White Fence's trippy, distortion-laced, psychedelic pop-influenced tunes (s… Read Full Bio ↴White Fence's trippy, distortion-laced, psychedelic pop-influenced tunes (sounding, in other words, something along the lines of a warped cassette tape featuring The Left Banke or The Merry-Go-Round) are the brainchild of Timothy Presley (also a member of the like-minded groups Strange Boys and Darker My Love). The project's self-titled debut was released on the Woodsist label in the spring of 2010. For the project's next release, White Fence Is Growing Faith , Presley didn't change much. The January 2011 album follows the same sometimes goofy, always trippily tuneful template of the debut. - AMG

A Pearl Is Not a Diamond
White Fence Lyrics

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a pearl is not a diamond
a pearl comes from harm

peeled back for fortune
and stripped for your day drugs
and lonely i can tell
but sorrow is a spell

peace nurse
that closes anger
lion pit thats hard to swallow
peace is a pin
that starts where you begin

there is bad behavior
everytime i lose
but dont close up again
my good humor man

i cant help
myself in trouble
speaking when i rather vomit
i want the shape like all the others
the perfect pearl

is not a diamond
is comes from harm

Overall Meaning

The song 'A Pearl Is Not a Diamond' by White Fence is a meditative and introspective piece about finding the beauty in the painful experiences in one's life. The lyrics talk about how a pearl is formed from harm, much like how a person's life experiences shape them into who they are today. The metaphor of the pearl is used to describe how the struggles and sorrows we encounter can lead to something beautiful if we approach them with peace and acceptance.

The lyrics also touch on the theme of self-awareness and the difficulty of staying true to oneself in a world that constantly pressures people to conform. The lines "I can't help myself in trouble / speaking when I rather vomit" express the frustration of feeling like an outsider and struggling to fit in. The song ends with the statement that the perfect pearl is not a diamond - this could be interpreted as a reminder that perfection is not attainable, and that true value lies in embracing one's unique qualities and imperfections.

Overall, the lyrics to 'A Pearl Is Not a Diamond' encourage listeners to find peace and meaning in life's challenges, and to resist the pressure to conform to society's expectations.

Line by Line Meaning

a pearl is not a diamond
A pearl is not the same as a diamond and shouldn't be compared to it

a pearl comes from harm
Pearls are formed as a result of damage or harm to the oyster. The same kind of pain can lead to something beautiful or valuable.

peeled back for fortune
Pearls have to be peeled back or removed from the inside of the oyster for someone to find them and gain fortune from them

and stripped for your day drugs
Similarly, people can strip or take advantage of others for their own gain, such as using drugs to escape from reality temporarily

and lonely i can tell
The artist is able to recognize loneliness in others, which is possibly due to his own personal experiences with it

but sorrow is a spell
Sadness can feel like a spell or curse that is difficult to break free from

peace nurse
Finding peace or calmness can act as a nurse or healer for feelings of anger or negativity

that closes anger
Peace can help to close or subdue feelings of anger

lion pit thats hard to swallow
The struggle to find peace and suppress anger can feel like being trapped in a lion pit, which is a difficult feeling to cope with

peace is a pin
Peace can be a small, but significant, tool to help start a healing process

that starts where you begin
The journey towards peace begins with the individual and their willingness to actively seek it out

there is bad behavior
The artist recognizes their own negative behavior or habits

everytime i lose
The singer tends to fall back into old patterns whenever they lose or experience hardship

but dont close up again
However, the singer urges themselves (and possibly others) to not close themselves off and to continue striving towards growth and healing

my good humor man
The singer is wishing for a person who can bring them joy and laughter during difficult times. 'Good Humor Man' is also a reference to the childhood ice cream truck driver who brings happiness to kids through his ice cream.

i cant help
The artist admits their inability to avoid or escape from trouble

myself in trouble
The artist tends to find themselves in trouble or in negative situations

speaking when i rather vomit
The singer can't help but speak or communicate their feelings, even if it makes them feel uncomfortable or sick to do so

i want the shape like all the others
The singer desires to fit in or conform with others, rather than stand out or be unique

the perfect pearl is not a diamond
Just as a diamond is not the same as a pearl, perfection cannot be defined as one thing or ideal. It is subjective and can be found in unexpected places

is comes from harm
As previously mentioned, the pearl is created from pain or harm. Perfection can come from hardship or struggle, rather than being perfect from the start

Contributed by Adalyn P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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