The band toured with Alanis Morrisette and Placebo across Canada in the late 90s, as lead singer Miller fought his inner demons through music.
After Universal Music Canada terminated their contract, TMSL disbanded in 2001 after releasing their "Character Beauty" EP.
Music videos can be downloaded at their offical website, www.themillerstainlimit.com.
Cellophane
The Miller Stain Limit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take time, make time
And fake some
Hidden agenda
Smile for me, smile for you
And the camera
The face behind the face
I don't wanna figure out
What makes it feel so real
It's just another sideswipe ramification
Cellophane, wrap me up in
What you got is what I got
And then some
Join me in the consistency
When I'm done with you
I feel like sleeping some
The face behind the face
I don't wanna figure out
What makes it feel so real
It's just another sideswipe ramification
You never know how fast you're going
Until the point of impact
The Miller Stain Limit's song Cellophane touches on the theme of superficiality and the façade that people often put on. The lyrics suggest that people tend to hide their true identity behind a metaphorical cellophane wrapping, and put on a fake smile for the world to see. The song talks about how people are often scared to be themselves, and instead, choose to present a version of themselves that they feel would be more accepted by society. They wrap themselves up like a package, in the hopes that they will be more appealing and attractive to others. The song emphasizes how we often get so wrapped up in our own personas, that we forget who we really are.
The chorus of the song asks us to join the singer in the consistency of cellophane, essentially joining them in being fake and inauthentic. The use of the word "consistency" could be indicative of how people often strive to be consistent in their outward appearance and behavior, in order to avoid being caught out as "frauds". The line "when I'm done with you, I feel like sleeping some" could be interpreted as the singer feeling drained and exhausted by the effort it takes to put on a façade.
The line "I don't wanna figure out what makes it feel so real" could point to the singer's reluctance to examine why they feel the need to be fake, to begin with. The final line of the song "You never know how fast you're going until the point of impact" suggests that people often do not realize how unsustainable their façade is until they experience a personal crisis or setback.
Line by Line Meaning
Cellophane, situation
The situation feels shallow and fake, like it's wrapped in transparent, flimsy material
Take time, make time
Spend more time to see beyond the surface and make genuine connections
And fake some
But sometimes the only way to fit in is to pretend, even if it's not authentic
Hidden agenda
People may have ulterior motives or secret intentions beneath their pleasant exterior
Smile for me, smile for you
We put on a happy face to please others and protect ourselves from vulnerability
And the camera
We perform for an audience, trying to present an ideal version of ourselves
The face behind the face
Beneath the facade, there's a deeper, more complex identity
I don't wanna figure out
Sometimes it's easier not to delve into the complexity
What makes it feel so real
The emotions and situations seem genuine, but may not be entirely authentic
It's just another sideswipe ramification
There are often consequences or outcomes that we don't anticipate, like a sudden impact from the side
Cellophane, wrap me up in
The shallow and inauthentic situation becomes suffocating and unbearable
What you got is what I got
We're all struggling with the same shallow, fake situation
And then some
It's even worse than we realize
Join me in the consistency
There's a pressure to conform and meet certain expectations
When I'm done with you
When we're no longer useful or entertaining to others
I feel like sleeping some
We crave escape or rest from the exhausting performance
You never know how fast you're going
We may not realize how superficial and hollow our lives have become
Until the point of impact
Until something jarring or traumatic happens to wake us up to the shallow reality we've been living in
Contributed by Michael J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.