What does Take a Picture mean?

Filter: Take a Picture Meaning

Album cover for Take a Picture album cover

Song Released: 1999


Get "Take a Picture" on MP3: Get MP3 from iTunes

Take a Picture Lyrics

Awake on my airplane
Awake on my airplane
My skin is bare
My skin is theirs
Awake on my airplane
Awake on my airplane
My skin is bare
My skin is theirs
I feel like a newborn
And I feel like a newborn
Awake on my airplane
Awake on my...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    CHAD
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    Oct 1st 2008 !⃝

    I saw an interview with Richard Patrick after this song was released. It may have been VH1, or MTV, can't exactly remember. Maybe someone can search archives and find it. I do remember that his dad was in the interview discussing Richards "issues" with him.The song seems to be about a drunken episode on a plane flight. I think the issues with his dad may be more of an implied disappointment nature. Perhaps his dad had expressed concern over his drinking, or maybe his dad was embarrassed by some of his escapades on Filter tours. That's just speculation, why not ask Richard himself. I'm sure he would return an email eventually, and set the record straight.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 5th 2009 !⃝

    This song is about drug or alcohol abuse. The artist used "airplane" to equal high (from drugs or alcohol). I didn't realize until I saw the video. When people are drunk or high their skin is bare, indicating they can't hide their problems. "Take a picture" because I won't remember what I've said or done when I'm sober again. "Can everyone agree that no one should be left alone" means loneliness led to the abuse. "Hey dad what do you think about your son now" (now that you know about my problem). I think you must be an addict or know one to feel this way about this song. The video is incredibly symbolic if you can find. His house under the see is where he is when he's high and everyone keeps looking for him. Water keeps rising to indicate it's becoming an increasingly more dangerous situation.

  3. 3TOP RATED

    #3 top rated interpretation:
    zombiechick9
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    Oct 10th 2006 !⃝

    This song is about how the lead singer got drunk on a plane and got naked and somebody took pictures of him.

  4. anonymous
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    Apr 9th 2021 !⃝

    I always heard it as-
    (I wake on my airplane
    I wake on my airplane
    My skin is burnt
    My skin is theirs)
    In the video the plane crashes right in the beginning so I perceived him waking up next to his dead body and describes how he's burnt and his body is no longer his own or he's barely alive still but drowning hints the hallucinations of her finding him but she's a mermaid and his body is the fish's now. He is newly born into the after life. Idk But what's key is deciphering what direction the director of the music video wanting it to be heard rather than the direction or should I say lack of direction from the belligerently drunk artist who wrote simpleton lyrics to copy his simpleton decision making skills. He got lucky here and there but in current light of the music popularity these days I would say he's great compared to todays lack of talent. Love ya Richard hope your doing well

  5. anonymous
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    Mar 6th 2021 !⃝

    I thought it was about human cloning! That he died in a plane crash and they took samples of his skin and made a new clone which woke up as a newborn baby kicking and scremaing.

    And he could not rememnber anything from his past life

    So that is why he wanted a picture because he couldnt remember

    All the scenes underwater were him as an embryo in a test tube

  6. anonymous
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    May 16th 2019 !⃝

    This is his real meaning behind it... First, Some important background info. He used to be the guitar player for Trent Resner (Nine inch nails). He was treated like crap by Trent and paid pennies. He would seriously make less than the guitar player of the band who would be opening for them (always). He’s creative and wanted to contribute to the band by writing songs and such but knew he wouldn’t get paid anything for it. When he confronted Trent about how he felt Trent told him to start his own band (in a real asshole sort of way). Well, he quit Nine inch nails and that’s exactly what he did. Trent even told him if he was broke and wanted more money, there was a pizza place down the street that needed a delivery guy. Anyway, this song is about being free from that band, of Trent. Getting to write and getting credit for it. At the end where he says “Hey Dad what do think about your son now!” I think he is referring to Trent as his metaphorical father. I think he wrote some of this song even while he was with NIN.

  7. anonymous
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    Aug 2nd 2018 !⃝

    The song is well known to be about the incident where the lead singer had to be dragged kicking and screaming off an airplane by police and security. This is because he got drunk, and it was hot so he took off all his clothes.
    At least that's what I always heard.

    The part where he sings "awake on my airplane" I always heard
    "Waco my airplane" as in Waco Texas SWAT coming on the plane to get him. I guess I'm wrong but I didn't have the internet when this song was big so no lyrics haha

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 28th 2015 !⃝

    just watched the interview and it is about the airplane and drinking. he said drinking is a disease and I agree. he wasn't as smart as his dad wanted, growing up, but now he's a star, that's why he refers to his dad. not gay and not incest. drunk bad!

  9. anonymous
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    Nov 13th 2013 !⃝

    Holy Crap! It's just a song, for crying out loud. Get away from the computer and go do something meaningful.

  10. anonymous
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    Oct 22nd 2013 !⃝

    I heard that he was given the song because the person who made it didn't know what to do with it.

  11. anonymous
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    Oct 21st 2013 !⃝

    I always heard this was about crashing/dying in an airplane. He's about to die and is trying to find peace, he doesn't believe in God so he starts masterbating because that's the only thing he knows that soothes him. He knows his death is inevitable and he is remembering his life, and the lifetime disapproval he got from his dad, so he says, what do you think about me now dad.

  12. bigskylove62
    click a star to vote
    Jan 22nd 2013 !⃝

    @CHAD This is exactly what this song is about I heard the original interview on a Seattle WA Radio station in 1999. It appalls me the number one rated interpertation is about incest....sorry incest survivor I hope your daddy got corned in prison. peace
    " I saw an interview with Richard Patrick after this song was released. It may have been VH1, or MTV, can't exactly remember. Maybe someone can search archives and find it. I do remember that his dad was in the interview discussing Richards "issues" with him.The song seems to be about a drunken episode on a plane flight. I think the issues with his dad may be more of an implied disappointment nature. Perhaps his dad had expressed concern over his drinking, or maybe his dad was embarrassed by some of his escapades on Filter tours. That's just speculation, why not ask Richard himself. I'm sure he would return an email eventually, and set the record straight." [CHAD]

  13. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 20th 2012 !⃝

    Yeah, Richard Patrick literally said at the concert I went to that he wrote this after getting wasted on a plane and taking off his clothes. Seriously.

  14. anonymous
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    Jan 7th 2012 !⃝

    this is about a drunk singer with his pants around his ankles on an airplane... not all songs are written about tormented lives. i know... i was there

  15. anonymous
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    Jul 5th 2011 !⃝

    The one writers interpretation is absurd. Not because they are wrong necessarily in their interptretation but because they made up lyrics which dont exist in that song lol

    I tend to think the lyrics are subjective as the one poster pointed out and they are whatever u wish them to be as they may pertain to your own life experience. Never the less its a great song

  16. anonymous
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    Apr 26th 2011 !⃝

    I know for fact this song is about the lead singer getting naked while intoxicated on an airplane. that's why he "won't remember" and "feels like a newborn" and his skin is "bare and theirs"

  17. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 6th 2011 !⃝

    Its about whatever you want it to be about. Its up to the listener to interpret the lyrics and associate them with their own experiences.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  18. anonymous
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    Jan 22nd 2011 !⃝

    I believe that he is saying he got violated by his father and when he says he is a newborn he feels hopeless. When he says take my picture he is saying remember me and what you done to me. This song is great because it has so much meaning There might be many different meanings but it keeps you thinking and that's why i love this song because songs like this can give you different imaginations in your own perspective in music.

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