The band released a self-titled effort in 1996 following their formation, where Ament and Robb, who met together on a tour where both their main bands played, collaborated on this side project, which combines rock music with mystical-style Eastern music.
The band reformed in 1999 and toured throughout the year in support of their second album, The Quiet Table.
Secret Place
Three Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of white wet galleries of hope and heartache
I am surrounded
By the eyes of hollow men gazing
From their haunted chambers
In the wastelands of ecstasy
Bearing pains the names no one remembers...why
You are in their vision, you are
My voice in chains, my lips are sealed
A secret place, I shed my tears
A secret place, I shed my tears...why
You are in their vision...you are
In their vision, you are
In their vision
In Three Fish’s song, Secret Place, the lyrics reveal a sense of despair and isolation. The opening line, “My mother roams through leaves”, conjures an image of grief and searching. The use of “white wet galleries of hope and heartache” implies that this search for something elusive is a constant cycle of disappointment and relief. The singer feels surrounded by the “eyes of hollow men”, and these men are “gazing from their haunted chambers”. These haunting images imply that the singer is feeling weighed down by the ghosts of the past, and this is where the pain comes from.
The chorus of the song is repeated twice, which makes the message clear. The singer is looking for a place where they can be themselves, where they can cry and not be judged. They are trying to figure out the reasons for their pain, looking for answers in the midst of it all. The singer feels trapped and unable to speak out, unsure of how to end the pain. The last line of the song, “In their vision, you are”, repeats the earlier phrase, “You are in their vision”. This seems to imply that the singer is feeling trapped in the gaze of others, unable to break free from their judgment and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
My mother roams through leaves
My subconscious mind is wandering aimlessly.
Of white wet galleries of hope and heartache
My thoughts are filled with emotions of both positivity and negativity.
I am surrounded
I feel trapped in my own mind.
By the eyes of hollow men gazing
I am constantly being watched by the judgmental eyes of others.
From their haunted chambers
These people are haunted by their own insecurities.
In the wastelands of ecstasy
These people are lost in a state of false happiness.
Bearing pains the names no one remembers...why
I am burdened by pain that no one else can understand.
You are in their vision, you are
You, the listener, are a part of this world that I am describing.
Idiot reigns where nothing's revealed
Ignorance is celebrated in this world where there is no genuine knowledge or truth.
My voice in chains, my lips are sealed
I am unable to speak my mind and express my true emotions.
A secret place, I shed my tears
I have a private, hidden space where I can release my emotions without judgment.
A secret place, I shed my tears...why
I question why I must hide my emotions in this way.
You are in their vision...you are
Once again, the listener is reminded that they are a part of this world that the song describes.
In their vision, you are
The judgmental eyes of others are always upon you, just as they are upon me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JEFF AMENT, ROBBI ROBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ol
Bought when it came out. Heard about it cause I was a PJ fan and Jeff was my fav bassist. All 8 string, 12 string and fretless, and his overall calm and understated presence.
Listened to it a lot then. Very psychedelic and playful.
allie lightfoot
I was working at a record store right when I got out of the military and this came in as a free sample. I have always loved this album. I still have it.
Pretty Thing
Thanks for uploading - good memories.
Marco Meschiari
I'm listening these songs after more or less 23 years..... chills on my back. The music is so fucking dense, emo and epic!!! Thanks for sharing.
TheBWPP
heh, I remember listening to it when I was 18 y.o. boy sleeping under the bridges of Amsterdam:) Those damn lyrics " I need a miracle" was mantra back then... awesome record:)
Gotz Travel Tours Sdn Bhd
truly epic....
Mike Ballard
I remember downloading this from tpb back when i was being introduced to my music. I'm glad i put it off for this exact moment because its so good wow just hear that oh wait im high. lol. cant wait for more music from quenns of the stone age and muse. pioneers of their own personal genre. oh and who else.... thats right Antemasqe and pretty much anything from the mars volta family.
Simone Devlin
Enlightenment for all.Lead vocal divine gift.Bassist to die for.
sarajamus
Hearing this album while I read 5 Against I autobiography at 3am feeling tranquil.
motherfoquer
I downloaded only 2 songs from this record (Here in the darkness, and The Intelligent fish) in the first part of de 2000 decade from "Audiogalaxy". First time I listen the full album.
Thanks for sharing.