Thanksgiving Grey
The Jim Yoshii Pile-Up Lyrics


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You've lost time in the best of houses.
You wake up tired in the evening hours.
And so you drift from room to room in shorts and socks.
And you ignore the phone, the friend who knocks.
And you drag a chair across the wooden floor.
You sit at the screen door,
And watch the autumn leaves fall and coat the ground.
And thank you for the easy let-down.
It never seems to work out right.
"We're on your side; our love is blind."

I pretend to know the words.
I smile and look the other way.
I think I must be wrong about you.
And on and on, circles the night.
I push my views; you call them "white."
And round and round, your lips close tight.
You raise the dead and levitate your bed.

I was sprawled out on your bed,
Trying hard to keep my hands behind my head,
Trying hard not to embarrass either one of us.
Yes, I know you're ill, but I was ill first.




It's not so easy being on the other side.
You're about to find out.

Overall Meaning

The Jim Yoshii Pile-Up's song Thanksgiving Grey is a melancholic ballad that deals with the sense of loneliness and disconnection. The song describes a person who has lost all sense of time and finds himself drifting from one room to another, ignoring the outside world. The lyrics suggest that the person is going through a difficult period in life, and he is not interested in interacting with anyone. Even when a friend tries to connect with him, he ignores the phone and the friend who knocks. It is a metaphor for depression or sadness that can engulf people's minds, making them feel isolated and detached from reality.


The song continues with the person dragging a chair across the wooden floor, and he sits at the screen door watching the autumn leaves fall and coat the ground. The falling leaves represent the passing of time and the changing of the seasons, which ultimately leads to the person's realization that things never seem to work out right. The lyrics reveal that the person is grateful for the easy let-down, suggesting that he is relieved that he doesn't have to put on a happy face and pretend to be okay. The song's chorus, "We're on your side; our love is blind," suggests that even though the person may feel alone, others are willing to support him and love him, despite his flaws and imperfections.


The second verse describes the tension between two people who are trying to communicate, but their differences prevent them from seeing eye to eye. One person tries to explain his views, while the other closes her lips tight and dismisses him by calling his ideas "white." This verse is a metaphor for the way people often have different perspectives and misunderstand each other, leading to conflicts. Finally, the verse concludes with the person raising the dead and levitating her bed, establishing a surreal and otherworldly tone that echoes the sense of detachment and disorientation expressed in the song.


Line by Line Meaning

You've lost time in the best of houses.
You have wasted time in the nicest homes.


You wake up tired in the evening hours.
You feel exhausted in the evening despite sleeping.


And so you drift from room to room in shorts and socks.
You wander aimlessly around the house without any purpose or direction.


And you ignore the phone, the friend who knocks.
You avoid answering the phone or seeing your friends when they visit.


And you drag a chair across the wooden floor.
You move a chair across the wooden floor with a scraping sound.


You sit at the screen door,
You settle on a chair placed in front of a door with a screen in it,


And watch the autumn leaves fall and coat the ground.
You admire the falling leaves of autumn and how they cover the earth below.


And thank you for the easy let-down.
You're grateful for the lack of expectations or pressure placed on you by others.


It never seems to work out right.
Things never quite come together or turn out as hoped.


"We're on your side; our love is blind."
People say they support you but may not understand your situation or what's best for you.


I pretend to know the words.
You feign knowledge or understanding of a situation or conversation.


I smile and look the other way.
You fake a smile, and avoid addressing an uncomfortable topic.


I think I must be wrong about you.
You question your initial assessment or perception of someone.


And on and on, circles the night.
The night drags on without resolution or progress.


I push my views; you call them "white."
You assert your opinions or beliefs, but the other person dismisses them as naive or ignorant.


And round and round, your lips close tight.
The other person remains quiet and refuses to engage in discussion or compromise.


You raise the dead and levitate your bed.
You do the impossible or incredible, but it's not enough to impress the other person.


I was sprawled out on your bed,
You were lying on the other person's bed, relaxed and at ease.


Trying hard to keep my hands behind my head,
You were attempting to control your actions and not make a move on the other person.


Trying hard not to embarrass either one of us.
You were avoiding a potentially awkward or inappropriate situation for both parties.


Yes, I know you're ill, but I was ill first.
You acknowledge the other person's condition, but imply that you've been worse off or more deserving of attention.


It's not so easy being on the other side.
You recognize the challenges faced by the other person and have empathy for them.




Contributed by Maria D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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