Spiders
Wilco Lyrics
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Spiders are filling out tax returns
Spinning out webs of deductions and melodies
On a private beach in Michigan
Why can't they wish their kisses good
Why do they miss when their kisses should
Fly like winging birds fighting for the keys
This recent rash of kidsmoke
All these telescopic poems
It's good to be alone
Why can't they say what they want
Why can't they just say what they mean
Come clean, listen and talk
Hello private callers, IDs blocked
The sun will rise, we'll climb into cars
The future has a valley and a shortcut around
Who will wear the crown of drowning award
Hold a private light on a Michigan shore
You fool me with a kiss of kidsmoke
From a microscopic home
It's good to be alone
I'll be in my bed
You can be the stone
That raises from the dead
And carries us all home
There's no blood on my hands
I just do as I am told
The song "Spiders" by Wilco is a surrealistic and poetic take on the banal and the mundane. The first verse describes spiders singing and filling out tax returns on a private beach in Michigan. The imagery is intended to be fantastical, whimsical, and a bit absurd, as spiders are not typically associated with singing or paying taxes. However, for the sake of the song, they act as a metaphorical representation of the multitude of creatures who inhabit our world, going about their daily lives, just like we do.
The chorus questions why people can't express their feelings and intentions honestly and openly. The lines "Why can't they wish their kisses good? Why do they miss when their kisses should fly like winging birds fighting for the keys?" paint a picture of people failing to communicate effectively and missing out on opportunities because of it. The chorus ends with the phrase "Hello private callers, IDs blocked," which suggests that the lack of communication is intentional and may be a defense mechanism to avoid vulnerability.
In the second verse, Jeff Tweedy, the lead singer of Wilco, describes a "recent rash of kidsmoke," which refers to a sudden surge of young people behaving recklessly and indulging in drugs, sex, and other vices. The telescopic poems mentioned in the line "all these telescopic poems" could be a reference to the literary and artistic movements of the time, which often dealt with themes of abstract and surrealistic explorations of the human psyche.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a commentary on the state of modern society and the challenges that people face in expressing themselves honestly and openly. The spiders, the tax returns, and the telescopic poems are all symbolic representations of the aspects of our lives that we often take for granted, but which have a profound impact on our sense of identity and connection to the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Spiders are singing in the salty breeze
The spider imagery is symbolic of the intricate and complex webs we weave in our lives, which can be beautiful and haunting at the same time.
Spiders are filling out tax returns
The songwriter is commenting on the mundane and repetitive nature of modern life, where even spiders have to conform to bureaucratic systems.
Spinning out webs of deductions and melodies
This line is a continuation of the previous one and highlights the tension between creativity and conformity that is present in contemporary culture.
On a private beach in Michigan
This line adds a sense of specificity to the rest of the verses, grounding the abstract imagery in a real place.
Why can't they wish their kisses good
The use of the word 'they' here implies a sense of disconnection or alienation from others, as if the artist is observing these interactions from a distance.
Why do they miss when their kisses should
This line continues the theme of missed connections and the sense of things not quite working out as they should.
Fly like winging birds fighting for the keys
The use of the bird imagery here suggests a sense of freedom and possibility, but this is tempered by the idea of fighting for something that may be out of reach.
On a private beach in Michigan
This line is repeated throughout the song, serving as a sort of refrain that ties the verses together.
This recent rash of kidsmoke
The phrase 'kidsmoke' is open to interpretation, but it likely refers to the idea of youthful rebellion or a sense of being lost and confused.
All these telescopic poems
The image of telescopes suggests a sense of distance or detachment, as if the artist is trying to make sense of something that is far away or hard to see.
It's good to be alone
This line is repeated several times throughout the song, suggesting a sense of alienation or isolation from others.
Why can't they say what they want
This line continues the theme of missed connections and the inability to communicate effectively with others.
Why can't they just say what they mean
The second half of this couplet reinforces the idea that our speech is often cryptic or indirect, making it difficult to convey our true intentions to others.
Come clean, listen and talk
This line offers a possible solution to the communication problem, suggesting that we need to be honest and open with others in order to establish clear lines of communication.
Hello private callers, IDs blocked
This line is a bit of wordplay, riffing on the idea of anonymity and the difficulty of truly connecting with others when we hide behind masks or false identities.
The sun will rise, we'll climb into cars
This line suggests a sense of routine or predictability, highlighting the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of repetitive behavior.
The future has a valley and a shortcut around
This line is a bit more hopeful, suggesting that there may be a way out of the cycles we find ourselves in, if we look hard enough for it.
Who will wear the crown of drowning award
This line is a bit enigmatic, but it likely refers to the idea of being swallowed up by our problems or patterns of behavior, and the need to break free from them.
Hold a private light on a Michigan shore
This line brings the song full circle, returning to the original motif of a private beach in Michigan and the sense of isolation and detachment that it evokes.
You fool me with a kiss of kidsmoke
This line evokes a sense of deception or disillusionment, as the artist feels misled or betrayed by someone they trusted.
From a microscopic home
This line emphasizes the small-scale, almost insignificant nature of the deception or disappointment the artist has experienced.
I'll be in my bed
This line suggests a sense of retreat or withdrawal from the world, as if the artist is tired of trying to make sense of the things around them.
You can be the stone
This line is a bit cryptic, but it likely refers to the idea of someone else being a source of strength or stability for the singer.
That raises from the dead
This line is a more vivid version of the previous one, suggesting that the other person has the power to help the artist overcome their feelings of disconnection or despair.
And carries us all home
This line is a bit more universal, suggesting that we all have a need for connection and belonging, and that we all need someone to help us find our way home.
There's no blood on my hands
This line is a bit ambiguous, but it likely refers to the idea of the singer not being responsible for the problems or issues they are facing.
I just do as I am told
This line is a bit more fatalistic, suggesting that the singer feels powerless to affect change in their life and is resigned to simply going through the motions.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JEFF TWEEDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind