Talking Heads: Flowers (about me, of course)

God speaking to me.


The You’ve Got It and We’ve Got It lines tell me that I am understanding all this correctly.

Here we stand
Like an Adam and an Eve
Waterfalls
The Garden of Eden
Two fools in love
So beautiful and strong
The birds in the trees
Are smiling upon them
** The birds are smiling on “them” (not “us”) — everyone else still living in the world
From the age of the dinosaurs
Cars have run on gasoline
** “Have run” meaning the world works thanks to material elements
** Cars weren’t there with dinosaurs
Where, where have they gone?
Now, it’s nothing but flowers
** This is not my beautiful house!

There was a factory
** I had a business
Now there are mountains and rivers
** Now I have what’s in my head
you got it, you got it

We caught a rattlesnake
** God and I figured out something new
Now we got something for dinner
** So we can survive another day
we got it, we got it

There was a shopping mall
** Used to be able to buy things
Now it’s all covered with flowers
** Now I can only learn things
you’ve got it, you’ve got it

If this is paradise
I wish I had a lawnmower
you’ve got it, you’ve got it
** Paradise of the soul doesn’t help me as much on the ground as I had hoped it would

Years ago
I was an angry young man
** I was so very angry
I’d pretend
That I was a billboard
Standing tall
By the side of the road
** Showing off for the highway, to attract her
I fell in love
With a beautiful highway
** With a beautiful woman, #1
This used to be real estate
** This used to be where I could live with others
Now it’s only fields and trees
** Now I can only live with myself (in my head)
Where, where is the town
** How can I get back?
Now, it’s nothing but flowers
** I’m trapped in my head
The highways and cars
Were sacrificed for agriculture
** Had to give up the world and the woman
I thought that we’d start over
** Thought I’d be back in the world materialistically now, and with another highway
But I guess I was wrong

Once there were parking lots
** Places I could park my car
Now it’s a peaceful oasis
** Don’t park on the grass
you got it, you got it

This was a Pizza Hut
Now it’s all covered with daisies
you got it, you got it

I miss the honky tonks,
Dairy Queens, and 7-Elevens
you got it, you got it

And as things fell apart
** As I deconstructed my life (in my head)
Nobody paid much attention
you got it, you got it

I dream of cherry pies,
Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies
you got it, you got it

We used to microwave
Now we just eat nuts and berries
you got it, you got it

This was a discount store,
Now it’s turned into a cornfield
you got it, you got it

Don’t leave me stranded here
I can’t get used to this lifestyle
** It’s hard