Added: 3 years ago
From: Celdoir
Views: 202,393
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  • Ï have yet to find out why "Gingers do have souls" is in the suggestion box

  • "We're kings among runaways" Love that lyric :-)

  • This song reminds me about my bestfriend .. She once shared this song with me.

    R.I.P Lene.. I still miss you <3

  • I'm proud I was born in December.

  • The song is about two boys who ran away from home because they hated their home and school lives. They sleep in ratty hotels and they make money by hanging around bus malls and performing entertainment acts, gambling on billiards at pool halls, and "turning tricks" which is dressing up as women and prostituting. One boy (whose point of view Colin is singing from) talks about how they both aren't getting by very well and how they want to give up, but they've already gone too far to go back.

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  • This song made me fall in love with the Decemberists. Three years later, and they are still my absolute favorite. Forever and always. ♥

  • These lyrics remind me of a book I read. Love this song!!! :P :P <P <P 

  • I have probably listened to this song like a million times, and only just started hearing the meaning and no just the words of the song.

  • Look, we all know its about child prostitution. Those who keep coming back either A) Don't care or B) Find that they have tastefully described a difficult situation.

    Now shut up and enjoy the music.

  • but their characters shine through so vibrantly in just a few words! i've never heard of these people before, i'm relieved they're okay.

  • ...the perfect love song? how can love be truer than between two kids willing to sell themselves to "old chinese merchants" to run away together? heartbreakingly beautiful.

  • @nactan based on the lyrics i would say the child prostitution was a by-product of running away... not a pre-determined means of income so that two child lovers could run away together. Secondly - kids dont know wtf love is... hell most adults don't either now-a-days. Heartbreaking yes, beautiful... hardly.

  • @YesYouAreIgnorant i think its about two young gay males who sell themselves to make money

  • @YesYouAreIgnorant uh... what? i meant they are willing to sell themselves to be able to stay together, which is irrelevant to the question of whether they decided before or after. you don't need to know what "love" is to be in love just as you don't have to know what "inebriation" means to end up drunk. also, i don't get your objection to my characterization of the song as "beautiful".

  • best.

  • After this song imma go shoot 11 people

  • Right at 20 seconds...wow.

    

  • People keep asking here how a song that is about prostitution and vagrancy can make someone happy. Really, the truth is that this isn't a song about prostitutes but about human stories, like most of the songs that this band plays, and while yes it is about prostitution in that it's mentioned, what the song is really about is taking freedom where you can get it in a world where there is no escape from exploitation in any direction. True Freedom being impossible, we take it where we find it.

  • Dear God...Colin's voice is beautiful! Just listen...

  • In matching blue raincoats, our shoes were our showboats; we kicked around.

    From stairway to station, we made a sensation with the gadabout crowd. But, oh, what a bargain, we're two easy targets for the old men at the off-tracks, who paid in palavers and crumpled old dollars, which we squirreled away in our rat-trap hotel by the free-way. We slept in Sundays. Your parents were anxious, your cool was contagious at the old school. You left without leaving a note for your grieving sweet mother

  • @Welihy while your brother was so cruel. And here in the alleys, your spirits were rallied, as you learned quick to make a fast buck. In bathrooms and barrooms, in dumpsters and heirlooms, we bit our tongues, sucked our lips into our lungs, 'til we were falling. Such was our calling. But here in our hovel, we fuse like a family. But I will not mourn for you. So take off your make-up, and pocket your pills away. We're kings among runaways. On the bus mall. We're down on the bus mall. instrumental

  • @Welihy Among all the urchins, and old Chinese merchants of the old town, we reigned at the pool hall with one iron cue ball, and we never let the bastards get us down. And we laughed off the quick-tricks and the old men with limp dicks on the colonnades of the waterfront park. As four in the morning came on, cold and boring, we huddled close at the bus stop, enclosure unfolding, our hands tightly holding. but here in our hovel, we fuse like a family. But I will not mourn for you.

  • @Welihy So take off your makeup, and pocket your pills away. We're kings among runaways. On the bus mall. We're down on the bus mall. We're down on the bus mall. We're down on the bus mall. Oh, oh-oh-oh.

    ~The Decemberists.

  • This is a nice song...if you don't pay attention to the lyrics. If you do, you'll discover that it's about two runaways that eventually resort to gambling and prostitution.

  • You Stumblrs are noobs. This song is about child prostitution.

  • @howclassyalice therefore what, exactly?

  • found this on stumble. i fucking love stumble for showing me this.

  • Damn. I liked this song. Then I read the lyrics..

  • Stumble. This is the most awesome song. Ever.

    

  • found this on stumble too....wierd

  • why are the top two comments pretty much the same.. WE GET IT

  • I think it's about two gay teens who runaway and have to prostitute themselves to make a living. And they pretty much are each others everything and it's hard to be just lovers because they are one an others families, friends, and lovers

  • colin meloy is a genius...I don't think I need to say anything else

  • interesting how so many people found this on stumble. i did too

  • didn't realize so many people go on stumbleupon......

  • Why does this song make anyone happy? It breaks my heart.

  • all these comments make me feel like i was the only person who heard this song WAY before everyone found it on stumbleupon

  • This song is about CHILD PROSTITUTION. If this song makes you feel happy, you're a fucking freak.

  • @OverlordSaiko LOL, well taht's one interpretation of it. Sounds more like just a regular childhood if you ask me.. plus the whole abusive family thing too.

  • @thest3alth It's not up for debate, it's concretely about child prostitution, ask the damn band themselves.

  • @OverlordSaiko Where did they confirm it?

  • @thest3alth It's heavily implied in the lyrics too, if you look closely.

  • @thest3alth How do you reconcile making fun of the "limp dicks" of the people to a regular teenage childhood

  • @OverlordSaiko i know! i dont get what people see happy in this!

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  • This song mellows me out and just made me feel all good. This day has been fucking horrible.. But this song just made it.

  • @Fleck05 did this song make you happy before or after you read the lyrics? ...

  • Ummm is this song about giving blowjobs to make ends meet?

  • By far the best day to be bored and on the internet. i love you Stumbleupon!

  • This video was just added to a music playlist at JustPlay.fm

  • stumbleupon, ftw. <3

  • That´s a great song from a amazing band!

  • 8 tracks(:

  • Put this song on, go outside, lie on the ground and watch the sky. Pure peace right there <3

  • @GeneralBritishness thats not bad, but if ur looking for pure peace ur better off rolling urself a joint and watching the sun set. lol

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  • smoke a jay, lean back and everything, i swear, makes sence!

  • Out of 793 video there's only 12 possible homophobes..... well that's less than i expected.

  • @stumbleupon bring me there! :D

  • 12 people missed the like button.

  • amazing song, and hilarious because i also discovered this song on stumble. another day at college spent stumbling instead of doing homework :)

  • stumbleupon is a powerful thing

  • why the fuck is "gingers do have souls" in the related videos section?

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  • bob dylan anyone?

  • Old men with limp dicks.

  • Stumble is amazing <3

  • Ten people got herpes from prostitute children.

  • epic.

  • youtube needs an auto-replay button so i don't have to hit play every time :/

  • @KingIrishIV go into the link bar... right after youtube and before the .com, write replay. problem solved ;)

  • How could 10 people dislike this song?

    They're obviously not on the bus mall.

  • @ThatBlueEyedChick The bus mall is where these homeless jugalo kids live...so the people who disliked it obviously don't live on the bus mall.

    I don't think there's wifi there.

  • This song + clear night sky = lying on the ground for hours looking at the constellations and thinking about everything in your head. I do this alot at the moment and its actually my favourite summer evening ritual, it gets you really relaxed...

  • Who disliked this. They must be burned at then stake.

  • I found this on stumble. I'm so glad I found it because I won't be able to stop listening to this amazing song. :)

  • @RachelD1996 SAME HERE!!

  • @RachelD1996 the playlist, right? ;) i stumbled upon it too

  • @thelinkingparks LOL I stumbled it too! the 8tracks.com right? haha.

    The mix name is songs make your feel good about yourself.

  • @RachelD1996 Me too! :D

  • @RachelD1996 LOVE STUMBLE

  • @RachelD1996 Same, a few years back. Turned my life around. Not even just musically, if it weren't for me finding this my whole life would be completely different. Perhaps even over.

  • @RachelD1996 me too lol

  • ............you do realize it's about teenage prostitutes don't you?

  • @s0ttov0ce

    As you learned quick to make a fast buck.

    In bathrooms and barrooms,

    On dumpsters and heirlooms,

    We bit our tongues.

    Sucked our lips into our lungs

    Yeaaah... that sorta gave it away. Don't think other people got that though...

  • @feebedel

    lol yeah it was supposed to be @mallyRIN

  • @s0ttov0ce I know :) I was just backing you up :)

  • finding from stumble. nice music

  • @thepurplebottle6 i like your name!

  • This song fits quite nicely with My Own Private Idaho, right down to it being set in Portland.

  • not to say it isnt great

  • who else was shocked to find out its about gay homeless gigolos?

  • everytime I hear this song, I cry.

  • The fact that this is related to Symphony of Science makes me happy but doesn't surprise me.

    What relates to brilliance better than brilliance?

  • This is my favorite song. It's so beautiful..the melody, the lyrics, everything.

  • This is definitely one of my favorite songs of all time. I love it.

  • so glad i happened to stumble something called "songs that make you happy" and found this :)

  • @Suzuthewolf You are aware this song is about child prostitution, right? How could this possibly make you happy? You pedophile.

  • @OverlordSaiko I think when looked into deeply you can tell what it's about, but on the surface it sounds happy, which is why it's actually more sinister

  • @OverlordSaiko ahem well it's more the instrumental rather then the lyrics.

  • @OverlordSaiko dude seriously its a happy tune just shut the fuck up and enjoy the music. i seriously doubt the Decemberists would make a song with a happy tune to make people sad. 

  • @pawbassist You really don't think they would? Guess you don't know shit about Decemberists, then.

  • @OverlordSaiko i never said i did... i just like their music...

  • @pawbassist Look up A Cautionary Song. 

  • @Suzuthewolf Kind of ironic... because this isn't really a very happy song. But it does put you in a good mood :)

  • Does anybody else think this song is about the relationship between two runaway homosexual teenagers who, in order to survive the city, turn tricks for older men?

    This song is amazing.

  • @MrSmegma89 That's definitely what the song is about. And I absolutely adore it.

    The line "Our hands tightly holding"...gives me chills every time. So beautiful.

  • @MrSmegma89 agreed. I'd like to add, that I really liked this song and the melody until I found out what you just stated, but I still like some parts

  • @zzzTipsterzzz To me, that seems like a silly reason to stop liking it. If anything, it makes the song more interesting.

  • 8 people didn't stumbleupon this song

  • This song feels like it lets my soul free. Its an amazing feeling and an amazing song.. I am so happy that I found this song. The Decemberists is now one of my favorites.

  • @KLUE68 Mine too kid, mine too.

  • Just stumbledupon it. i like it

  • I love stumble.

  • This is the type of song that leaves me wanting more after it's done playing. Type of clearing my mind kind of music. love it.

  • Not only do I love this song and get inspired to create art, I just won a game of Solitaire while listening to it! Haha, Thought I would share :)

  • the eight people who disliked this had a seizure and their mouse slipped.

  • This song is about prostitution, guys.

  • @VENIVIDIVICl It's also about friendship in spite of difficulty or adverse situations.

  • epic

  • stumble upon .. YEAH BUDDY!

  • @MDE1045 i got here from stumble upon too ha

  • Pandora is how i found them

  • Oh how I miss the bus mall. The tiny pockets of PDX I found myself in. That will forever be me city. Thank you for this memory.

  • My imagination runs with these lyrics and I imagine two lovers with whole world against them fighting their true love...and it just breaks my heart. :3

  • @mallyRIN ditto.

  • @Celdoir The song is about two young males who ran away from home and now work as prostitutes in order to make enough money to survive. They work on the Bus Mall, a common place for vagabonds to live.

    You're sort of right I guess.

  • @mallyRIN Almost positive the song is about prostitution

  • @AContusionInside it is. But that doesn't make their love less beautiful. :)

  • @mallyRIN Oh of course not, still love this song to death!

  • @mallyRIN The song is actually about prostitution haha.

  • @44tmr Here's one for ya, what is the gender of these prostitutes? both females, both male, one of each?

    one of the many things i love about the decemberists - the songs that are gender-ambiguous

  • @tiapaki13 Well, its kind of obvious by the lyrics... but if the lyrics arent clear enough, go out and get the CD, and look at the photo across from the lyrics to this song, in the album art... Two men in makeup standing on the side of a road.

  • @mallyRIN Not saying you're wrong for imagining anything of course, it's always up in the air for everyone's own interpretation, but I just thought it ironic in response to your post haha

  • @44tmr No it was, but you can see it in the lyrics that though they're prostitutes and lead a hard life but despite this they have each other and their love to get them through. Ahhaha see it's not all my imagination ;)

  • @mallyRIN this is true.

    i love being able to have a reasonable conversation with someone on youtube without them exploding and cursing me out.

  • @44tmr ahaha me too, it's hard to get that but if it be any where it would be on a Decemeberists video of a beautiful song like this...gosh I sound like a hippie lol :P

  • @mallyRIN

    If that breaks your heart don't listen to the bagmans gambit

  • @mallyRIN homo

  • @mallyRIN You know this song is about right? It's about a couple of young boys who run from home and resort to prostitution so they can support their lives on the streets?

    "And we laughed off the quick tricks-- The old men with limp dicks--"

    Just in case you didnt know, still a really great song.

  • @hegersk Oh, I thought it was about female prostitution

  • @mallyRIN You're wrong. It's about two runaway child prostitutes.

  • @leviathan382 I didn't pick up anything about the age or the gender of said of the people in the story.

  • @Kykle86 I don't think I've ever heard of a woman being referred to as a king...

  • @xxZeroZonexx Um... Maybe that's a woman who dresses in mens drag. like... a drag king. HAHAHA

  • How is it that a song about gay prostitutes ends up being a really nice song about friendship?

  • Ummm....8 YouTubers missed the LIKE button.

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  • I'm not crazy about it.

  • the first line. I love it.

  • This song is mixture of hope and despair, which in any other song or setting, would seem like a universal thing to sing about. This storytelling, however, captures that despair and twists it into completely concievable and original characters. And of course, you can't avoid feeling the glimmers of hope throughout the song. It's very rare to hear something crafted so carefully and sucessfully. This song is one of the greatest of our generation because of it's beautiful emotional charge.

  • jesus christ, this song is a masterpiece

  • @suckapunchyoface

    Its obviously about male prostitution. "We're kings among runaways" Two homosexual boys live on the bus mall supporting themselves through prostitution. I can see what you're talking about though, with female prostitution being more widespread. But most the allusions seem to be made to homosexual males. The song is gorgeous

  • One of their best songs <3

    I want to see them live soooooo bad...

    They're the best.

    Ever.

    <33

  • Finally I hear the whole of this song. For some reason my copy cuts out after about a minute.

  • I was always under the impression that this song was about 2 sort of lovers, who, being runaways, both turned to prostitution for means of survival. It's about two decent people leading very ugly lives, but still making due, and being at least somewhat happy together.

  • this band is amazing live. ive seen them twice!once they played while showing this animation movie that was designed for them to play with. they played hazards of love and it was one of the best concerts ever! i love this song so much!!!<3

  • My mom heard a live song from colin meloy on NPR and bought a CD and listened to it in the car, at first i hated it, then i liked his acoustic stuff and eventually i started listning to the decemberists

  • this song is all about male prostitution. if you read the lyrics its all pretty clear

  • is about all of us whoring ourselves out in some capacity, one way or another ~ to survive...all of us

  • I first heard this song when I was 11. I listened to it so many times, by the time I was 13 I figured out the song was about two kids that give blow jobs for a living. I love The Decemberists.

  • how on earth did you come to that conclusion?

  • read the lyrics in the desc.

  • Read deeply into the lyrics.

  • hhhmmm...

    you may be right....

    eh, it's still a great song.

  • Of course, this is one of their best in my opinion.

  • oh totally.

    one of my favorites to.

  • @kev2594 Don't you LOVE moments like that? I had a similar experience with the Eve 6 song "Inside Out."

  • beautifull meaningfull song

  • Beautiful.

  • stumbled this song. it was the best stumble experience. this song makes me so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • love <3