Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a stark picture of young women waking up in "cubes" where morning "breathes in the day and yawns." This initial image suggests a confined, perhaps monotonous existence, where dreams are piled high but the act of rising is a simple nod. The contrast of "heat and ice" in small baths hints at a daily ritual that both invigorates and perhaps chills them, leaving them to beautify themselves like a "wild rose."
The central tension emerges as these women, with their "hairstyles and a few principles," navigate their world. They float with "gestures of a balloon," but in the bistro, their beauty seems "more expensive on the threshold of journeys." This implies a growing awareness of the cost and fleeting nature of their appearance and aspirations as they contemplate moving forward. The act of applying lipstick "erases the twilight," and a "desire to live like a child in a cradle" grows within them, a poignant mix of innocence and yearning.
The most striking craft element is the recurring motif of "cubes" and the transformation of days into "axes" that "carve the face of my young ladies." This imagery shifts from the initial confinement to a more active, almost violent shaping of their identities by the passage of time and daily routines. The "halo is eternal" as they comb their hair, a beautiful but perhaps ironic image, suggesting a manufactured or perceived sainthood that is constantly renewed by the same "heat and ice" ritual, possibly for the "last time."
Ultimately, the lyrics' power lies in this juxtaposition of delicate imagery – wild roses, cradles, halos – with the harsh realities of their environment and the relentless march of time. The refrain, "They walk through Prague with hope, until they grow up from it," captures this bittersweet transition. The hope is palpable, but the act of growing up is framed as an eventual departure or transcendence from the very city and experiences that shaped them, leaving the listener with a sense of their fragile beauty and inevitable change.