Disaster Button
Snow Patrol Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

A little after 12
The function sweet was full
With people I had never seen before

Ripped up ticket stubs
Confetti on the floor
It dawned on me I'd seen it all before
Cool your beans my son
You look a fucking mess
No ones getting out of here tonight

Hit that button there
The one that just says wrong
We'll lose our lives through all our favorite songs

[Chorus]
Go forward to later you'll land flat on your feet
When you were in the room, I was nailed to my seat
I'm like a prisoner getting ready to talk
I feel the blood in my hands and the threat in your walk
And suddenly it lifts the roof off the place
It puts a volt in my step
And a grin on my face
It cant contain me but you leaning on me
To get me back in my box
And snap the branches off me

A little after 4
The function suite is dead
And I am just a ripped up ticket stub

But here's a helping hand
A voice that's far to close
And I am up and on my broken limbs

[Chorus]

And suddenly it lifts the roof of the place
It puts a volt in my step
And a grin on my face

It cant contain me but you leaning on me




To get me back in my box
And snap the branches off me

Overall Meaning

The song Disaster Button by Snow Patrol is a poetic representation of a night out, capturing the highs and lows of partying. The opening lines depict the end of a night out, with the function suite full of unfamiliar faces and the remnants of the party scattered across the floor. From the lyrical imagery of ripped up ticket stubs and confetti, the singer begins to feel like they have experienced this before, likening the feeling to being trapped in a cycle of routine.


The chorus is a reflective moment, where the singer has time to contemplate their feelings of being trapped in their circumstances. They are metaphorically "nailed to their seat" like a prisoner getting ready to talk. But when the mood in the room changes and the music lifts the roof, it puts a volt in their step and a grin on their face. However, they express that they cannot contain this feeling of euphoria, but someone (possibly a lover or friend) is there to lean on them to bring them back to their 'box' or routine.


The lyrics evoke the feeling of partying and the subsequent feelings of vulnerability and introspection. The line "cool your beans my son" suggests a hint of disapproval from a parent/authority figure, adding to the themes of inner conflict and chaos.


Line by Line Meaning

A little after 12
It's just past midnight


The function suite was full
The event venue was packed with people


With people I had never seen before
The singer didn't recognize any of the attendees


Ripped up ticket stubs
Discarded evidence of entrance to the function suite


Confetti on the floor
Celebratory paper debris on the ground


It dawned on me I'd seen it all before
The singer realized they've experienced similar events previously


Cool your beans my son
Calm down, young man


You look a fucking mess
You appear disheveled


No ones getting out of here tonight
The singer perceives a sense of entrapment


Hit that button there
Press that particular button


The one that just says wrong
Choose the option that's not correct


We'll lose our lives through all our favorite songs
Enjoy the moment so much that time seems to fly by quickly


Go forward to later you'll land flat on your feet
Progress through the night and things will turn out fine


When you were in the room, I was nailed to my seat
The singer was captivated by the other person's presence


I'm like a prisoner getting ready to talk
The singer feels trapped but still wants to express themselves


I feel the blood in my hands and the threat in your walk
The singer senses danger or possible trouble


And suddenly it lifts the roof off the place
An unexpected event occurs that creates excitement and energy


It puts a volt in my step
The energy inspires the singer to move faster or dance harder


And a grin on my face
The singer can't help but smile


It cant contain me but you leaning on me
The singer feels restrained and pressured by the other person


To get me back in my box
To control or suppress the singer's behavior


And snap the branches off me
To take away the singer's growth and individuality


A little after 4
It's just past 4 in the morning


The function suite is dead
The event venue is now empty and quiet


And I am just a ripped up ticket stub
The singer feels discarded or worthless


But here's a helping hand
Someone is offering support


A voice that's far too close
The person offering support is too intimate or involved


And I am up and on my broken limbs
Despite feeling hurt or damaged, the singer is standing on their own




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NATHAN CONNOLLY, GARY LIGHTBODY, JONATHAN GRAHAM QUINN, TOM SIMPSON, PAUL WILSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

deeceetee

Always reminds me of a right good night out with my friends from school, many years ago;

A little after 12
The function suite was full
With people I had never seen before

Ripped up ticket stubs
Confettied on the floor
It dawned on me I'd seen it all before

Cool your beans my son
You look a fucking mess
No one's getting out of here tonight

Hit that button there
The one that just says wrong
We'll lose our minds to all our favourite songs

Go forward to later you look light on your feet
When you were in the room, I was nailed to my seat
I'm like a prisoner getting ready to talk
I feel the blood in my hands and the threat in your walk
And suddenly it lifts the roof off the place
It puts a volt in my step
And a grin on my face
It can't contain me but you need an army
To get me back in my box
And snap the branches off me

A little after 4
The function suite is dead
And I am just a ripped up ticket stub

But here's a helping hand
A voice that's far too close
And I am up and on my broken limbs

Go forward to later you look light on your feet
When you were in the room, I was nailed to my seat
I'm like a prisoner getting ready to talk
I feel the blood in my hands and the threat in your walk
And suddenly it lifts the roof off the place
It puts a volt in my step
And a grin on my face
It can't contain me but you need an army
To get me back in my box
And snap the branches off me

And suddenly it lifts the roof of the place
It puts a volt in my step
And a grin on my face

It can't contain me but you need an army
To get me back in my box
And snap the branches off me

Peter Lincoln

Thank you very much for the lyrics. God Bless. 😊

Marion Moore

Different, real rocker good upbeat.
Like it. Had to listen twice. Catchy
Little number. 👏👍✌️😊🌹

darren shaw

The solo’s fuckin mint 👍

Sea-Saw

Why was this never released .. I’ve never even heard it at any concert..it’s a brilliantly evocative song ....one of my favourites amongst the many tho...

JoSch from the Lake

a masterpiece, they did not recognize

Sea-Saw

@JoSch from the Lake I'm glad you posted it gave me a chance to listen again.. twice, it still is a really good track. 👍

TsukasaElkKite

It’s on A Hundred Million Suns!

Yolly

I've seen you before live!!! And, I couldn't believe how much I was in awe!!!
Not fucking now!!!

Little Italy

❤❤❤❤❤💪

More Versions