Tears in the Typing Pool
Broadcast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴Succumb to the line
The finishing time
The long distance runner
Has stopped on the corner
But I won't give up
Although I've stopped too
Before the end of me and you
The patchwork explainsThe land is unchanged
Interpret the rooms
My tears in the typing pool
The letters are sighing
The ink is still drying
I told you the truth
And now I sigh too
The page turns on me and you
Across that white plain
The land is unchanged
Overall Meaning
The opening lines of Broadcast's song "Tears in the Typing Pool" suggest that success is not solely about finishing first or achieving a set goal. The lyrics "Succumb to the line/ The finishing time/ The long distance runner/ Has stopped on the corner" depict the moment when a long-distance runner comes to a stop after crossing the finish line. The line may refer to the finish line of a race or the race towards an end goal. The long-distance runner stopping on the corner could represent the idea that the journey towards success is ongoing and has no real end, and there will always be something else to strive for.
The lyrics "But I won't give up/ Although I've stopped too" connote hope and a willingness to keep trying even when things seem challenging or overwhelming. The singer seems to be at a standstill and yet still has the determination to push through. The phrase "Before the end of me and you/ The patchwork explains/ The land is unchanged" suggests that despite the effort taken to maintain a relationship, its ultimate end was inescapable. The "patchwork" may represent the various pieces of a relationship held together by effort and care. Finally, the phrase "The land is unchanged" reinforces the notion of immutability, indicating that despite our efforts to change the things around us, the world still seems to be the same.
The lines "Interpret the rooms/My tears in the typing pool/ The letters are sighing/ The ink is still drying" indicate a sense of sadness and lost opportunities. The singer seems to be struggling to let go of the past, represented here through the tears in the typing pool, which are themselves an evocative metaphor for unfulfilled desires. The ink drying may mean that whatever chance the singer had to express their feelings has now passed by. The idea of "sighing letters" may indicate that words, once written, take on a life of their own, and their sighs seem to echo the sentiment projected by the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Succumb to the line
Give in to the inevitable rhythm
The finishing time
The clock has run out
The long distance runner
Someone who has been going on for too long
Has stopped on the corner
Finally stopping for a break
But I won't give up
Not wanting to quit
Although I've stopped too
Taking a break, but not giving up completely
Before the end of me and you
Before our relationship ends
The patchwork explains
The pieces all come together to make sense
The land is unchanged
The surroundings are the same as always
Interpret the rooms
Try to understand the space, make meaning out of the environment
My tears in the typing pool
Crying while I work
The letters are sighing
The words convey a deep sadness
The ink is still drying
Things are still changing, but this moment is permanent
I told you the truth
I was honest with you
And now I sigh too
Feeling the same sense of sadness and despair
The page turns on me and you
Our story continues to unfold
Across that white plain
Over the emptiness of the page
The land is unchanged
The surroundings are still the same
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED
Written by: PATRICIA KEENAN, JAMES CARGILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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