Coldplay: Clocks Meaning
Song Released: 2003
Clocks Lyrics
Tides that I tried to swim against
Brought me down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead
Singin’, come out if things aren’t said
Shoot an apple off my head
And a, trouble that can’t be named...
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A number of people seems to think of it as addiction;although I agree about it somewhat, I don't think there is no explicit, even implicit symbolism in those lines that suggest drugs. But I there definite voice of regret about "missed opportunities". And that is more about likely about relationships.
What kind of relationships are "against" the tide? Cannot be talked about? Causes troubles that cannot be talked about?
Drugs and, even same sex relationships are not problems which cannot be talked about in this age and time, unless you are living in very "backward" parts.
The whole mystery about this lyric is the "you" which is incomparable. There's home mentioned twice...
"take you home" and "Home, home, where I wanted to go" ...
An out of fashion Freudian interpretation with the "tamed tiger" will lead us towards "incest". But it could just be something like relationships which would be condemned by "the world" like relationships with someone very close, like a friend's spouse or partner ...
The horrible end of the world, feeling of death, confusion are all there with an emphasis on time which takes the song to another level ... It is very appropriate when you consider the delivery: the events are not chronological... The feelings are mixed... There is no horror, no fear of unknown or violent ending... It's more like passion, a forbidden passion, and finally unconsummated ... -
A number of people seems to think of it as addiction;although I agree about it somewhat, I don't think there is no explicit, even implicit symbolism in those lines that suggest drugs. But I there definite voice of regret about "missed opportunities". And that is more about likely about relationships.
What kind of relationships are "against" the tide? Cannot be talked about? Causes troubles that cannot be talked about?
Drugs and, even same sex relationships are not problems which cannot be talked about in this age and time, unless you are living in very "backward" parts.
The whole mystery about this lyric is the "you" which is incomparable. There's home mentioned twice...
"take you home" and "Home, home, where I wanted to go" ...
An out of fashion Freudian interpretation with the "tamed tiger" will lead us towards "incest". But it could just be something like relationships which would be condemned by "the world" like relationships with someone very close, like a friend's spouse or partner ...
The horrible end of the world, feeling of death, confusion are all there with an emphasis on time which takes the song to another level ... It is very appropriate when you consider the delivery: the events are not chronological... The feelings are mixed... There is no horror, no fear of unknown or violent ending... It's more like passion, a forbidden passion, and finally unconsummated ... -
It's not about death it is about self-acceptance.
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I think this is about someone who never really felt accepted in his own home and even as time went by, he still went through all this stuff and rebelled and stuff although all he wanted was to belong.
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I know this is pretty much ridiculous, but for some reason I always listen to it as having to do with the natural world being destroyed. The song just kind of has the natural awe that I get when I'm camping and things like that, and the words are almost like.. He's trying to stop the destruction and everything, but it's spinning out of control. And the whole 'Clocks' thing I always took as just the amount of time left until we elimate the world. And then when he says 'Nothing else compares' I always just imagine it as him speaking of being somewhere completely and totally untouched by man.
Yeah, yeah. COMPLETE OVER-ANALYZATION. I'm a tree-hugger, and I see EVERYTHING as having to do with nature... Ha. So shoot me. -
i think this song is about a man's race against time which carries an inevitable separation with the one he loves. The separation could be death,trouble,or whatsoever,but it is definitely inevitable.this song is his plea, reflecting his hopelessness of fighting the inevitable to come by each passing seconds.
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Addiction interpretation ftw!
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I agree with the interpretation that this song is about the inability of man to stop time from continuing...
"the lights go out and I can't be saved
tides that I tried to swim against
have brought me down upon my knees
oh I beg, I beg and plead singing "
the lights go out - death
tides that I tried to swim against - he tried to stop time, but failed..Now at his death he realizes his mistake
"cursed missed opportunities "
- things he wished he had done, but didn't because he believed he had more time -
Wow, it's about a man's fight against time. Time is eating his life away. This is why it is called clocks, because clocks keep time.
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I don't know...I kind of like the addiction interpretation. I just don't see enough evidence to suppport the death interpretation.
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I agree with dane.
This song is about death. and life. And what you make of yourself.
I think its a somewhat celebratory song of life, kinda like TOOL's Parabol/a.
'you are, you are, and nothing else compares'
is saying, accept yourself and live your life.. all the other lyrics are just factors in a persons life, dealing with dying, finding your niche.. -
I think this song is about addiction...
The lights go out and I can't be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Have brought me down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead singing
(I try to fight my addiction, but it beats me down.)
Come out of things unsaid
Shoot an apple off my head and a
Trouble that can't be named
A tiger's waiting to be tamed singing
(If the problem is addressed, it must be named and therefore faced.)
You are
You are
(Addiction--to alcohol, etc--is...)
Confusion never stops
Closing walls and ticking clocks
Gonna come back and take you home
I could not stop that you now know singing
(I could not stop--nuff said. I feel like the world closes in on me and confusion descends because of my addiction.)
Come out upon my seas,
Cursed missed opportunities
Am I a part of the cure
Or am I part of the disease, singing
(Am I a slave to my addiction, or do I choose to recover? How much have my life have I lost to my addiction?)
You are, you are, you are
You are, you are, you are
And nothing else compares
And nothing else compares
And nothing else compares
(Slaves to addiction know that nothing else compares to our high.)
You are
You are
Home, home where I wanted to go
Home, home where I wanted to go
Home, home where I wanted to go
Home, home where I wanted to go
(All I wanted in addiction was to go home, back to the days before I felt so hopeless; I also wanted my future to have a home in which I felt safe)
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