I Know Where the Canaries and the Crows Go
The Blood Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why can't we turn those miles into inches,
letters into breath, years into seconds?
(We always said we'd return to the candy coated jungle.)
we always said that we would return
to see what kind of orchird our heart seeds grew.
I know where the canaries go.
I know where the crows go.
I sent you a letter just the other day my friend, It said
"tonight my body is crucified across the carcus that our love grew.
Tonight black feathers float from the sky like it's raining lies.
Tonight my lungs are hanging from a telephone wire,
choking on the broken digits of a dial tone.
(Tonight telephone booths and trucks gawk
as my ribcage snaps and snarls like a venus fly trap.)
Where did our hearts go?
Where did our hearts go?
Where did the crows go?
Our mouths are limp mouths.
We said we'd return for our petrified hearts
put our name to the parchment made a pact in the dark.
Guaze gagged beaks may pump
and beat but sealed inside are secrets screaming to speak,
(So open up your chest and let the birds free.
So meet me under the deserted desert tree.
We'll eat sand crumpets and drink cactus tea,
well pretend this dirt is sea.)
We ate the white from the wedding,
ate the sheets from the bedding,
ate the smiles off our children,
ate the leather off our birth skin.
Have we wasted our whole lives
sucking candy coated bullets from the chemical gun?
Every car that passes on this crooked highway bears your face on it's grill.
Every headlight casts your shadow onto my open hear vigil.
I know where the canaries go.
I know where the crows go.
They go into fucking skeletons.
In The Blood Brothers’ song “I Know Where the Canaries and the Crows Go,” the lyrics seem to be structured as a conversation or a letter addressed to someone. The first verse suggests a yearning for closeness, wanting to devour each other with their mouths and to turn miles into inches. The phrase “return to the candy coated jungle” hints at past memories and the idea that they’ve been apart for a while. The second verse switches to a more morbid tone, with imagery of crucifixion, black feathers falling like rain, and lungs hanging from telephone wires. There’s a feeling of sadness and desperation, with the repetition of “where did our hearts go? / where did our hearts go? / where did the crows go?” The lines “our mouths are limp mouths” suggest a sense of fatigue or exhaustion with trying to communicate, perhaps leading to questions of whether their lives have been wasted.
The theme of decay continues in the third verse as the singer describes eating away pieces of their life, including their children’s smiles and their own birth skin. The repetition of “ate” is jarring and creates a sense of discomfort or unease. The fourth verse brings back the idea of wanting to free something that’s been trapped, this time with the metaphor of birds inside a chest. The phrase “guaze gagged beaks” implies that the singer and their addressee have been silenced in some way. The final lines “They go into fucking skeletons” echoes the earlier lines about eating away their lives, driving home the idea that everything will eventually decompose and die.
Overall, the lyrics of “I Know Where the Canaries and the Crows Go” paint a bleak picture of a relationship that’s falling apart, with images of crucifixion, black feathers, and skeletons. The repetition of certain phrases creates a sense of desperation and mourning, while the structure of the lyrics suggests a message that’s being sent to someone who may or may not be listening.
Line by Line Meaning
Why can't we let our mouths devour each other?
Why can't we fully express our passion towards each other?
Why can't we turn those miles into inches, letters into breath, years into seconds?
Why can't we minimize the distances, communicate more effectively and make the most of our time together?
(We always said we'd return to the candy coated jungle.)
we always said that we would return
to see what kind of orchird our heart seeds grew.
We promised to go back to where we first fell in love and see how far our love has grown.
I know where the canaries go.
I know where the happy things go.
I know where the crows go.
I know where the dark things go.
So pick up the fucking phone.
Please communicate with me.
I sent you a letter just the other day my friend, It said
"tonight my body is crucified across the carcus that our love grew.
Tonight black feathers float from the sky like it's raining lies.
Tonight my lungs are hanging from a telephone wire,
choking on the broken digits of a dial tone.
I wrote to you recently explaining my emotional hardships in graphic detail.
(Tonight telephone booths and trucks gawk
as my ribcage snaps and snarls like a venus fly trap.)
I feel exposed and vulnerable as I go through this emotional upheaval.
Where did our hearts go?
What happened to our love?
Our mouths are limp mouths.
Our words are empty and devoid of affection.
We said we'd return for our petrified hearts
put our name to the parchment made a pact in the dark.
We promised to rekindle our relationship and make it stronger.
Guaze gagged beaks may pump
and beat but sealed inside are secrets screaming to speak,
Our hearts may continue beating but we hold secrets that we need to share.
(So open up your chest and let the birds free.
So meet me under the deserted desert tree.
We'll eat sand crumpets and drink cactus tea,
well pretend this dirt is sea.)
Let's be vulnerable and honest with each other. Let's meet and create our own paradise in this barren land.
We ate the white from the wedding,
ate the sheets from the bedding,
ate the smiles off our children,
ate the leather off our birth skin.
We've consumed everything that was meant to bring us joy and comfort.
Have we wasted our whole lives
sucking candy coated bullets from the chemical gun?
Have we been living a life that is detrimental to our mental health?
Every car that passes on this crooked highway bears your face on it's grill.
Every headlight casts your shadow onto my open hear vigil.
Every time I see a car, I am reminded of you.
I know where the canaries go.
I know where the happy things go.
I know where the crows go.
I know where the dark things go.
They go into fucking skeletons.
Eventually, everything dies.
Contributed by Mila T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.