Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades

I love this idea that the song is about getting signed to a record label cuz its been said and I think very well projected that Jesse isn't really about the whole being famous thing. I love that idea cuz you're very right people forget that Jesse Lacey and Vinny are lyrical geniouses

I think the title is referring to orgasm: it feels great at first, but the feeling fades. This can also be applied to the feeling in his gut. I think it's obvious what the song's about. I doubt it's about the music industry, but more of a metaphor to life itself.

This goes out to Samantha from Providence, RI. You have just stated one of the most intelligent metaphors I have ever heard, and opened my eyes to this song so much more. I have always loved this song, and assumed it was about sex. But having met Jesse a few times, your opinion on it makes so much sense that it gave me chills reading it.

Pretty much everyone interpreted this song the same way, totally forgetting the fact that Jesse Lacy is a lyrical genius and nothing he says is ever what it really means. He has said numerous times, the video has nothing to do with the song. With that said, the obvious point of this song is rape. He is clearly talking about unconsentual sex, the woman being the rapist, the man being the victim. With that said, I do not believe this song is about sex at all. I'm going to get metaphorical, so keep up: the woman is a metaphor for the music industry and sex represents fame. Jesse is basically having a panic attack about being a signed artist, playing for huge crowds, dealing with executives telling him what kind of music to make. He knew Deja Entandu was going to make them famous, it makes your favorite weapon look like crap in lyrical comarison. He wrote this song not for his fans, but for his musical peers, almost as a warning. Getying signed may seem beautiful, like the woman in the song, but it's not all it's cracked up to be. Music used to be the reason he breathed, now it's choking him up.

I definately think she's a prostitute and this is not a relationship going to the next level. Two reasons: Firstly cause of the guests, indicating a hotel, and that they stare, indicating a couple that's clearly unusual, something to stare at, something that would make him head straight for the stairs. Secondly, Alex, because of the line you asked about: "the fever, the focus The reasons that I had to believe you weren't too hard to sell." The fever and focus are what used to be the reason he breathed (his sex drive and all that he finds sexually attractive in woman). In this line the fever and the focus were the reasons he had to believe she wasn't hard to sell, in other words that she's very attractive, that she wouldn't battle to sell her body. This song sends shivers down my spine. This guy is surely the best lyricist there is.

whats the line "the fever, the focus The reasons that I had to believe you weren't too hard to sell" mean

The title doesn't refer to the laural procession. The latin quote that is referenced is usually put on tombstones. When someone of great importance dies, Romans, as well as others, engraved, "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" which means "Thus fades the glory of the world." The song title doesn't necessarily mentions the fleeting nature of honor. It's actually commenting on a loss of innocence. I think that ties in better with the song material as well.

I feel the song is about two people taking their relationship further and anyone who has been more experienced than the one they are with can almost feel the power of leading that person to anything they want. This song takes you through the emotions and feelings of that inexperienced person feeling themselves giving something they believe deep down they aren't ready to give up. (when they say "die young and save yourself" they mean go out innocent before life takes what it claims from everyone eventually you'll be better off) the boy's uncertainty is what everyone feels at some interval in their life (no, not in sex for everyone because we know some people don't even think twice about it). When the innocence dies and you feel it being strangled by those around you. All you can do is stair wide eyed watching yourself losing what you never realized you had. Or not, my guess is the best I can come up with right now.

the song has nothing to do with the video.. jesse lacey said that himself

"dripping wet and cleary depressed" to me i would asume means that hes nervous and that hes heading straight for the stairs sweating and depressed because hes confuessed and doesnt really want to have sex

I agree with most of you but one thing I don't understand is whats with the line "Dripping wet and clearly depressed" what does this have to do with the rest of the songs? does anyone know?

watch rushmore

THIS is what it's about.. obviously.
right. so a guy had been anticipating about sex for a good while, thought it'd be great but then upon experiencing it realised it wasnt all he thought it would be and he doesnt like it at all - 'it used to be the reason i breathe but now its choking me up' .. he was nervous and depressed but eager (headed straight for the stairs) and the girl was alot more experienced than him. she was taking advantage of him and messing with him, but it meant nothing. he just wanted to get it over with but then realised it wasnt what he wanted at all - "this is the first and last time" and blah blah blah.. he's not prepared for sex or a life of disappointment and this song is about when he realises all this... easy enough?

there is all this akwardness that's being talk about but what about the line..."the reason that i had to beleive you werent too hard to sell" maybe that comment about him taking a prostitute to a hotel or something is correct...he thought he was ready for sex but after he got there he found out he wasnt ready and wants to just hold her just for the sake of not being alone. However that's her job and she does it...she knows if she doesnt do something she wont get payed so she forces it upon him...he whispers he loves her not because he knows her but he wants to do all that he can to keep her from pressuring him knowing or always being told that women are more emotional and like the aspect of love more than sex but it doesnt stop her because well...obviously shes just looking for her next check. He states this is so messed up because he knows he made a mistake in the first place by taking her there....this may be wrong but maybe not who knows ...just another thought...kids always think they know what they want but when it comes to it they are emotionally unprepared for the acts which are considered to be for adults

the lamb is nothing overly symbolic its the director who does the video.that's his signature he directed ocean avenue by yellow card and the lamb was on the suitcase and the door in that just like on her shirt and on the door.

obvious meaning: boy looses virginty to experienced girl, he feels akwardness and whatnot because he is not ready. but when you listen a little better you realize it's not about sex at all. everyone feels that they are growing up way too fast at one point or another. and society tells us today, that that's okay but really when you force life upon yourself you end up being hurt. hence the line "die young and save yourself[!]"

Does anyone know exactly how sic transit gloria translates into English? I'm not sure if just "glory fades" is correct or not. The commonly used term is Sic Transit Gloria Mundi which translates into "And thus passes the glory of the world"

Its a guy and a whore. He takes her to a hotel and she then goes for sex and he just wants to be with her but she just wants the sex. He isnt ready but she is

I think this song is about the girl in some way raping jesse, because he says "she's movin way to fast and all he wanted was to hold her, nothin that he tell her is really havin an effect, he whispers that he loves her but shes probably only looking for se- so much more than he could ever give unprepared for a life full of lies and failing relationships" this is indicating that he is trying to stop her, but she won't stop, another theme I see in this song is that jesse, during this experience, is realizing that it is time for him to grow up, and prepar himself for a life full of lies and failing relationships, the line "die young and save your self" is indicating just that, that despite what people think, growing older is not a fantasy, and that some think it wiser to just die young instead of dealing with all of this. and the introductory bass-line, i think, represtents the beating of his heart (in agreeance with chris) the line "quickens your heart beat, beats me straight into the ground" highlights that theme, and that is all i have to say.

Try this on for size:
First of - the bassline (bum-bum bum-bum...) goes start to finish and is the key to this song. It represents the victim's heart pounding in their chest due to the pressure of being pushed into something you don't wanna do.
The video depicts a cocky guy who thinks he can manipulate everybody in his life - which he can to a point. He can coax his friends into following his lifestyle (I see it this way coz I find myself doing the same thing). However, every sin has it's punishment. Karmic justice prevails and the kid gets manipulated by somebody older, wiser, and stronger than him (this hasn't happened to me yet but i'm sure it will). Now, the lyrics to me wouldn't be as impactive were it the other way round - the guy pressuring the girl into sex. It's an everyday thing and most girl go through. What Brand New may have done is write the song that way, but switched the characters round (Try reading the lyrics my first way and you'll get my drift). The effect of this has two bullets, first it get's your attention, makes you relate to the victim better (as this situation is rare) and makes you think more. The second bullet comes after thinking about the first bullet a lot - it shows peoples attitudes towards young people and sex. How we always see the guy as the predator and villain. I may have over complexified the song, but Brand New is a complex band

this is just my own view but to me the video hints that no matter how important you are or who you can control, there is always someone else who is more important and that can control you (jesse controls other people at first but is soon controlled by another man)

I totally disagree with Faab. The lamb could acutally have multiple symbolic meanings such as the "clone- one of the crowd" or the "slaughter- the lose of something important to you"

The Lamb on the door has no real meaning, that's the logo the director throws in his videos. If you watch the yellowcard video "Ocean Avenue", you will see the same lamb logo on the brief case. You people are really looking to deep in this song. I've met Jesse at a stray lightrun concert. The lead singer of that band is Jesse's best friend. He told me that the song is not about him cause he's a smooth pimp daddy. Normally it's the girl being pressured into sex, not the guy. He changed it into the guy just for kicks. But the point is that once you have sex, your childhood and innocence is gone, thus glory fades.

This song isn't just about some girl pressuring a guy to have sex with him. It's about how we feel we need to grow up and be something we arent, and everyone is so fake and insecure you dont know who is realy anymore. It's saying the girl is just having sex with this guy to be something she isnt and she is really just unhappy and looking for love. It says... "He whispers that he loves her but she's probably only looking for... so much more than he could ever give, a life free of lies and a meaningful relationship." showing she hates herself for doing this. "Die young and save yourself" is saying get out of this world, which is full of lies and insecurities, it would be better to just be dead than live. THis song is basically about the whole society, not just one romance.

Ryan, I think you answered your own question about the sign "Watch Your Step", I think it means that you should watch what you do in life. And not be taking advantage of. With the phase "Watch Your Step" it kind of means watch where you take your life.

Sic transit gloria means "so passes the glory of the world" meaning..that nothing lasts forever.DEJA ENTENDU-the name of the album means "already been heard" which i agree is brand new's way of mocking the media. i think that this song is about a girl that obviously wants to have sex with this guy, but he doesnt feel that he is ready and doesn't want to deal with what can follow. Then he finally gives in just to please her. "And he starts growing up" are the most important lyrics of the song-it stands for everything that sex stands for and everything that he wishes wasn't happening. The overall point of the song, i think, is to live life to the fullest without letting those around you decide you're life for you.

This songis definately about Jesse getting pressured to have sex with a more experienced girl we all know that.Its also meant to show how you can't just go with the crowd and you have to decide things for yourself, you're going to take it how you want but thats just my take on it.

Sic Transit Gloria comes from the latin phrase Sic Transit Gloria Mundi, which is latin for "Thus passes the glory of the world", which is read at the mass for the death of a pope. Sic Transit Gloria simply means "thus passes the glory"

I read an elongated version of sic transit gloria (the phrase not song) which says "and so the glory of this world passes away... wordly things do not last". speculate.

One of the most worldly things in the world is virginity.. everyone is at some point... yet these things do not last.. for most people... mind you some people are nuns.

Okay, well I think we all have the basic concept, so do people keep re-stating the same theory? ...from what i have read..sic transit gloria= already have been heard, i dont know about translations and all that junk but thats what it is supposed to mean. Already been heard..is just Brand New's way of mocking the media. the skeptism of the critics.--and we all know that sic transit gloria is something more than your everyday song.

This song you think by the first time listening to it it is about sex. But if you think about it and watch the music video like one hundred times then you will know what it is really about, life. When it says she is the slaughter it is meaning life and he is meaning man as in people. I think therefore that life has its courses and you have to make decisions and cant have other people pressure you into doing what you dont want to do. Also the guy in the end in my opinion is god controlling the slaughter, therefore preventing it. Somone please tell me what the thing in the middle of the u in your on the sign that says "watch your step". Thanks

when i first heard this song it reminded me of a girl at my school who pressured the guy she liked to sleep with her even tho he had a girlfriend already... it caused some trouble at school for her. i think the song is about rape and how the guy is feeling when it happens. the line that disturbed me the most is "she fakes a smile and presses her hips into his". i have never seen the film clip b4 but i always get a mental pictur of what it would be like when i hear the song

Children tend to think they are in control of everything they do, until it takes something as life changing as losing your virginity to realise that you are far from in control. I also agree with Nikki that "die young and save yourself", means that they would rather die than undergo the pressure that comes with growing up.

Brand New is an awesome band and this song is great
Its about a guy who is being forced to have sex with a girl but he doesnt want to
It is a really good song and knowing brand new it propably has a deeper meaning

This song is about a boy who was raped and now when he's with his girlfriend it reminds him of it he's holding back from telling her exactly what it really feels like. But it's not just the feel but the intent that scares him, he whispers that he loves her but she's probably only looking for... She has the lust that the rapist had. He's victim and for the rest of his live sex will always, in some way, remind him of being raped, you don't recover from a night like this. A victim sill lying in the bed completely motionless which will lead to "a life full of lies and failing relationships." There is more to this song than a shy boy.

I think this song is all about control. The guy in the video thinks he has control of the situation (because he's been influenced by the false impressions his friends gave him,) but really he has none, and the realisation of that hurts him pretty bad! In the video, Jesse is able to control other peoples actions so he thinks he is in control, and at the end when he's with the girl (like in the song), he thinks he's in control of her too... but really theres someone else controlling him, so he was never in control at all! I think the songs partly about the whole stereotype issue, and breaking that stereotype and also how things like sex are built up, but the reality is different...
Anyway thats my view, but I think this song is one of those which means different things to different people... either way its an excellent song!

OK, The lamb! It's completely coincidental with the song. The director of the video is Marc Webb. It's his logo. He was the same director of Ocean Avenue. If you watch his other videos, the lamb is in most of them somewhere even if jsut for a split second. http://www.mvdbase.com/tech.php?last=Webb&first=Marc those are videos by Marc Webb.

David I asked my latin teacher and he said for sure it means yes glory fades he showed me in his book sic = yes

THe Lamb in the video (and alos in the Yellowcard in the video) is the mascot/symbol of a "fraternity" that a couple of bands on warped tour started a few years ago (yellowcard, brand new, starting line, from autumn to ashes to name a few) where they would have parties and initiation ceremonies ( i know cuz the violin player of yellowcard told me abou it)

What also proves the title means nothing and is from the movie rushmore is that if jessi and john from TBS are friends and TBS finds their titles to songs from TV and other viewing material, them being friends would influence eachother and have similar techniques.

Deja entendu = already heard. "Understood" in French is "comprendu"

"ok both ross and david are wrong Sic Transit Gloria means Yes Glory Fades"

No, it really doesn't. I asked my Latin teacher...

"Actually it's just "Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades""
Close enough... <_<

Actually, The song name is from the movie Rusmore like that guy said. If you didn't notice "okay I believe you but my tommy gun don't" is also from HOME ALONE. You hear it the first morning that he is alone when he is watchign a movie. And to settle the lamb argument, the lamb is also found in the Ocean Avenue video by Yellowcard. The lamb is just a symbol used then by the record label. It coincidentally relates to the song lyrics. there is no relevance.

Okay, I definitely agree that this song is about a sex and virginity, etc but the title is definitely from Rushmore. Max says in the movie these exact words, "Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades" Bands often take lines from movies or TV as song titles (i.e. Taking Back Sunday).

ok both ross and david are wrong Sic Transit Gloria means Yes Glory Fades and I beleave that the lamb is refuring to before the death of jesus you had to slauther a lamb to he washed of your sins so the girl was washing her sins with the man and he is the victum

Actually it's just "Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades"

Sorry to burst your bubbles but...
Sic transit gloria is the latin for "This glory fades"
Hence why all versions are title "sic tranit gloria.... this glory fades"

also the die young and save yourself is talking about how, dont grow up to fast and dont feel pressured to go farther than you want to...

this is my favorite song. it is about a virgin guy who is with an older, much more expirienced girl. the song is about him losing his virginty. "he is the lamb, she is the slaughter" that refers to her taking his virginity. it talks about how having sex is growing up. "up stairs where the act becomes the art of growing up" and how he wants to get it over with because all of his friends have already had it. but he doesnt enjoy it. he loves this girl and wants to hold onto her forever and never let go. but she is a liar and doesn't want anything besides sex. he thinks now all relationships and everyone in the world is messed up, not just that situation.

This song is based on the movie Rushmore. Sic Transit Gloria is Max Fischer's moto. I think it might be semi- based on his relationship with Ms. Cross.

Btw, does anyone have a link to a site where I would watch the video on Windows Media Player?

I would GREATLY appreciate that, thanks.

I don't agree with you abby. I however, do think that this song was trying to tell us that it's not only girls that get pressured. Throughout the song he kept repeating that he "kept his hands to his side" and that he "didn't want to blow it" I don't think the boy had enough courage to back away from the situation. And getting back to the lamb and slaughter quite. I do believe that's symbolic. That she's seducing him.

Anyhow, yes, the song was based on how a boy was pressured into have sex. And I'm positive it's a woman older than him, becuase he says "This is so messed up." Thus, it's more likely it's a woman older than him, instead of his 'cousin' or whatever.

In a way this song is really dirty but in a way it's also really depressing. I love this song. And this Band. And Jesse Lacey is so hot.

I'm not sure if anyone else noticed but the sheep that is on the door to the bar in the video is the exact same sheep that is shown in Yellowcard's video for "Ocean Avenue" Just in Yellowcard's video, the sheep is shown on the girl's briefcase.

good song... cool video

does anybody know of any sites i can go on to download the video? for free? please please someone tell me i really wanna see the vid to this :)
btw some good ideas of what this songs about i agree with most of you, and i think it's a great song and kinda shows you the story from a guys point of view for once as usually you find its about a girl being pressured into things like sex.

I think this song is about a guy who is not ready for sex but thinks he is just because he thinks he loves this girl and in the lines this is so messed up i think hes refering to the steryotype that guys should want this so bad and this girl has had sex before obviously and to her its no longer an act of love but just somthing to do for short times of pleasure and so he dosen't think it's right

I think that this song is about a guy getting ready to have sex, unwillingly. He tries to convince himself that it is right by saying he loves her. The girl is pressuring him to do it, and I think this girl might be kind of a slut. He wanted to go ahead and lose his virginity like his friends. From the lines "Upon arrival the guests had all stared" and "This is so messed up" maybe the girl might be his best friend or a cousin. The video doesn't really go with it, but I think there's more behind the song. I don't know how you could cover so much with 3 minutes and 6 seconds of video.

I think that the part in the video where it shows the guy controling everybody represents how you think you're in control but you're really not which is what that other man represents when he starts controling Jess. The pressures of sex are so overwhelming it's hard to believe you're still in control.

I saw an interview with Brand New on IMX about a month after the video came out. When asked what the song meant, Jesse replied with,"It's about a guy getting pressured into having sex with a girl a little more experienced than he is."

I was more thinking the video wasn't exactly like the whole pressure thing. A sheep is slang for someone who follows the crowd, a clone. And I didn't know the guys name so I just said the guy...thanks for the attack

Should being grown up be paralelled to losing one's virginity? Should the act of losing one's virginity be rated as an artform by one cultured in these arts? Should one person go into this with less experience than the other? If Dan from Hamilton has his facts straight, the writer sees sex as something the boy must prove himself at to someone obviously more experienced than himself when in fact there ought to be a level playing field with no more experienced player on either side. Wish i'd thought of that. Getting laid was far too high on my list of to do's when I was in high school mostly because it seemed that everyone else was. Couple this with the fact that the world seemed to run out of virgins around grade 10 and the pressure starts coming in from all directions. With little more guidance than the hormone drunk voices in our teenage heads telling us to keep up and the natural urges that guys and girls have for eachother (usually blinding-sometimes crippling) we feel that we have little choice in the matter. But thats not enough pressure yet. You still have to throw in the fact that she has already been there and sorta knows what to expect and you've got a rep to protect ("no longer cool but a boy in a stitch") with nothing to work with except what his friends have told him. The song starts out sounding both straight forward and pensive which is tough to do musically. This seems to reflect the nature of subject. The vocals seem to be too much for one person to handle gracefully but with equal input from two voices they work nicely, also reflecting the nature of the subject. Hope i'm not reading too much into this.

The title of the song is taken from the Latin phrase: "Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" (So the glory of the world passes). It looks to me, that this goes with the line: "Die yound and save yourself," because the glory of the world will fade away.

There is also a song of the same title released by Deep Elm Records band: Brandston on their 1999 album: "Trying to Figure Each Other Out."

"Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" is also used in the Roman Catholic Church during the ceremony of electing a new pope.

Is it just me or are all of Brand New's songs very depressing

Jesse Lacey is very religious and has vowed to stay a virgin until he's married and this song is about him getting pressured or any guy getting pressured into sex and i think how hard it is for him to keep up his vow.

okay, heres what i know about all of this

-the lamb- the director used it in the video, and it has since become his "logo".. you can also see it in the yellowcard video for ocean avenue. the lamb also has ties to the song, such as the line "he is the lamb, she is the slaughter", and the fact that being a follower, or a copycat, can sometimes be called "being a sheep".

-the song- the song is about peer pressure, hence, jesse doing everything that everyone esle is doing in the bar. in essence, copycatting, being a follower ( read : being a sheep ). the song IS about being pressured into having sex, because "everyone else is doing it", but that couldnt be shown for obvious reasons. it also has an undercurrent, showing that "this is what happens when you give in", IE, the guy being completely uncomfortable and unhappy in his situation.

-"die young and save yourself"- basically warning you against all of the horrible things that you will encounter in growing up, telling you to save yourself the agony of having to go through with it by your own accord. not literally meant for you to kill yourself, though ^_^

Brandon... I think that the reason the song says "die young and save yourself" is that they are saying to die young before you have to under go all the pressure that comes with growing up. That is how I took it but I may be way off.

I understand the song meaning, but at the end of the chorus, what's up with the 'die young and save yourself' that he screams?

The song is about a girl who wants to have sex with a guy-- she pressures him, and he doesnt want to move that fast. He wants to just hold her and love her and be with her.

The lamb, in my opinion, on the door follows with the line in the song " He is a lamb. She is the slaughter." he is innocence and she is killing his innocence...him running in the begining (of the video) signifies life rushing him to perform "the act of growing up" he hesitates when he gets to the door, regathering himself before he takes the dive...and that's how i see it

You are so right about the video Pete, well said. However i disagree with Abby. The song is going totally against the sterotype that guys are only intrested in sex. As with a few other Brand New songs, i think they are trying to make out that it can be, and will be, the guy who gets hurt in a relationship. In the song itself, his friends and her are pushing him into having sex. He doesn't want to, but it is considered 'the art of growing up' by community. He just wants to get it over with, get rid of the 'feeling in his gut' and he also says it will be the 'first and last time'. It is about pressure, and how it is bad, rather than awkwardness.

umm... 'the guy' is jesse lacey.

I would have to disagree with you heather. The video is very symbolic of what this song is about (which is very well said by abby). After the girl follows what jesse does, you see another man that is actually leading jesse. Its just showing that we're influenced to do things such as sex by other people, and we therefore lead others in to it as well. The video has nothing to do with cloning. And just because it shows jesse motioning for the girls shirt to come off, doesnt mean its the opposite of the song. It simply means that these kind of pressures are felt by women and guys. The song is about pressure from a girl but guys can give off pressure too of course. Sometimes with creative videos such as this you have to look beyond just what you are seeing and almost read between the lines! Thanks!

The song is about a girl taking advantage of a guy just for sex. He's not prepared for it, and she knows it making him an easy target. The video has absolutely nothing to do with this. The sheep on the door symbolizes cloning, inside everyone acts like the guy (I don't know who he is). It even shows him making the girl start to take of her shirt, which is the opposite of the song.

Actually, it's more about a guy hooking up with a girl who has a lot more experience then him. It's about the awkwardness of sex--despite Hollywood's perfect and romantic sex scences--and all the weird feelings and emotions that come with it. Jess Lacey is extremely shy when it comes to this subject.