Vanishing Act
Steve Kilbey Lyrics
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Castaways on a hostile shore
Purple waves on the salty ocean breaking
The music flowing underneath your bedroom door
Wouldn't you know it, that's a fact
Wouldn't you know it, just in time for your vanishing act
I said "hey isadora, get undressed"
As if that's any way to treat a guest
Like the wild winds above us, frothing on the sky
You'll become immortal on the day that you die
The lyrics of Steve Kilbey's song Vanishing Act offer a surreal dream-like experience infused with symbolism and metaphors. The opening lines present a daunting picture of being stranded on a dangerous shore in New Guinea, surrounded by purple waves pounding on the salty ocean. The word "castaways" suggests being lost or abandoned, and the hostile shore symbolizes life's unpredictable circumstances. In contrast, the image of the "music flowing underneath your bedroom door" is a picturesque representation of hope, comfort, or perhaps escape. This dreamy landscape paints a varied emotional palette that evokes a sense of nostalgia, danger, and vulnerability.
In the chorus, the lyrics take an ironic turn, with Kilbey proclaiming "Wouldn't you know it, just in time for your vanishing act." The phrase "vanishing act" refers to disappearing, fading out, or losing oneself, implying that the dreamy landscape is their fleeting escape or moment of respite in the turmoil of life. The song's protagonist speaks the line "hey isadora, get undressed," which can be interpreted as an invitation to intimacy. However, the subsequent line, "As if that's any way to treat a guest," offers a contrasting characterization of the singer's intentions. The metaphor of the "wild winds above us, frothing on the sky" presents the idea of tempestuous thoughts or emotions that churn within us. The paradoxical closing line, "You'll become immortal on the day that you die," underscores the idea that death releases the soul from the burden of our mortal limitations.
Line by Line Meaning
Well then I dreamed we were washed up in new guinea
The singer dreams of being stranded in a hostile environment
Castaways on a hostile shore
The singer and others are stranded away from civilization on a dangerous coast
Purple waves on the salty ocean breaking
The violent waves crash into the shore with great force
The music flowing underneath your bedroom door
The person in the artist's dream hears music from a room nearby
Wouldn't you know it, that's a fact
The artist expresses an ironic realization
Wouldn't you know it, just in time for your vanishing act
The singer suggests that someone is about to disappear
I said "hey isadora, get undressed"
The singer makes an inappropriate request to someone named Isadora
As if that's any way to treat a guest
The artist acknowledges that their request was not acceptable behavior
Like the wild winds above us, frothing on the sky
The artist compares the situation to the turbulent weather above them
You'll become immortal on the day that you die
The artist suggests that someone may achieve eternal fame after they die
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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