After the release of some EPs and singles, the group signed with Merge Records who released their second album, Long Goodbye, in 2003. After a world tour, they headed back to the studio in fall of 2005 to begin work on their third album, Cannibal Sea, which was released in March of 2006.
Snakes in the Grass
The Essex Green Lyrics
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(Please tell me what is going on)
Oh, I can't, it's nothing I've known
Signing shapes in the moonlight, keeping the laughter low
(Please tell me what's going on)
Oh, I can't, it's convoluted
A change of mind today for certain
The author's dead, it's fiction
One, oh, one
Seething snakes in the grass, snakes in our own backyard
(Everyone's on the telephone)
I'll be sure to overhear them
Enter loping in Latin, the altar boys all know
(Please tell me what's going on)
Oh, I can't, it's convoluted
A change of mind today for certain
I know the book, I think I wrote it
The author's dead, it's fiction
So go ahead eight times a day
So go ahead and tell me what you want
Two keys twisted and turned, stuck in our own front door
(Please tell me what's going on)
Oh, I can't, it's nothing I've known
Leaving notes in the carpet, reading them on the floor
(Please tell me what's going on)
Oh, I can't, it's convoluted
A change of mind today for certain
I know the book, I think I wrote it
The author's dead, the author's dead, it's fiction
I can't, I can't, it's convoluted
A change of mind today for certain
I know the book, I think I wrote it
The author's dead, it's fiction
One, oh, one
The Essex Green's song "Snakes in the Grass" is a cryptic and enigmatic track that seems to touch on feelings of confusion and disorientation. The repeated refrain of "please tell me what's going on" emphasizes the singer's sense of being lost and unsure of their surroundings. The song's lyrics contain several references to secrets and hidden knowledge, such as being "caught in the shadows" and "keeping the laughter low." There is a sense that there is something important that the singer is missing, but they cannot quite grasp what it is.
References to snakes run throughout the song, both literally and metaphorically. The "seething snakes in the grass" suggest that there are hidden dangers lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike. Similarly, when the singer talks about "overhearing" conversations, it feels as though they are eavesdropping on something that they shouldn't be privy to. The repeated lines about knowing the book and the author being dead suggest that there is something profound that has been lost or forgotten over time. Overall, the song seems to capture a sense of dislocation and confusion, as if the singer is struggling to make sense of an incomprehensible world.
Line by Line Meaning
Two feet caught in the shadows, caught in the shadow show
I have a sense of being stuck and lost, uncertain of what is happening around me.
Oh, I can't, it's nothing I've known
I cannot provide answers or insights, because I am as confused as you are.
Signing shapes in the moonlight, keeping the laughter low
There are secrets and hidden meanings in what people say and do, and sometimes humor masks darker truths.
Seething snakes in the grass, snakes in our own backyard
There are hidden dangers and deceptions lurking nearby, even among people we thought we knew well.
I'll be sure to overhear them
I will be alert and listen carefully, in order to detect any clues or indications of deceit or betrayal.
Enter loping in Latin, the altar boys all know
There may be coded language or symbolic rituals that reveal hidden agendas or illicit activities.
Two keys twisted and turned, stuck in our own front door
We may be locked out of certain knowledge or information, unable to make sense of it, despite being so close to it.
Leaving notes in the carpet, reading them on the floor
There may be signs or messages hidden in plain sight, that require careful attention and decoding.
The author's dead, it's fiction
The stories and narratives that we tell ourselves or hear from others may be full of lies, omissions, or fabrications.
So go ahead eight times a day
There may be forces pushing us to act or think in certain ways, like propaganda or brainwashing, that we need to resist.
I can't, I can't, it's convoluted
There may be no easy answers or solutions to the mysteries and puzzles we face, and we may need to accept that for now.
A change of mind today for certain
We may need to be open-minded and adaptable to new information or perspectives, in order to make progress or avoid danger.
I know the book, I think I wrote it
There may be a sense of déjà vu or familiarity with situations that we face, suggesting that we have some control or agency in how we respond to them.
One, oh, one
This may refer to a binary code for basic digital communication, suggesting that there may be hidden or encrypted messages in the world around us.
Contributed by Bella T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.