Rhythm
Wilco Lyrics


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When red is black and petals blue
And in my sleepless head our love's been dead a week or two
Sometimes good times are stuck inside of you
And then they're gone. But I don't know why
A lot of things have changed since you said goodbye

There are reasons for you to love me
But I gave you none
So I tap my glass and nod my chin
And wonder who you've been in rhythm with

Sometimes just time, cause can't escape
When clouds are playing close, not often too far away
Blue has no value, power over you
Open skies, relationless
Carelessness is what I miss
And that's how I think of you

Sometimes good times WERE all we HAD to do
So I tap my glass and nod my chin
And wonder who you've been in rhythm with




So I tap my glass and nod my chin
And wonder who you've been in rhythm with

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Wilco's 2009 song Rhythm in 2-3 may sound like a jumbled mess, but upon closer inspection, they reveal a lot about the emotions being conveyed. "When red is black and petals blue" speaks to the confusion and disorientation one feels when their world falls apart. Things that once seemed clear and certain now appear muddled and distorted. The following line, "And in my sleepless head our love's been dead a week or two," confirms that the singer has recently experienced a devastating break-up. However, the juxtaposition of these two images – black and blue, dead love and live petals – suggests that not all is lost, and that beauty and new growth can emerge from the wreckage.


The middle section of the song explores the singer's regrets and insecurities about the relationship. "There are reasons for you to love me / But I gave you none" indicates that the singer is aware of their own failings, and perhaps feels unworthy of love. This self-doubt is compounded by the chorus, which repeats the line "So I tap my glass and nod my chin / And wonder who you've been in rhythm with." The tapping and nodding imply a certain level of social anxiety and discomfort, further suggesting that the singer struggles with feelings of inadequacy. The phrase "in rhythm with" implies that the person the singer is thinking about has moved on and found someone new to share their life with, leaving the singer feeling left behind and out of step with the rest of the world.


Line by Line Meaning

When red is black and petals blue
When things seem so strangely different and off-kilter.


And in my sleepless head our love's been dead a week or two
In my mind, our relationship has already ended long before it actually did.


Sometimes good times are stuck inside of you
Memories of happy times can stay with you when nothing else seems to.


And then they're gone. But I don't know why
Those memories can disappear without explanation or reason.


A lot of things have changed since you said goodbye
My life has taken a different course since you ended our relationship.


There are reasons for you to love me
There are qualities or actions that should have endeared me to you.


But I gave you none
However, I failed to show or express those qualities to you.


So I tap my glass and nod my chin
Now, I am left to contemplate what went wrong and how to move on.


And wonder who you've been in rhythm with
I cannot help but wonder who you have moved on with since we parted ways.


Sometimes just time, cause can't escape
Sometimes the passing of time is the only thing that can provide closure.


When clouds are playing close, not often too far away
Depression can linger near and mimic happiness at times.


Blue has no value, power over you
The things that once held so much meaning and importance can lose their impact over time.


Open skies, relationless
Feeling free but also disconnected from anything or anyone.


Carelessness is what I miss
The inability to care or worry about things that now cause me pain and anxiety.


And that's how I think of you
These feelings and thoughts are tied to memories of our past together.


Sometimes good times WERE all we HAD to do
Our happiness in the past was simple and carefree.


So I tap my glass and nod my chin
Returning again to a place of reflection and contemplation.


And wonder who you've been in rhythm with
Still plagued by uncertainty and a lingering desire to know where my former partner's life has led.




Contributed by Jack H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Justin Jue

When red is bled
And petals blue
And in my sleepless head
Our love's been dead a week or two
Sometimes, good times
Are stuck inside of you
And then they're gone
But I don't know why
A lot of things have changed
Since we said goodbye
There were reasons for you to love me
But I gave you none
So I tap my glass and nod my chin
And wonder who you've been in rhythm with
So time's just time
Cars can't escape
When clouds are gray and close
Not often, too far away
And blue has no value, power, or hue
Or open skies, relationless
Carelessness is what I miss
And that's how I think of you
Sometimes, good times
Were all we had to do
So I tap my glass and nod my chin
And wonder who you've been in rhythm with
So I tap my glass and nod my chin
And wonder who you've been in rhythm with
Songwriters: Jeffrey Scot Tweedy / JAY BENNETT
Cars Can't Escape lyrics © Words Ampersand Music, You Want A Piece Of This Music

David Doyle

Agreed that this is the best version.

Yon Z

The best version and the best channel. Somebody speak spanish in this channel? I'm a fan!

Low Key Sound System

Lovely.

hazedrone69

rip jay bennett

tommypepperdick

Lol who says "beautiful" at the end of this...?

tommypepperdick

@SoabTtirb Nice! Thanks for getting me an answer on this super random question haha :-)

SoabTtirb

I posed this question to Jeff on The Tweedy Show and he surmised it was probably Jim O'Rourke. But he wasn't sure and hadn't listened to confirm any which way

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