anonymous August 12th, 2006 06:11PM  
Watergem's interpretation can be takin as correct but there's a simpler interpretation

i think it's more general about people
we use our material possessions ("skin and jewelry") to hide ("hidden in her words and eyes") our problems ("a wall that's cold and ugly") and the person is "scared as hell" to face it so "she's keeping distance" "and is frightened," "trembling at the thought of feeling," and is "wide awake and keeping distance from (their) soul."

so the song is telling a story(the story was interpreted by watergem)but the deeper meaning is above

anonymous December 29th, 2008 03:02AM  
It's about some girl that has some cold and ugly underneath her exterior of tangible and intangible. Like pretty much all dysfunction, it's a problem rooted in fear. In this song, the singer (maybe he's singing from another perspective again - I don't know) is coming from a place of love and connection. "I am frightened, too. I am scared like you." This woman refuses to connect - refuses to love or be loved. She's "wide awake and keeping distance from my soul". It's one of his simpler songs lyrically, but it's definitely a good collaboration between everyone in the band. The music gives all the emotional context for those lyrics that are otherwise pretty straightforward.

Lucabarzini July 3rd, 2009 03:43AM  
My interpretation was that this is about a woman/girl who is insecure and afraid to open up to this person and she's scared to get hurt so she lashes out and withdraws from the relationship between them and the person simply is scared to after seeing the insecurity between them.

anonymous December 9th, 2009 12:53AM  
This song is not telling a story. The woman described is an everyman, saying how we mask our true feelings.
It's about the darker side of everyone's personality that they hide with false laughter and a fake smile.
It COULD have something to do with drugs, as drugs DO make you feel desensitized to the world, and it sounds like Maynard is trying to help her, finding common ground with "I'm frightened too" and "I'm scared like you".

She seems to be unable to reform from something bad.
"Nothing seems to penetrate her/because she's scared as hell"
Could be drugs, or maybe something else.

anonymous February 5th, 2010 02:56PM  
Underneath her skin and jewelry,
(Explaining all the looks)
hidden in her words and eyes
(hidden from everyone else)
is a wall that's cold and ugly
and she's scared as hell.
(Explaining how she is afraid of being herself and is wearing a mask)

Trembling at the thought of feeling.
(hard for her to be herself)
Wide awake and keeping distance.
Nothing seems to penetrate her.
Cuz she's scared as hell.
(explaining how she is scared)

I am frightened too.
I am frightened.
.......