What does Set Phasers to Stun mean?

Taking Back Sunday: Set Phasers to Stun Meaning

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Album cover for Set Phasers to Stun album cover

Song Released: 2005


Set Phasers to Stun Lyrics

Say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes
Say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes

I'm sorry it took me so long
I'm sorry it took me so long (to come around)
I'm sorry it took me so long (to come around)

Your famous last words started once your...

  1. anonymous
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    Oct 12th 2018 !⃝

    It’s about drug addiction- possibly recovery, relapse or both, simultaneous yet opposite both parties:
    “I’m sorry it took me so long... to come around...”
    The relapse
    “Famous last words started once your fingers hit the snooze... ‘9 more min please’ ‘(and they) they all know where to find me’” **Meaning she’s in no hurry to get up and should anyone be curious of her whereabouts they already know
    “& the words that I said ‘what a big mistake’ & the ones you left out are keeping me awake **this is always how I heard the lyrics as, meaning she didn’t or forgot to say “I love you,” But even if it is in fact “‘& the ones you let out ‘keeping me away’”... I hear sarcasm and then the entire tone becomes condescension.
    “I won’t ever make another promise (without you) I won’t ever make another promise (without you in mind)” They promised they’d never not be in each other’s lives... for active users and recovering addicts, this promise rarely gets upheld either by death, incarceration or rehab. **
    “Pace the stairs to your apartment like it’s where you want to be...” This is referring to the post rehab part of recovery... the angst of maintaining sobriety, but desperately wanting to reconnect and realizing it’s dangerous.
    “A secret I’ve been perfecting, I swore I wouldn’t but you let me... I’m comfortably confused and you you’ve gotten so removed” ** This is irrefutably, IV drug use to me.
    “You know I, I could take the place of those pills... Ocean blue, paint it white, now who you gonna call tonight...” ** The conversion to heroin (China white) from roxy 30’s which are 1/2 as strong and twice the price a g of H.
    ** I’m a recovering IV addict, heroin was my drug of choice but at the height of my addiction anything I could put up my arm I did, and I started out snorting roxy 15s which became 30s and I started using the needle as soon as the love of my life showed me how even though I swore to him I would never cross that line. Our love was deep but when we reconnected after 2 years of recovering the reality was there was no way we would survive or maintain with each other. These lyrics embody that experience.

  2. anonymous
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    Apr 12th 2010 !⃝

    I think this song is about a girl and boy who are in love and can't confess theirlove to each other - "I'm sorry it took me so long to come around" and finally have decided that they have to tell each other, that they can't stay in secrecy.

  3. frankierolalala
    click a star to vote
    Jan 26th 2007 !⃝

    this to me sounds like a relationship between breaking up and staying together..theres a lot of doubt and not lies but just not whole thruth..or not a lot of trust


    Say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes
    Say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes

    I'm sorry it took me so long
    I'm sorry it took me so long (to come around)
    I'm sorry it took me so long (to come around)*perhaphs to come around as in start thinking stright..get his head in order...or it could mean to physically come around to her place"

    Your famous last words started once your fingers hit the snooze
    Just nine more minutes, please..*theres a reason why he dosnt want to get up..maybe not to face her*


    (And they) They all know where to find me
    Every word that I said, what a big mistake
    And the ones you left out are keeping me away*he dosnt want to be around her because she's not telling him all he want to know..not living up to his fantasies*

    Well I will never make another promise (without you)
    I will never make another promise (with you in mind)* it sounds like this girls done something to make him not trust people..maybe he made promises and she was never on the same page as him..or she hurt him*



    So pace the stairs to your apartment
    Like it's where you wanna be
    (where you wanna be)
    It's where you wanna be
    (where you wanna be)*hes saying how he dosnt want to be in this relationship and neither does she but because h she might be trying to protect his feelings*

    I'm sorry it took me so long
    I'm sorry it took me so long (to come around)
    I'm sorry it took me so long (to come around)* to figure out how she feels*

    Well there's a secret I've been perfecting,
    I swore I wouldn't but you let me
    I'm comfortably confused*he'd rather not know the whole truth anymore*
    (and you...) You've gotten so removed8throught the time theyve been together she's become distant..and in this song he's deciding to break up*
    You know I, I could take the place of those pills
    Ocean blue, paint it white
    Now who ya gonna call tonight?*she may not act like ti but she needs him but won't admitt it*

    Well I will never make another promise (without you)
    I will never make another promise (with you in mind)*in other words its over..and she's taken a piece of him away*

    So pace the stairs to your apartment*take your time ..dont be too excited your broken up..but be comfortable tht you are because this is how you wanted it*
    Like it's where you wanna be.
    (where you wanna be)
    It's where you wanna be
    (where you wanna be)
    [x2]

    We paint our sins on the ceiling*where no one will look*
    I keep them glued to my chest(wont let heart ache go easily


    It keeps me close like a promise kept*whats happened keps him closed off from opening up to people and trusting them because he made a very important promise to this girl and she betrayed it..a promise kept is secure safe,just like how he feels when he distances him self fomr others*
    (Say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes)

    If I talk in my sleep,*its disturbing his sleep* will you just keep trying? *keep trying other people..to get back with him?*

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 18th 2006 !⃝

    okay so here it is: picture this:

    a guy laying in bed with his GF and they wake up. Her alarm goes off.she hits the snooze.she wants to sleep. He indicates they all know where to find me. meaning when the 9 minutes are up.. He wants to talk and he wants her attn. Ie- the alarm is all her concentration is towards due to sleeping in. They paint the sins on the cieling.. just say yes..say yes.. Say yes.. This guy desparatly wants to know the truth. when he states the color of the pills.. who you gonna call tonite?! she must have been a pill popper bc the pills she takes. The words that I said what a big mistake and the ones you left out are keeping me away... means he wants to know the truth .. possibly her cheating and he knows its been going on. " I'm sorry it took me so long" c mon guys .. listen to it. " we paint our sins on the ceiling.. and I keep them glued to my chest.. like a promise kept.. Say yes.. Say yes .... Say yes...

    hope this helps

  5. mythumbjib
    click a star to vote
    Mar 25th 2006 !⃝

    This is a song about how someone's life sucks and everyone is out to get him/her. He/She has commited so many sins that he/she is afraid to confess, while others let them out: "We paint our sins on the ceiling. I keep them glued to my chest.""Just nine more minutes please. They all know where to find me."


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