A Wishful Puppeteer
The Lawrence Arms Lyrics


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I haven't seen you since that Brooklyn night
I guess it's been about a year by now
Cold and rainy, in a poet's words
Dark and crimson in a drunken sway

I was frozen in a windowpane
Kind of like I was on a movie screen
Your hair was darker than I remembered it
I was as awkward as I could have been

So much has changed, it seems nothing ever changes
I found a way to wear a thousand different faces

Time creeps into my dreams
Breathe deep, fill your lungs with me

Headaches, stalemates
Chest pains, I'm trembling
Ink stains, text to burn
Am I leaving, am I leaving?

I found your face in my dreams the last two nights
What are you doing there? What am I singing for?

A window sitter, grown into the crutch
The crutch has always been right there for him
I'm sorry, I'm pushing her away
I'm dark and crimson in a drunken sway





So much has changed, it seems nothing ever changes

Overall Meaning

The Lawrence Arms's song A Wishful Puppeteer speaks of the nostalgia and regret that comes with an old love, memories that linger even after so much has changed. The lyrics start with the singer reminiscing about a particular night in Brooklyn they shared with their partner. It has been a year since that night, and the memories are still vivid, described in a "poet's words" and "drunken sway." The singer recounts the awkwardness they felt when they saw their partner again, frozen "like a movie screen." The scene is set with melancholic undertones, as the singer realizes just how much has changed since that time, how time itself is slowing creeping into their dreams.


The chorus is a repeating phrase that carries a resounding sense of loss and confusion. The singer is experiencing headaches, chest pains, and ink stains - metaphorical reminders that they are grappling with feelings that they can neither verbalize nor alleviate. They feel like they are on the verge of leaving. The second verse carries on with the dream-like imagery, as memories morph into images that the singer cannot comprehend. They see their partner's face in their dreams for the past two nights, questioning why they are there and what the singer's singing is for.


The song paints a picture of how memories can both comfort and torment at the same time. The singer is a puppeteer, controlling the strings to try to make sense of what has happened, even as they realize that it might be all for naught. They are unable to shake off those memories, haunted by their thoughts, and unable to move forward.


Line by Line Meaning

I haven't seen you since that Brooklyn night
It's been a year since the persona saw the addressee in Brooklyn


I guess it's been about a year by now
The persona estimates that it has been a year since they last saw the addressee


Cold and rainy, in a poet's words
The previous encounter with the addressee was in unpleasant weather that reminded the persona of poetry


Dark and crimson in a drunken sway
The persona was drunk during the last encounter with the addressee and remembers it as dark and red


I was frozen in a windowpane
The persona felt stuck or trapped like a figure behind a windowpane


Kind of like I was on a movie screen
The persona felt like they were part of a movie scene


Your hair was darker than I remembered it
The addressee's hair appeared darker than the persona's memory of it


I was as awkward as I could have been
The persona felt very uncomfortable during the encounter


So much has changed, it seems nothing ever changes
Despite changes that have occurred, the persona feels like things always stay the same


I found a way to wear a thousand different faces
The persona has developed a habit of putting on different personas or masks


Time creeps into my dreams
The passing of time affects the persona's dreams


Breathe deep, fill your lungs with me
The persona might be talking to their partner and asking them to take a deep breath while close to them


Headaches, stalemates
The persona is experiencing headaches and is stuck in a stalemate


Chest pains, I'm trembling
The persona is experiencing chest pains and/or is trembling


Ink stains, text to burn
The persona has something written down that they might want to erase or destroy


Am I leaving, am I leaving?
The persona is questioning whether they want to leave or not


I found your face in my dreams the last two nights
The persona saw the addressee's face in their dreams for the past two nights


What are you doing there? What am I singing for?
The persona questions why the addressee is in their dreams and why they are singing about it


A window sitter, grown into the crutch
The persona has grown comfortable with depending on their vices


The crutch has always been right there for him
The persona always has access to their vice, like a crutch


I'm sorry, I'm pushing her away
The persona is apologizing for pushing their partner away


I'm dark and crimson in a drunken sway
The persona is drunk and feels dark and red


So much has changed, it seems nothing ever changes
The persona reiterates the idea that many things have changed, but it feels like nothing ever does




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