The band has released six albums since their formation: "Real Estate" (2009), "Days" (2011), "Atlas" (2014), "In Mind" (2017), "The Main Thing" (2020), and "Daniel" (2024).
Municipality
Real Estate Lyrics
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In the night your words don't sit well
How can I feel free
When all I want to be
Is by your side in that municipality
Up in that farm land
Dozens of shade trees
Are waiting there for me
But that's not anything like my reality
To be by your side in that municipality
That's not anything like my reality
In Real Estate's song "Municipality," the singer is driving past hotels in the night, but the words they're hearing aren't sitting well with them. They're struggling with feeling free and wanting to be with someone in a specific place: a municipality. They mention farm land, houses, and gardens, and numerous shade trees waiting for them, but all of that falls short of that one place they truly desire. Throughout the song, it's clear that the municipality serves as a symbol for something more significant than just a physical location. It could represent a feeling of belonging or finding home with someone specific.
The lyrics also highlight the discrepancy between reality and desire. The singer yearns to be with someone in that municipality, which seems to offer everything they need, but the reality is that being there may not be feasible or practical. The line "How can I feel free when all I want to be is by your side in that municipality" implies that they feel trapped by their desire, unable to move on and find freedom because they're fixated on this one place.
Overall, "Municipality" explores themes of longing, freedom, and belonging, with the titular location serving as a symbol for the singer's deepest desires and fears.
Line by Line Meaning
Driving past hotels
As they travel, the singer and their companions pass by large, lavish hotels.
In the night your words don't sit well
In the darkness, the singer is troubled or unsettled by something someone said.
How can I feel free
The singer is longing to feel liberated.
When all I want to be
The artist has a strong desire for something.
Is by your side in that municipality
The artist wants nothing more than to be with the person they are referring to, in a certain location.
Up in that farm land
The singer describes a pastoral area, perhaps one that is well-known to them.
Past the houses and gardens
The singer and their companions go past residential areas and cultivated land.
Dozens of shade trees
There are many tall trees that provide shade in this area.
Are waiting there for me
The artist anticipates spending time among those shade trees and their peaceful surroundings.
But that's not anything like my reality
Whatever the artist is describing, their present situation is far from it.
To be by your side in that municipality
The singer reiterates their desire to be with the person they referred to before, in a specific location.
That's not anything like my reality
Once again, the artist emphasizes the stark difference between their current circumstances and the ideal scenario they are longing for.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Alexander William Bleeker, Martin Courtney, Matthew Anthony Mondanile
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind