Things Mean a Lot
Red House Painters Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's my favorite roller coaster
Next to the blue water
The one only sissies ride

There's the sun going down
Creating that fluorescent glow, reminding me
I'll never be able to relive this day
Except in memory

There's those big barking fish
In the concrete stream
Growling for dog food
Bulging dead eyes that gleam

Where's dad?
And where is mom?

Looks like from here on out
It's me and you




Looks like from here on out
It's just me and you

Overall Meaning

The song "Things Mean a Lot" by Red House Painters reflects on the passage of time, the inevitability of change, and the way memories can be both beautiful and sorrowful. The first verse describes a scene of amusement, with the singer observing a roller coaster near the blue water. However, the roller coaster is labeled as something only "sissies" would ride, which introduces a note of sadness or isolation. The sunset is also described in a way that emphasizes its transient qualities, and the singer acknowledges that this moment can never be experienced again except as a memory. In the second verse, the scene shifts to a more mundane setting, an urban area with fish in a concrete stream. The singer notes the grotesque aspects of their appearance, but also seems to find beauty in their barking and the way they reflect light. The final lines of the song shift to a sense of loss or abandonment, with the singer wondering where their parents are and expressing a sense of resignation to being alone with someone else.


Overall, the song is about finding meaning in seemingly small or insignificant moments, recognizing the way those moments are linked to larger themes of time, memory, and impermanence, and acknowledging the pain that comes with recognizing those themes. The specific details of the roller coaster and fish help to ground the song in a sense of tangible reality, while the abstract sense of loss and longing gives it a universal resonance.


Line by Line Meaning

There's my favorite roller coaster
There's something that I have a great affinity for and that brings me joy - in this case, a roller coaster ride.


Next to the blue water
The roller coaster is located beside a body of water that has a blue hue.


The one only sissies ride
The roller coaster is not meant for those who don't have the courage to ride it.


There's the sun going down
The sun is setting.


Creating that fluorescent glow, reminding me
The sun's light carries a unique luminescence that resonates with me and transports me to a momentous time.


I'll never be able to relive this day
I'm aware that this time in my life is fleeting and that once it's gone, it'll be impossible to get back.


Except in memory
But I will be able to retain the memories of this moment to a certain degree.


There's those big barking fish
There's a fish species that seems to be surprisingly vocal.


In the concrete stream
These fish are situated in an artificial, human-made waterway or reservoir.


Growling for dog food
The fish appear to be quite hungry and are making noises to show their impatience for food.


Bulging dead eyes that gleam
The eyes of these fish look almost lifeless, but they seem to shine as if reflecting some hidden emotion.


Where's dad?
It seems someone in the author's life, perhaps their father, is absent.


And where is mom?
Another person significant to the author, perhaps their mother, is also missing.


Looks like from here on out
It appears that going forward or proceeding without the aforementioned individuals is inevitable.


It's me and you
The only people left and relevant for the author's journey now are themselves and some unidentified other.


Looks like from here on out
The same sentiment is restated.


It's just me and you
Again, the only other individual remaining is unnamed, but it's clear that they will be of some importance to the author's journey.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mark Edward Kozelek

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Ebony LightRain Vampire

A descending climb
My feet can't make the hill
To the top where your house hides
Tomorrow she comes
The one who I've sworn and broke loyally
To take your place in the bed next to me


You threaten to make me dead
And none of this will matter or surface again


Scares you to know that we won't be
Watching the same sun
Or brooding the same thoughts
In the same part of the world


Scares me how you get older
How you forget about each other
Scares me how you get older
How you forget about each other


Things mean a lot at the time
Don't mean nothing later
Things mean a lot at the time



All comments from YouTube:

Olivia Andonian

This album has a body count.

Zaphyra

damn

Ebony LightRain Vampire

A descending climb
My feet can't make the hill
To the top where your house hides
Tomorrow she comes
The one who I've sworn and broke loyally
To take your place in the bed next to me


You threaten to make me dead
And none of this will matter or surface again


Scares you to know that we won't be
Watching the same sun
Or brooding the same thoughts
In the same part of the world


Scares me how you get older
How you forget about each other
Scares me how you get older
How you forget about each other


Things mean a lot at the time
Don't mean nothing later
Things mean a lot at the time

Jordan Andrew Jefferson

Mark has written some of the saddest songs that have oddly enough given me much peace...

lukerr87

So stunning. The echo on "Watching the same sun" gives me chills. Every. Time.

hi there

No. I refuse to accept being brought down by this song....I gotta think positive...I just always go back to this song when I'm feeling down...but I guess it helps to remind myself that things mean alot all the time...

Travis Carver

Remember what you wrote: things mean a lot ALL-THE-TIME.

bladeer

alex relax hope you're holding up

sedantez24

One of the great, under-rated, song writers

ludvik199t

this is absolutely my favorite :D so great song. pure as hell!

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