Shorter and simpler than most of the tracks on De-Loused, “Son et Lumière” prepares the listener for the coming chaos and complexity by building up slowly and setting the scene for the narrative which follows. It also introduces some of the album’s signature features right away, such as grotesque imagery, extensive sonic manipulation and abrupt shifts in musical style.
The lyrics themselves are laden with subtext and wordplay to the point that they often defy a literal interpretation. This is a deliberate device which echoes Cerpin Taxt’s disorientating experiences and is typical of the album as a whole.
Son et Lumiere
The Mars Volta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not the percent you think survives
I need sanctuary in the pages of this book
Gestating with all the other rats
Nurse said that my skin will need a graft
I am of pockmarked shapes
The vermin you need to loathe
The lyrics to The Mars Volta's song Son Et Lumiere are full of symbolism and metaphorical language. The opening line, "Clipside of the pinkeye flight," sets the stage for a surreal journey that is both physical and psychological. The "pinkeye flight" could be interpreted as an airplane ride, but it also represents a journey through illness and vulnerability.
The second line, "I'm not the percent you think survives," suggests that the singer is aware of their own mortality and may be facing a life-threatening situation. They are looking for a "sanctuary" within the pages of a book, which could be a reference to literature that deals with illness or death, or it could be a metaphor for the solace and comfort that comes from immersing oneself in a story.
The third and fourth lines introduce the metaphor of gestation, suggesting that the singer is undergoing a transformative process, like a rat birthing new life. But there is also something unsettling about this image, as the singer is compared to a vermin that others would "need to loathe." This could be a reflection of the singer's own self-loathing or a commentary on society's tendency to reject and stigmatize those who are sick or different.
Line by Line Meaning
Clipside of the pinkeye flight
The view from the pink airplane window
I'm not the percent you think survives
I am not one of the lucky few who always come out ahead
I need sanctuary in the pages of this book
I seek refuge and solace in the written word
Gestating with all the other rats
I am living and growing amongst the masses, faceless and unremarkable
Nurse said that my skin will need a graft
I have been told by a medical professional that I require skin transplant surgery
I am of pockmarked shapes
My appearance is marred by scars and other imperfections
The vermin you need to loathe
I am the type of person that society deems unworthy of respect or kindness
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Cedric Bixler, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@iaraespinoza4228
don't anyone else thinks that now, you always got to listen to these two together?
@jdgonzo1982
yeah for sure....sometimes i even think the first part is the best part too!! the drums simplicity and impact really do it for me!! it never gets boring :)
@thallakai
Yeah it's like Bloom + Marigold by Caligula's Horse, just can't be experienced separately.
@11cylynt11
I consider the two as 1 song. Son Et Lumiere is simply the intro to Inertiatic ESP.
If I listen to Son Et Lumiere, I'm gonna wanna hear Inertiatic follow it. And if I only listen to Inertiatic, in a random playlist, it feels like I started listening to a song midway through.
@11cylynt11
Yes, it's like "Parabol" and "Parabola" by TOOL.
@lifeonholidae
Every time I hear this song I think back to some of the darkest, most vulnerable, and lost periods of my life. When I heard this album for the first time I felt SEEN, like some force spotlighted me in a dark forest and said hey, there you are. Okay enough edibles for tonight.
@dieterbohm9700
Amen brother! This album is like a biography of my life! It's so powerful.
@lynxcore
this album sent me subliminal messages warning me of my future
@dieterbohm9700
@@lynxcore Bro, we felt the same experience!
@dieterbohm9700
@@lynxcore I've been listening music from all kinds of genres, and let me tell you that Take the veil cerpin taxt is the most powerful song I've ever heard.