Loved the song lyrics assignment from last week, so I decided to continue with the same theme.

Heart In A Cage- The Strokes

Well I don't feel better
When I'm fucking around
And I don't rise better
When I'm stuck in the ground
So don't teach me a lesson
Cause I've already learned
Yeah the sun will be shining
And my children will burn

Oh the heart beats in its cage
I don't want what you want
I don't feel what you feel
See I'm stuck in a city
But I belong in a field

Yeah we got (laugh7x)

Now it's three in the morning and
You're eating alone

Oh the heart beats in its cage
All our friends they're laughing at us
All of those you loved, you mistrust
Help me, I'm just not quite myself
Look around there's no one else left

I went to the concert and I fought through the crowd
Guess I got too excited when I thought you were around

Oh, we gotta (laugh7x),

I'm sorry you were thinking I would steal your fire

Oh the heart beats in its cage
Yes the heart beats in its cage
Alright
And the heart beats in its cage


Pain, too strong to rip out of feeble flesh and serve on a platter, too strong to grasp, too strong to consummate, too strong to bear. The song is angry, remorseful, sad and alive. I love the way it switches subtly between anger and remorse/hopelessness. while there are several different meanings intertwined the imagery and symbolism of "the heart beats in its cage" carried through he entire piece

By saying the heart instead of my heart shows how distant and severed his emotions have become because of this other destructive character. Because she made him wait for her and hurt him he has become bitter and resentful. He knows how much damage she has caused and wants nothing to do with her as he is watching everything decay.

Although there are a lot of these angry and hurt emotions there is a sliver of hope at the end. As with many relationships it seems that even though he is constantly hurt and left feeling sorry for himself he still goes back to her in the end, in a vicious cycle. He is battered and bruised emotionally and continues to endure this pain and trapped feeling which is why his "heart is in a cage"; trapped in a cycle trapped with her, and he cant break away. Its he who has trapped himself which is where a lot of the pain comes from.