Librarians follow up their debut full-length, Al… Read Full Bio ↴See also Librarians
Librarians follow up their debut full-length, Alright Easy Candy Stranger, by delving into the catalogs of baroque pop and new wave without abandoning the viscous dance-punk that first captivated audiences in their home state of West Virginia. File "Candy Season" under B for boat drinks, bouncy psychedelia and beaches. "Cranberry Palace" belongs amongst the 60's heartbreakers, between the charm of The Turtles and the pitch perfect humility of The Zombies. On "Marilla Park" the band channels the smooth delivery of Clinic with a hint of Echo and the Bunnymen. Appalachia may not seem to be the first place you'd look for weird, kaleidoscopic party jams, but with Present Passed Librarians continue to defy easy classification.
Niagara Falls
The Librarians Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I'm a van
The world's gone of it's axes (?)
She takes me by the hand
And tells me things that I don't understand
The sound of her words sues me all the same
I don't wanna lie to you
But deep in my heart I know
She doesn't want to see
The house's on fire
Only pictures of, only pictures of Niagara Falls
She tells me to relax
But I'm a van
The world's gone of it's axes
She takes me by the hand
And tells me things that I don't understand
The lyrics to The Librarians' song "Niagara Falls" depict a situation where the singer is being urged to relax by someone, but he is finding it difficult to do so. He sees himself as a van, implying that he is feeling powerless and lacking control. The world has gone off its axes, suggesting a sense of chaos and instability. The second verse introduces a female character who takes him by the hand and speaks to him in a way that he does not fully comprehend. Despite this confusion, he finds the sound of her words soothing. However, he is conflicted by the fact that he feels as if he is lying to her, and even though he does not understand the truth, he knows it is not present.
Towards the end of the song, the female character is revealed to be ignoring the real problems around them, namely a house on fire. She is content to look at pictures of Niagara Falls, suggesting that she is choosing to focus on a pretty image of something rather than to face the harsh reality of the situation. The repetition of the first verse and chorus emphasizes the singer's sense of being trapped and conflicted.
Line by Line Meaning
She tells me to relax
Despite my worries, she encourages me to calm down
But I'm a van
I'm feeling stuck and immobile
The world's gone of it's axes (?)
Things are changing and unstable
She takes me by the hand
She offers compassion and support
And tells me things that I don't understand
She tries to help me make sense of things beyond my comprehension
The sound of her words sues me all the same
Her words provide comfort even if I can't fully grasp their meaning
I don't wanna lie to you
I want to be truthful with her
But deep in my heart I know
Despite my desire for honesty, I have a sense of unease
There ain't no truth
The reality of the situation is uncertain or elusive
She doesn't want to see
She's avoiding acknowledging a problem
The house's on fire
There's a serious issue that needs attention
Only pictures of, only pictures of Niagara Falls
We're distracted by something pleasant and ignoring the larger issue
Contributed by Adrian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.