B Side Ourselves

Song Meaning

The lyrics open with an urgent command to "Release the angels," immediately setting a tone of liberation and perhaps a touch of chaos. Images of "rose petal squadrons" and "bees are swarming" blend delicate beauty with a buzzing, active energy. This initial scene suggests a thawing, as something is "Warming your cold skin," hinting at a shift from numbness to sensation. A striking tension emerges with the lines "Such a womanly man / Such a boyish girl," challenging traditional gender roles and hinting at fluid identities. This unconventional pairing is "Clutching at strings / Of blackened pearls," an image of holding onto something once precious but now tarnished or corrupted. The initial warmth takes a darker turn, as the lyrics then speak of "Warming your cold sting," suggesting a dormant defense or pain being activated. The lyrics pivot to a direct, almost accusatory tone with a rhetorical question challenging past teachings. This is paired with a cynical statement suggesting that "Something's not better than nothing." The core phrase, "B side ourselves," cleverly plays on being "beside ourselves" with emotion and embracing the "B-side" — the alternative, often more authentic or experimental track. This repetition transforms a state of emotional overwhelm into a deliberate choice to inhabit an unconventional identity, moving "Into the landslide" and existing "clandestine beside the real world." This embrace of the alternative culminates in a shared sense of belonging, where the narrator declares, "Now you belong / Where we belong." The lyrics suggest a collective identity found outside societal norms, guided by "Raw senses" and instincts rather than learned knowledge. In a "foggy world" lacking clear direction, these primal responses become the compass.