Right Away, Great Captain! recorded their debut album The Bitter End over a span of 3 days in a 100 year old log cabin near Bastian, VA in August of 2006. It is a concept record concerning a 17th century sailor at sea for 3 years. Each song is a journal entry to either his family at home, or his captain.
Part two of the story The Eventually Home was released in 2008.
The final part of the trilogy The Church Of The Good Thief was released mid-January of 2012. 6 months later in July, The Lost Sea was released.
I Was a Cage
Right Away Great Captain! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I haven't slept a wink I hope you care
And I went to hell and back for half and hour
And started a staring contest with your man
And I was a cage
A cage to you
And I made a point to pinch my skin again
Its any minute now that I will wake you
Watching a woman sleep can get you scared
But I am a cage
Surrounding you
But I am afraid
Of the truth
Inside of you
I could use a friend to say they love me
But im gonna make a sound you cant forget
And afterwards I swore that I would haunt you
Now im way to tired to give a shit
Cause I was a wave
Collapsing you
Yeah I was a wave
Collapsing you
I am away
coming up to you
Well I was away
The lyrics to "I Was a Cage" by Right Away Great Captain! is a melancholic and somewhat haunting reflection on a past relationship that has ended. The singer is lamenting the fact that it has been a month since his lover has shown him any affection and he hasn't been able to sleep since. He describes how he went through a tumultuous time for half an hour, which might be a metaphor for something, and then started a staring contest with his lover's man. The singer uses the metaphor of being a cage to express how he was feeling in the relationship.
In the second verse, the singer reveals that it has been a year since he has been sober and that he had to pinch his skin again. It seems like he is struggling with some sort of addiction or maybe even self-harm. The singer watches his lover sleep and admits that it scares him. He is afraid of the truth inside her, which could mean that he is afraid of what she might reveal about him, or something else entirely. The singer then expresses his need for someone to love him and how he wants to make a sound that his lover won't forget.
The final verse is a repetition of the chorus, and the singer reiterates that he was a wave collapsing his lover. He then declares that he is coming up to her, which might indicate that he is trying to repair the relationship or maybe even seeking closure. Overall, the song has a melancholic tone, and the lyrics are delivered in a confessional manner that makes the listener feel like they are experiencing the singer's pain alongside him.
Line by Line Meaning
It must have been a month since you last loved me
It has been a month since you stopped loving me, and it hurts me deeply.
And I haven't slept a wink I hope you care
I have not slept at all because of the pain I feel, and I hope it matters to you.
And I went to hell and back for half and hour
I went through a lot of suffering for a short period of time because of our relationship.
And started a staring contest with your man
I was so desperate for your attention that I resorted to staring at your current partner.
And I was a cage
A cage to you
I was the one holding you back and trapping you in our relationship.
And it has to been a year since I was sober
I have not been sober for a year, indicating that I have been using substances to cope with the pain.
And I made a point to pinch my skin again
I intentionally hurt myself to feel something other than the pain of our failed relationship.
Its any minute now that I will wake you
I am so obsessed with you that I am constantly thinking about you, even while you sleep.
Watching a woman sleep can get you scared
My obsession with you is starting to scare me and I am becoming aware of that fact.
But I am a cage
Surrounding you
I am still the one holding you back and trapping you in our relationship, even though you have moved on.
But I am afraid
Of the truth
Inside of you
I am scared of what I might find out about you and your life without me, as it contradicts my obsession with you.
I could use a friend to say they love me
I am feeling alone and in need of love and support, but I am not receiving it from you.
But im gonna make a sound you cant forget
I will do anything to make sure that you remember me, even if it means being dramatic or causing a scene.
And afterwards I swore that I would haunt you
I am so desperate to keep you in my life that I want to haunt you, even after death, to make sure you never forget me.
Now im way too tired to give a shit
After all my efforts to keep you in my life, I am now too tired and worn out to care anymore.
Cause I was a wave
Collapsing you
I was the force that destroyed you and our relationship, and I am now realizing the damage I have caused.
Yeah I was a wave
Collapsing you
I repeat that I was the one who destroyed you and our relationship, emphasizing my guilt and regret.
I am away
Coming up to you
I am physically distant from you, but emotionally I am still drawn to you and want to be close to you.
Well I was away
I was away from you physically and mentally, but now I am returning to you with all my feelings and regrets.
Writer(s): John Andrew Hull Copyright: Good Things Bad People Music, Chrysalis Songs
Contributed by William S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.