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This song is, on the surface, about a shipwreck. The shipwreck is a metaphor for a doomed relationship. It talks about a love going wrong despite desperate tries to make it right and in the end failing. (thanks, alatriel - lothlorien, Other)

"Crack the Sky" is a popular song from 1987 by the Christian rock singer Mylon LeFevre. The title refers to being at one of LeFevre's concerts and imploring him to play his hit.

At the end of the song, Jesse Lacey sings "Never to see any other way," which are the last words of "A Day In The Life" by The Beatles. (thanks, Alli - New York, NY)

Comments:

brand new is not defined as a christian band, however jesse was raised very religious and he has said in concert that the devil and god are raging inside me, is a literal thing. that he struggles with following in his faith because he is not sure what is real or not. being religious has led to a lot of the bands lyrics.
- spenser , denver, CO

reasons i like Brand New: im from Long Island, my teacher is friends with Jesse, and i love the fact that he mentions parts of LI in his lyrics
- Alex , New York, NY

Brand New is no christian band. If someone named a song, "Jesus Christ," but it was about how they don't belive in him, does that warrant a christian label? It's common fact that Jesse Lacey grew up in a christian environment, but those songs that reference god or jesus have strong undertones of hisfaith becoming something of question. The references he makes otherwise are just a product of his bringing-up, not something saying, "look at me! we're a christian band!"
- Nate , Fair Grove, MO

I apologise firstly because this will be a long message, but will hopefully shed light or a new view to some people. These are all my own opinions and observations. I took this song a little more literally that most of you. I took it as it was for the most part with being at sea and the sailor leaving his family (i.e his wife) (to mattyb, the burg, MD- they mention a crew in the song so you assume it's a fishing boat- and it's traditionally said that women are bad luck on boats of that nature). I always thought it had something to do with the fact that Jesse can so easily relate to these fishermen leaving for months at a time, while he leaves for months at a time while on tour. I took the relationship part of the song to be in reference more to the spouses left behind while the other leaves. "I know that this is what you want, a funeral keeps both of us apart." to me meant that the person left behind would almost start to want the other to die at sea just because then they wouldn't be the ones having to wait around and wasting their lives away while their other half is off somewhere. Still lacking the courage to end it. "You know that you are not alone" Means that the one left behind isn't the only one that's feeling the strain on the relationship and the battles that come with the distance for so long. "I need you like water in my lungs." is the echoed bitterness that the relationship has to end and does end. Until finally, not because there were any other issues, but simply because of the time and distance it had to end. And to Ashleigh, Pittsburgh, PA- they do have MANY spiritual refferences, but Brand New still claim that they are not a christian band, and that you don't have to be christian to be spiritual. But if you ask me, having a song named Jesus Christ...
- Sarah , Toronto, ON

I was meaning more or less to say that Jesse wanted to find something so close to his life, but mask with poetic way of saying it. Thus, he found the perfect way- the fisherman and the boats were just a metaphor for himself and his band and being on tour while having a relationship.
- Sarah , Toronto, ON

I was meaning more or less to say that Jesse wanted to find something so close to his life, but mask with poetic way of saying it. Thus, he found the perfect way- the fisherman and the boats were just a metaphor for himself and his band and being on tour while having a relationship.
- Sarah , Toronto, ON

What I mean to say is that Jesse basically wrote a metaphor for his life of being on tour surrounded by guys while managing a relationship back at home.
- Sarah , Toronto, ON

Sorry for being a douche and putting like 20 comments. My computer effed up and I couldn't see them so I thought it didn't post..
- Sarah , Toronto, ON

The line about the Dakota is a reference to the SS Dakota which was a US ship that hit a reef and sunk off the coast of Japan. It was close to shore and there were no fatalities. He is saying that this situation is not like that, no one will live vs. everyone getting out safely.
- Sarah , D.C., DC

in response to mike, menands, NY:: i thought the exact same thing regarding the beatles "a day in the life" the first time i heard this song! i was wondering if anyone else ever made the connection to the "never could see any other way" line at the end of this song and at the end of "a day in the life" by the beatles. its crazy. maybe jesse just wanted to mess with us and see if we caught it :] or maybe its not that at all lol
- jul , Pittsburgh, PA

Well, this song's title comes from Lacey's friend yelling,"Play Crack the Sky!" During a concert they went to. However, I don't know if that has much to do with the song. In my opinion, I don't think this song is really about a break up, I believe it is moreover about the fragility of relationships, emotions, and the overall frailness of life. I'm not sure, but in my opinion that is what the song is about. This brings up the lyrics,"The tongue is the rudder that steers the whole ship, sends the words past your lips, etc..." I believe this further portrays the fragility of relationships. This seems to state that your words steer and control all of who you are and what others think about and react to you. Anyways that seems to be what the song is conveying in my opinion.
- Tyler , Denver, CO

whoever said Jesse is not spiritual in his writings is obviously misinformed. They're known to be a Christian band, making many spiritual references in their songs.
- Ashleigh , Pittsburgh, PA

to Tom in Atlanta decodum is a latin word translating to: a spendthrift, bankrupt, a fool parted from his money. I'm not sure if that's the intended meaning but that's the only sense of the word that i can make of it...
- victor , harpursville, NY

"your tounge is a rudder... it steers the whole ship, sends your words past your lips and keeps them safe behind your teeth, but the wrong words will strnd you and come off course while you sleep, sweep your boat out to sea, or dash to bits on the reef" I love that. insinuating, pretty much, that she was a lifeline. it was all a movie, and she was the director. whatever she said, whatever she wanted to happen, happened. she wasn't aware of it.
- emily , Memphis, TN

this is a heartbreak song. sometimes when you break up you dont want the other person to know how much you really need or want them. my favorite line of the entire song is NEED YOU LIKE WATER IN MY LUNGS. it fits my situation perfectly. i really dont need you
- Samantha , Sapulpa, OK

hah, these comments are somewhat funny, an earlier poster Casey noted that he describes what this song means at his shows and he told a similar story that she mentioned but the crowd was yelling so it was hard to hear. From what I recall at the concert he said it was about his group of friends in the woods and they ended up running into someone who was injured and it ended up being a somewhat dangerous situation that they had to get out of.
- Tony , St. Paul, MN

The dakota is the apartement building where john lennon was murdered. he refrences that when he says, "this aint the dakota, the water's cold... won't have to fight for long."
- chelsea , Poughkeepsie , NY

jesse uses the ship symbolism multiple times throughout his album, or some sort of vessel crashing, and drowning is a constant theme. Im begining to think that this song may be more literal than i thought
- Doug , Darien, CT

In the song it says "Sends your words past your lips Or keeps them safe behind your teeth". I just thought it was interesting because the song is talking about a sinking ship and there is a saying that "loose lips sink ships"
- Tess , Vernal, UT

Does anyone have any idea what "the decodum" is? The line reads something like, "this ain't the decodum the waters cold (so cold)" I thought it was Dakota maybe like a ship but appearently not.
- Tom , Atlanta, GA

Anyone that says this has something to do with Jesse's wife dying is completely erroneous. Jesse has never been married, nor had children. Secondly, the song is CLEARLY about a doomed relationship told through the metaphor of a sinking ship. Thirdly, "I need you like water in my lungs" is him realizing he truly doesn't need her, and is why he repeats "This is the end". "A funeral keeps both of us apart" is meaning that the only way to truly get over the relationship is death. This song has nothing to do with sailors not returning home or anything of the sort. The references to the Bible should be taken with a grain of salt and may very well be just coincidences, Jesse is not a very spiritual person, atleast in his song writing.
- Tony , Carmel, IN

on another note, the "this story is old, but it goes on" is a line from "last night i dreamt that somebody loves me" by the smiths...jesse just loves his connections...
- jamie , northampton, England

I agree that it is about a relationship - but it is metaphorically hidden. But the line "the captains stays staffed with the ship" (or something resembling that, sorry, cant memorize it) i believe is reference to loyalty to something / someone else, like the band. Think about it... touring / recording and being on the orad takes away from your personal life. So the 'ship' is the band and if they 'sink' he does too, because he loves music and he loves his band.
- AJ , Sheboygan, WI

ok the song is contradicting its self about a guy who misses a girl but knows he doesnt need her because she's no good for him. throughout the song it shows that he has been away from her and in the end its shows him coming to realize he doesnt need here (i need you like water in my lungs)
- Patrick , Franklin, MA

I don't know if this is true, because Jesse has been known to say that songs have different meanings at different shows, but what he said when he came to my state was that this song was about when he had to go to summer camp as a kid and one of the camp counselers went crazy and made the kids do dangerous things and jesse and some other kids stole a boat in the middle of the night and escaped to the town across the lake.
- Casey , Linden, MI

The song "Sea Epic" by Crack The Sky seems to me like a counterpart to this song. At least that's where the title may have come from.
- Dylan , Baltimore, MD

Remember his wife died A funeral keeps both of us apart. (she is dead hes not) You know that you are not alone. Need you like water in my lungs. (the only way to see her is if he dies too, water in his lungs would kill him)
- Brooke , Portland, OR

a quick question about the "you tougue is a rudder " part some people on this page claim it is out of the book of james verses 4-5 ..the following taken out of the book of james verses 4-5 ..i'm just wondering where you see it ??? "4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
- frankstallone , philadelphia, PA

this is my absolute favorite BN song, and by far one of the saddest songs i have ever heard.
- Charlene , Maryville, TN

my interpretation is along the same lines it's about the girl letting go and about how despreately the boy wants to but he can't he says things he doesn't mean "i need you like water in my lungs" but in the truth he does need her and he's finding no matter how hard he trys he can't right his wrongs it makes him sick of depression the girl is ignoring his attempt to save them he knows that the story will go on till the both die or drown the storys old it happens at the end of every serious relationship one wants to save it the other wants to move on i think he thinks that he'll get her in the end "we won't have to fight for long" but he knows his and her words have been misinterpreted bt each other "Your tongue is a rudder. It steers the whole ship. Sends your words past your lips or keeps them safe behind your teeth. But the wrong words will strand you. Come off course while you sleep. " it reminds me of going to sleep and trying to figure out what my ex meant and if he really meant what he said. but all in all the story ends with him moving on i don't think theres a beatles connection when I fought with me ex i found i used lines fromsongs not on purpose. maybe jesses just adding another line that isn't his
- Nadia , T-town, NJ

This song is about a doomed relationship and the protagonist wasn't ready for it to end... he is still struggling with what he could have done better in the relationship and the regretting the hurtful things he did ("tongue is a rudder that") ... he knows that its futile but he still trying to repair it... that is why he uses the metaphor of a sinking ship... she abandoned ship long ago while he "staffed the ship" to the end and even though he's sunk and is going to die he's still struggling for breath ("i need you like water in my lungs")
- Damon , Seeley Lake, MT

"I need you like water in my lungs" means that he doesnt need her, because no one need water in their lungs. the song also speaks about holding your tongue, watch what you say "the wrong words will strand you, come off course while you sleep."
- Daniel , Orange, CA

This song has been explained to crowds at Breand New Shows and is said to be about they were with another band on a boat and the ship started to sink.
- chris , T-dot, Canada

well, i have always been told that the song is about when Jesse's wife died and he went away for a while on boat. Hed left the kids with his mum and gone off for a few months to deal with his grief, one night there was a strom and the boat he was on got shipwrecked, it talks about how wen he was floating in the sea he contemplated dying till he realised how he still had to tell people he loved them and he was needed, he was in the sea for a few hours before washing up on the beach against all odds, realistically it was how he came to terms with how much he missed her but how much he needed to carryon.
- Tabath , London, England

I think the "need you like water in my lungs is kind of a double representation because if you have water in your lungs youll drown but if you have no water at all in your body you will die im not good with biology and body composition and all that thats just my view though
- biabia , OP, IL

I think it is a little more melancholy... than just love. I think maybe they were in love and out of the blue had a fall out. Getting hit by a rogue wave symbolizes the end. Knowing that he wont survive makes him notice how much he took for granted. To me though the line "Need you like water in my lungs" doesnt exactly sound happy... also "I know what this is what you want, a funeral keeps both of us apart" It seems he still has hard feelings... that the heartless girl would welcome a funeral because he is completely out of her life... so he doesnt want any part of her... needing her is like wanting to drown...
- Stephen , Houston, TX

this song isnt about just ship wrecks...he writes about off the shore from new york and east coastish...about the sailers who dont return home. its for them .
- faith , las vegas, NV

You can't predict when a storm is going to sink a ship. You also can't predict when a relationship will go wrong. They come out of nowhere and you can never tell how much damage they will bring you. Got hit by a storm only 4 months in, and caught him offgaurd. I think many of us can relate.
- Greg , San Luis Obispo, CA

To Taylor: "I know that this is what you want. A funeral keeps both of us apart. You know that you are not alone." I think this pertains to the literal take on the song being about a shipwreck. 2 lovers die at sea, but they die together, in each others arms. they know they are not alone. sad, poetic and makes me cry. =) great song
- mattyb , the burg, MD

brand new is my favorite band, so ive listened to a lot of there music very closely.. at the end of 'play crack the sky' jesse lacey seems to drop the mic and pauses for a minute, then says 'never could see any other way' and it sounds like he leaves the room. this is after the song ends and before the track ends. if you have ever listened to the beatles carefully, you will hear the same 'never could see any other way' repeated over and over after a long pause at the end of 'a day in the life' off of sgt peppers lonely hearts club band album.. can anyone make the connection? please reply
- mike , menands, NY

in the book of James in the new testament i found a few things there about a ship including, as Zak from Gainsville said, the line "your tongue is a rudder"... what do you all think?
- Ryan , Botwood, Canada

I like the theme about being careful what you say as it can all turn out ruined in the end. We dont appreciate things until its too late: "and i wish for one more day to give my love and repay debts, but the morning finds our bodies washed up thirty miles west." He also says that love can be painful: "what they call love is a risk, 'cause you'll always get hit out of nowhere by some wave and end up on your own" you have to give a lot to it and it can end up destroying you.
- nicky , bournemoth, England

This is in response to Jon from Miame regarding the line where he says "I need you like water in my lungs". He's referring to how he needs her just as bad as he wants to end his own life. Probably wanting to end his life because he is without her.
- Pedro , Boston, MA

What the hell does "I need you like water in my lungs" mean! Nobody needs water in their lungs so he's saying he doesn'tneed her? Isn't the song abouthim needing her? Someone please explain. Or at least acknowledge.
- Jon , Miami, TX

well..I agree with everyone so far, about it being about love, and the couples loss of love, and one of them cant let go, I agree that "a funeral keeps us apart" signifies that the person whom cant let go, hopes that in the end, they will be together, but only to some extent..I dont think this song is only about love..I think, it also focuses on how we all, take advantage of what we have, until its about to be to late and then all we wanna do is right our wrongs..I think it also is telling us that, things happen suddenly, so dont take advantage of your days, and that includes, not taking advantage of any one day you could love your someone
- Brittany , Rocky Grove, PA

no it doesnt.... the line about the funeral symbolizes the The end of the relationship and knowing it is truely over, has nothing to do with seeing each other in the afterlife
- mike , lake saint louis, MO

What do yall guys think the line "A funeral keeps both of us apart" would refer to... - Rene, San Antonio, TX This song is about the relstionship going bad, and one or the other cannot live with it being over. The guy in the story kill himself ( rember the line "they say that the captin stays staffed with the ship"). A funeral keeps both of us apart means they will reunite after she dies, leaving hope that mabey they were ment to be after all.
- taylor , burleson, TX

"Play Crack the Sky" is about the light house and how the light shines through the rain and that symbolizes a glimmer of hope for the relationship to get better.
- Jessica , Long Island, NY

I absolutely love this song it is awesome! Especially when he says... This story's old but it goes on and on....etc.
- Nicole , Vernon, NY

Response to Rene: In my mind, that line has always refered to like... a funeral for the love that they couldn't save, but neither can attend for the loss of feeling there.
- Haley , Grenada, MS

What do yall guys think the line "A funeral keeps both of us apart" would refer to...
- Rene , San Antonio, TX

Jesse commented on an interview in IMX that this was his favorite song out of every song BN has ever written... Just thought you might want to know...
- Carlos , Mexico City, Mexico

the metaphor "your tounge is a rudder" is out of the book of james in the bible verses 4-5
- zak , Ganisville, FL

This song is amazing, I love the metaphor in the middle... "your tounge is a rudder.. it steers the whole ship, sends your words past your lips and keeps them safe behind your teeth, but the wrong words will strnd you and come off course while you sleep, sweep your boat out to sea, or dash to bits on the reef" I means watch what you are saying or it could destroy and you wreck everything you worked for.
- Claire , South Portland, ME

crack the sky is a band... so does the title have anything to do with this? hmmmmm
- jessica , gahanna, OH

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