails fox trails
The tracks resemble those of a hunting dog or a fox
Tracks they lead me to the desert
The footsteps guide me towards a barren land
I'm not too tired I'll walk away now
I'm still able to continue walking, so I'll leave this place behind
Bye bye bye bye
I'm bidding farewell to this location
Till I'm afraid
Until I become scared
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SCOTT KANNBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind