Midnight Sun
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger Lyrics
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A medallion noose round his neck
An inflatable chest in her Sunday best
Trade a cigarette for a sunset
Never bring a bone to a banquet
Need a blanket to sleep with the fish
And I'm just an ordinary alien
Spilt the mescaline milk on his silk shirt
Billy Burroughs lurks with the perverts
As he orders hors d'oeuvres for his just desert
Lizards in the hotel lobby said
Put the whiskey in the waterbed
Bar flies are buzzing round their heads
Another rave in a cave like a mass grave
Bloodshot from shots of aftershave
Can't remember the face of the head you gave
Snipers hiding in the photo booths
Vipers in the VIP room
Hieroglyphs on the walls of the bathroom stalls
The lyrics of "Midnight Sun" by The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger present a surreal and psychedelic image of a wild night at a discotheque. The song opens with the description of an infamous wreck, which could refer to a car crash or a metaphorical breakdown on the dance floor. The second line of the verse is particularly striking, as it evokes the image of a medallion noose around someone's neck, suggesting a deadly adornment or a symbol of imminent danger. The following line mentions an inflatable chest, which might be a way of commenting on the superficiality and artificiality of the scene.
The chorus of the song features a dreamy and mysterious melody, with Sean Lennon singing about melting into the midnight sun and being an ordinary alien. This could be interpreted in different ways, but it seems to convey a sense of being absorbed by a larger cosmic force and feeling simultaneously insignificant and wondrous. The verse that follows describes a character named Billy Burroughs who orders hors d'oeuvres for his just desert, a wordplay that suggests both a deserved punishment and a sweet treat. The allusion to William S. Burroughs, the Beat Generation author known for his experimental literature and drug use, adds to the song's countercultural vibe.
The remaining lines of the song paint a vivid and surreal picture of the discotheque as a place of danger, mystery, and transgression. Lizards in the hotel lobby, whiskey in the waterbed, and hieroglyphs on the walls of the bathroom stalls are some of the images that convey a sense of wild abandon and hallucinatory confusion. Overall, "Midnight Sun" is a song that captures the spirit of a hedonistic night out, but also hints at deeper and more elusive meanings.
Line by Line Meaning
An infamous wreck at the discotheque
A person who is widely known for causing disaster at the disco
A medallion noose round his neck
A neck ornament that serves as a symbolic hangman's rope
An inflatable chest in her Sunday best
A fake chest used by a woman to impress others while dressed for church
Trade a cigarette for a sunset
To make an exchange of no value or sense
Never bring a bone to a banquet
Don't bring something worthless or inappropriate to a valuable event
Need a blanket to sleep with the fish
To die and be buried underwater
I'm melting into the midnight sun
To be in a state of euphoria or confusion
And I'm just an ordinary alien
To feel like an outsider or misfit
Spilt the mescaline milk on his silk shirt
To make a costly mistake while under the influence of drugs
Billy Burroughs lurks with the perverts
A reference to the author William S. Burroughs, implying a sense of danger and perversion
As he orders hors d'oeuvres for his just desert
As he prepares to receive his punishment for wrongdoing in the form of small, fancy appetizers
Lizards in the hotel lobby said
A metaphor for secretive or dangerous characters lurking in a public space
Put the whiskey in the waterbed
To mix pleasure with pain and danger
Bar flies are buzzing round their heads
People who frequent bars often and engage in meaningless conversations
Another rave in a cave like a mass grave
A metaphor for a dangerous and chaotic nightlife scene
Bloodshot from shots of aftershave
To be extremely hungover and red-eyed due to excessive alcohol consumption
Can't remember the face of the head you gave
To forget a past lover or sexual encounter
Snipers hiding in the photo booths
A metaphor for danger and violence being present even in seemingly innocuous places
Vipers in the VIP room
A play on words, suggesting that even the most exclusive and prestigious places are not free from danger and deceit
Hieroglyphs on the walls of the bathroom stalls
A metaphor for the hidden and often mysterious messages present in even the most mundane or overlooked spaces
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLOTTE KEMP MUHL, SEAN ONO LENNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind