What does Sound Effects and Over Dramatics mean?

The Used: Sound Effects and Over Dramatics Meaning

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Sound Effects and Over Dramatics Lyrics

When the shirt came off, it was all in time
When a m-m-m-minute turned into a mile
And then I broke that grin, and I cut it out
And you got all turned on by the taste of the ocean.
When I mention blue, all you thought was colour
When you...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    May 17th 2007 !⃝

    I'm pretty sure this song is about drugs and what you feel like when your on them.

    -- When the shirt came off, it was all in time
    When a minute turned into a mile --

    Apparently they are so drugged up, that everything is mechanic. Routine. All they seem to do together is drugs and have sex.

    -- And then I broke that grin, and I cut it out
    And you got all turned on by the taste of your sin
    When I mention blue, all you thought was color
    When you mention drugs, all I thought was sober
    When your pants came off and I turned you over
    When you mention blue --

    It seems like he's wanting more out of life, but being with someone who is also into drugs doesn't help at all. Its hard to escape out of that life once your in it.

    Plus, Bert isn't gay. He had a girlfriend who was pregnant with his child. She committed suicide and killed the baby in the process. A lot of their songs reflect this. Try listening to "All That I've Got" and "Hard to Say". They are about her.

    -- Kill, smile, cut it out for me this time
    Smile, haven't seen him smile in a little while --

    He isn't happy with his situation anymore. He's tired of the constant drugs and sex.

    -- Keep the mask aligned
    Get it up in time
    There's a space between valleys
    and try and catch a vibe --

    He's trying not to let on what he's feeling, cause he's scared she might leave him, and he's too familiar with the world he's in... even though he wants to let go of it.

    -- Make a circle square, a rectangle curve
    Use a smile as a noun and I think like a verb
    Run quick switch sides
    Spill the filled up canister
    And the room is shaking
    Now you're changing places,
    and I switched my pace,
    and my breathing races when you mention blue --

    It seems like, she's starting to understand where he's coming from. He's seeing hope in this. His breathing races when she mentions blue... cause he's starting to think that she's finally understanding where he's coming from. That maybe it'll work out after all.


    Well, that's just my interpretation!!

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 30th 2007 !⃝

    Man, I love this song! (listening to it now) after reading other interpretations and dozens of cd reviews I think I kinda got an idea of the song. first let me say that I'm not familiar with any of the people in the used. what I've picked up is that the lead is bi, marrying a girl and had relationship with gerrard of mcr. If any of that's false SORRY!

    Anyway... from the get go I felt this song had strong sexual overtones, I just never thought gay... The more I read and listen the more I can see that. So it's starts of with time slowing down and the enevitable (sex) coming. being that I'm a girl from nowhereville I honestly have never heard of meth referred to as "blue" but it makes soooo much sense. So it seems one of the guys doesn't know much about the drugs or is unexperienced. So it's def about sex, the act and the climax, it's so obvious: "When your pants came off and I turned you over", "Get it up in time", "Spill the filled up canister And the room is shaking", "my breathing races" just to mention a few. what confuses me a little is the kill/smile, but that's my favorite part of the song. It seems a little violent yet satisfying. So... That's what I got from it.
    ryan

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 29th 2020 !⃝

    https://youtu.be/1-NA3CyKRuA
    2:57 says it all i think <3 it sheds some light on the meaning of the song, directly from the artist

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 22nd 2018 !⃝

    I was told that this song is about Bert and his pregnant girlfriend. They found out she was pregnant, but she still wanted to do drugs. They both were having problems with drug addiction, but he was begging her to stop by mentioning "blue", as in a baby boy.
    "The pants came off and I turned you over when you mentioned blue"
    When the pants come off, you can clearly see if someone is pregnant. When he found out, he tried to kick the habit and encourage her to stop the drugs too,and to smile, but then when she began to mention the baby, he had already relapsed. :(

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 19th 2012 !⃝

    No offense to the gay population but berts not gay. He's playful with his levels of awkward in comfort and discomfort. but who in the spotlight isn't. that's how you make it to the top.
    Next direction, the lyrics commonly known and written as the taste of your skin and/or your sin. This is ONLY so our moms and other authoritative persons, or any prudes listening will just think this song is just about sex.
    The lyrics bert sings are really 'the taste of the ocean', and its referencing blue.
    Everyone understands sex. Its just not a very offensive subject.
    What most people don't understand is why people smoke blue.
    So twist/tweek the lyrics a bit and wahlah. Ignorance is bliss.
    Blue is the rockstar of dopes, its a very powerfully cooked meth and when cut out and smoked up in a pickle it leaves a small pool of the remaining drug in the pickleball. Even when cooled back to its solid state it still looks wet. Its like your own mini ocean.

    With that stated.

    The shirt came off... sounds sexy right. To my mom yes, to your sister yes. but really, when its blue time youre gonna sweat hard. So that's when The shirt came off.
    All in time... ready set go. When its blue, its always past due. It was definitely the right Time to smoke.(so,they thought).
    When an m m m minute turned into a mile. Pause for the cause. He's not stuttering, an m m m minute is a dope break, meth minute. Turned into a mile is stating that the minute break went on a lot longer as it usually will.
    I remember my unknowledgable companions singing about turning a minute into a smile. As thats what bert makes them hear. Keeps the sexual light on the song for those who blindly misunderstand. When really we know what's up.
    He says i broke that grin (of the blue bag) to break open the mouth of the bag. And I Cut it out. Very common way of saying get what you need and load up the pickle.
    And as previously stated. And You got all turned on by the taste of the ocean. (They get turned on by the taste of the blue, which is their own private ocean in their pickle.)
    And no bullshit. It'll turn you right on.
    I mentioned blue ALL you thought was color. You mentioned drugs ALL i thought was sober. Meth makes the mind very one focused. Thoughts become tighter as your physical senses roar.
    And your pants came off and I turned you over. Now here is your piece of heat, lust and desire. Which has been inspired and turned on high by the mentioning of blue.
    When high on meth just the thought of more can be very soothing.
    This is where this song has always been written present tense, which makes for a timeless song. However bert sings this song in past tense. That's because there is memory involved for him. Not my place to talk about however this song is truly tragedy inspired. And its this loss of his beloved that produces the strong chorus.
    Kill
    Drugs can be very dangerous,
    Overdose is real. And its a burden just to think on.
    Smile.
    Even through rough trials. Its hard not to smile thinking of blue enhanced evenings with former loves. Smile is as real right now as it was on this intimate evening.
    Its a reminder, Smile.
    Cut it out for me this time. Smile.
    cry for help/demand aimed to the dead who clearly can no longer.
    It might be aggressive in tone but understand its backed by hurt.
    Another controversial line...
    Haven't seen him smile in a while.
    He's not singing about some male lover. He's referring to himself.
    This is a transferable thought between bert and his lost love.
    He screams as though fueled by both of their lungs. These are sorrow filled cries to and of the dead as he examines his inability to cope happily.
    Keep the mask aligned.
    A mask is worn on ones face. When m m m minutes become a mile. That pickle and that blue have been in your face for that mile. These are your mask. Keep it moving with the flow of the blue in alignment with the flame.
    Get it up in time.
    That's just is how its done. Milk it up. Don't burn it up. And get the milked out pookieball up before you lose any.
    There's a space between valleys and try and catch a vibe... the space betweens valleys are oceans. Another reference to the way the blue is within the pickleball.
    Catch a vibe. Referring to heating the mini oceans up and riding out the movement of the oceanof blue.
    Make a circle square. A rectangle curve... This is the warping of your mind and thoughts. Meth can create the mental sense that you can just zone into the ability to bend reality this ability is usually understood by the thinker to be just in ones own mind.
    Smile as a noun. The smile shows us that its ok, we're ok, life's ok.
    Think like a verb. When high on meth thought becomes a large scale focus. We understand thought more physically than average. Thinking is doing. Think like a verb.
    Run quick switch sides. Spill the filled up cancer. Literally this is rolling the pickle to make the oceans move or spill over, which will get it to smoke up. Blue is tough and can kill as cancer does. a nasty subject for comparison..
    The room is shaking. ..
    A common factor in a strong meth high.
    Now you're changing places...
    Flow of his memories.
    Switched my pace.
    Twisting fingers, inhalation, flame location and the size of the ocean are the common factors the pace.
    And my breathing races when you mention blue. The stirring of being turned on.

    Get down and stay awake.
    If you get down with blue. You're sure to stay awake.

    As for the spoken cries of go and abort in the breakdown of the song.. these are exaggerated memories of aiding in calling out the oceans tide, flame, and the pace of their breath.

    And we end with the forced cries of sorrow-filled laughter.

  6. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 17th 2012 !⃝

    i dont believe it's
    "think like a verb"
    i believe its
    "and i fake like a verb"
    that way it makes sense as a sentence of "Use a smile as a noun and i fake like a verb"
    so as a sentence he meant i fake a smile. as opposed to i think a smile.
    but its possible thats just me. there werent lyrics for this song on the album so no one knows really

  7. StealthCJDB
    click a star to vote
    Jan 17th 2012 !⃝

    This song could be about multiple things or all of these things. 1st off Bert is not gay he's bi(i say this because of the song I Caught Fire)
    This song could be about 1. His love for his fellow band member jeph(I think) because jeph is Blue(blue and yellow, that song is about Bert and jeph first meeting) so when jeph mentions that Bert can't control himself.
    2. Meth cocaine or whatever drug he was on during sex (or not) and how it was so difficult to stop
    3. Or it could just be an uncontrable lust
    And of coarse just all three

  8. ILoveTheUsed
    click a star to vote
    Jan 12th 2012 !⃝

    Bert wrote all that ive got and dedicated it to his dog "david bowie" that died. i dont think its about his ex.

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    May 18th 2011 !⃝

    I feel that it is about butt sex. "When the shirt came off, it was all in time" "And you got all turned on by the taste of your sin" Sodomy is a sin, "When your pants came off and I turned you over
    " "Smile, haven't seen him smile in a while" you cant face the person when you are doing anal. Especially with a guy. Thats just my interpretation.

  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    May 14th 2011 !⃝

    I think it's about drugs, specifically meth, more than it is about sex. I think the sexual overtones throughout the song are mostly a metaphor for the drug addiction aspect. I know from experience that when you're addicted to drugs it's like an overpowering feeling of lust. I think this song is about trying to get off drugs and wrestling with the lust for them.

    When the shirt came off, it was all in time
    When a m-m-m-minute turned into a mile
    -in the beginning, on meth everything feels perfect but after a while what was supposed to be an occasional good time becomes a long-term commitment/ addiction
    And then I broke that grin, and I cut it out
    - i can think of a couple interpretations, 1) he has meth and cuts it into lines to snort causing him to grin; or 2) after getting addicted the meth doesn't cause happiness anymore so he decided to quit. as in the grin broke and is gone
    And you got all turned on by the taste of your sin
    -a meth user loves meth even though they logically knows its bad
    When I mention blue, all you thought was colour
    When you mention drugs, all I thought was sober
    - he tries to talk to people but they dont get it, blue being either a low mood or slang for meth. when other people talk about drugs all he can think about is being sober
    When your pants came off and I turned you over
    When you mention blue
    - the lust for meth (blue) is so large that even the mention of it has the power to cause him to obsess over even the person who mentioned it. lust for the drug causes him to lust over the person who uses it.

    Kill, smile, cut it out for me this time
    -he used meth to 'kill' some sort of pain so he could smile
    Smile, Havent seen him smile in a little while
    -he's been sober. meth messes with the dopamine receptors so with out meth a meth addict cant be happy

    Keep the mask aligned
    Get it up in time
    -cant show weakness
    There's a space between valleys
    and try and catch a vibe
    - he's stuck between two points: using drugs and feeling okay without them, he's lost so he tries to 'feel' a vibe from either
    Make a circle square, a rectangle curve
    -he's changing
    Use a smile as a noun and I think like a verb
    - he wants to be happy but can only speculate about it
    Run quick switch sides
    Spill the filled up canister
    And the room is shaking
    Now you're changing places,
    - what meth was like
    and I switched my pace,
    and my breathing races when you mention blue
    - but he's changed and can only lust over it

    Kill, smile, cut it out for me this time
    Smile, havent seen him smile in a little while
    Kill, smile, cut it out for me this time
    Smile, havent seen him smile in a little while
    Kill, smile, cut it out for me this time
    Smile, havent seen him smile in a little while
    - same as above
    We cut it out
    Get down and stay awake
    - after a meth run you have to crash eventually but often cant sleep no matter how hard you try and during this time experience depression
    Smile

  11. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 2nd 2011 !⃝

    Look it up anywhere online blue is never used as a slang for meth. Blue IS used as a slang for a lot of other drugs though... mainly prescription downers and anything that makes you hallucinate. I think this song is about an insane romance built on sex and drugs, whether gay or straight. Going with depressants and LSD would make the title make a whole lot of sense. There is a movie called CANDY that actually fits this song perfectly. Its an indie film starring heath ledger before he got out of australia and its about how he and this girl fell in love through drugs and nothing else. Watch it and see if the song doesnt click

  12. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 25th 2011 !⃝

    Coming from someone who actually knows SOMETHING about the band, the song is about Bert (lead singer) and Brandon (drummer) having anal sex while they were on drugs.

  13. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jan 2nd 2011 !⃝

    I think in one part of the song, he says, "This is not/This is not/A SMILE!!!" Just what I heard. I think it may be about pregnancy. I heard he lost his child through the suicide of his girlfriend. This may explain why there's a part that says "feels like the end of the world" several times. I wonder why none of the lyrics include those two parts.

  14. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 21st 2010 !⃝

    When Bert says he, or him, he is referring to himself. Bert likes women, I've met him.

    "There's a space between valleys"

    "Rectangle CURVE"

    "Use the smile as a noun" (vagina)
    "I'll think like a verb" (his thoughts become actions.)

    Now you're changing places, (positions, he's obviously aggresive)
    and I switched my pace, (faster, slower)




    He loves pussy, ask him. He kissed boys because it gets the girlies HOT.

    P.S. It's spill the filled up cancer.

    http://www.theused.net/discography/song/sound-effects-and-overdramatics

  15. RogueSunshine
    click a star to vote
    Mar 31st 2010 !⃝

    Okay, so I'm pretty sure this song is about drugs.
    I did this whole big presentation on The Used for a computer class but, anyway...

    Bert was into drugs like BIG TIME when he was seventeen.
    He was kicked out of his house because he was rebelling against his mormon parents and because of the drug use (duh) and blah blah blah I'm pretty sure that this is about not wanting to continue to NOT know what is going on when he's under the influence of meth. He hates that all him and whoever (whether that be a guy, or a girl, even though I haven't heard a DAMN thing about him being gay or even bi. And The Used and MCR don't get along any more because of a falling out, NOT anything to do with a relationship.) ANYWAY, he just hates the fact that its all that's going on with his life..


    sorry about my random thoughts in there.
    its what I think.
    /know is a fact.
    :D

  16. anonymous
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    Jan 13th 2010 !⃝

    definitely he is talking about a female but he is so messed up on drugs that he thinks in opposites like "when you mention drugs, all i thought was sober" he is thnking in opposites so he is thinking that the girl is a male and because hes thinking suicidal and inexperienced at sex etc. but all these things about it being gay are false, sorry women can wear pants too dummys.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  17. anonymous
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    Oct 8th 2009 !⃝

    I feel like this is definitely about Homosexuality and Meth. It sounds more like self loathing and loathing of the drug than anything else. "Keep The Mask aligned" To me this song is more about self hate and trying to make the outside world think that you're fine by slipping on a mask when really all that's in your head is fucked up imagines and decaying thoughts. It's a beautiful song though ^_^.

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