The Mending of the Gown
Sunset Rubdown Lyrics


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He made an enemy then, he made an enemy of all of you, it's him, not you
You never heard it from me but there's a breach in the hull where the truth and the water's too deep to prove
He made an enemy then, he made an enemy of all of you, it's him, not you
It's a little red sea let the miracle worker go free
See the paddle go up and the paddle go down
And the paddle go up and the paddle go down
And the paddle go up and the paddle go down
And the man falls in the sea

He was a man of many nations, had a hundred souls and a hundred to go
He was a man of many nations, two hearts, two hands, it's a slippery slope
He had a fear of being naked, but you're any other man in another man's clothes
He was a man of many nations, with revelations, oh revelations
He wrote a book about the Bible and he, he wrote a book about men in the sky
He wrote a book about the smell of winter in two, a little less simple to decipher
Saying, "I am the water at the foot of the palms or I am sand and wind and a shitty mirage
But either way, I'm a man of many nations!"

Was it the mending of the gown, or the running it around?
Was it the mending of the gown, or the running, and the running it around?

She had a name, she had a spirit, she had a line in the play if you waited to hear it
But a master of disguises, her demise was her design, they said
Was it the mending of the gown, or the running, and the running, and the running it around?
She said my name and my spirit are both corrupt and if you hold me close, you gotta hold me up
It was the tender mending of this slender gown that brought me bending to the ground
Now you'll wear any old thing, oh you'll wear any old thing
So she left herself in swallowing up the fever to the air to a broken wing
It's an act, I think she's just pretending, it's an act, I think, she's just pretending
If you burn the virgin flags, then I will shake, (shake!) as the heat waves in the sand
This one's for Maggie (This one's for Maggie) this one's for Sam (This one's for Sam)
This one's for Maggie (This one's for Maggie) this one's for Sam (This one's for Sam)
Or any other random spirit lover busted, I have lusted after you
The way bloodsuckers do, the way bloodsuckers do, the way bloodsuckers do!

Was it the mending of the gown, or the running it around?
Was it the mending of the gown, or the running and the running and the running and the running it around?
It was the tender mending of this slender gown that brought me bending to the ground
But this ship was built to go down
See the paddle go up and the paddle go down!
And the paddle go up and the paddle go down!




And the paddle go up and the paddle go down!
And the paddle go up and the paddle go down!

Overall Meaning

The song "The Mending of the Gown" by Sunset Rubdown is filled with mystifying lyrics that are open to interpretation. The song begins with a man who has made enemies with everyone around him. There is a sense that he has done something wrong, but it is not clear what that might be. The singer also alludes to a truth that is hidden and too deep to prove. It creates an atmosphere of intrigue and secrets. The lyrics move on to describe a man of many nations who writes books on religion and the supernatural. The lyrics suggest that he is a complicated and enigmatic figure. Towards the end of the song, the lyrics shift focus to a woman who has a line in a play. She is said to be a master of disguise and that her demise was her design. The song closes with a repetition of the question, "Was it the mending of the gown, or the running it around?" which could be a metaphor for ignoring or fixing underlying problems.


Overall, "The Mending of the Gown" explores various themes of betrayal, hidden truths, and the complications of human relationships. The lyrics are filled with symbolism and metaphors that might not have a clear meaning, but that can be interpreted in many ways, making the song open-ended and engaging.


Line by Line Meaning

He made an enemy then, he made an enemy of all of you, it's him, not you
He caused himself to be considered an enemy by everyone, he is the one at fault, not you.


You never heard it from me but there's a breach in the hull where the truth and the water's too deep to prove
I didn't tell you, but there is an obstacle to proving the truth, it is a difficult and complicated situation.


It's a little red sea let the miracle worker go free
It is a difficult situation, so let the skilled person try to fix it.


See the paddle go up and the paddle go down And the paddle go up and the paddle go down And the paddle go up and the paddle go down And the man falls in the sea
You can see the attempt to solve the problem, but it is not effective and leads to a failure.


He was a man of many nations, had a hundred souls and a hundred to go He was a man of many nations, two hearts, two hands, it's a slippery slope He had a fear of being naked, but you're any other man in another man's clothes He was a man of many nations, with revelations, oh revelations He wrote a book about the Bible and he, he wrote a book about men in the sky He wrote a book about the smell of winter in two, a little less simple to decipher Saying, "I am the water at the foot of the palms or I am sand and wind and a shitty mirage But either way, I'm a man of many nations!"
He was a person who had traveled to many countries, with many mixed feelings and identities, and it was a tricky situation. He was afraid of exposing his true self and wrote books about different subjects yet with similar underlying themes.


Was it the mending of the gown, or the running it around? Was it the mending of the gown, or the running, and the running it around?
Was it the actual fixing of a problem, or merely trying to fix it without success?


She had a name, she had a spirit, she had a line in the play if you waited to hear it But a master of disguises, her demise was her design, they said
There was a woman with personality and talents, yet she used them to deceive and act, which would lead to her ultimate downfall.


She said my name and my spirit are both corrupt and if you hold me close, you gotta hold me up It was the tender mending of this slender gown that brought me bending to the ground Now you'll wear any old thing, oh you'll wear any old thing So she left herself in swallowing up the fever to the air to a broken wing It's an act, I think she's just pretending, it's an act, I think, she's just pretending If you burn the virgin flags, then I will shake, (shake!) as the heat waves in the sand This one's for Maggie (This one's for Maggie) this one's for Sam (This one's for Sam) This one's for Maggie (This one's for Maggie) this one's for Sam (This one's for Sam) Or any other random spirit lover busted, I have lusted after you The way bloodsuckers do, the way bloodsuckers do, the way bloodsuckers do!
She admitted that she is a fraud and needs someone to always be there for her. The fixing of her dress made her feel vulnerable and exposed. She would now settle for anything, leading her to give in to weakness and depression. She is unsure if others are being genuine, and admits to having feelings of lust, but only in a selfish and controlling way.


But this ship was built to go down See the paddle go up and the paddle go down! And the paddle go up and the paddle go down! And the paddle go up and the paddle go down! And the paddle go up and the paddle go down!
The situation was doomed from the start and no amount of effort will salvage it. You can see people trying to fix, yet failing miserably.




Contributed by Caden G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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