Given the title’s reference to New York City drag ball culture documentary film “Paris is Burning” and the year that Full Collapse came out (2001), it’s likely that this is an anthem of resistance against the purging of underground culture– including the gay and trans community and just about all vi...
Now it's time to wrap our fears in the night
And on the first day I'll dress this city in flames
After all the things you say
You hate me for being this way
Still you won't let go of old ideals
There is no headline to read at night
When the record skips and you're not holding the needle
[Chorus]
We all sing the songs of separation
And we watch our lives bleed out through our hands
That's how it was on the first day
When we saw Paris in Flames
Rain, rain down
I think it's going to rain, rain down [x2]
I think it's going to rain
I think it's going to rain, rain down [x3]
I think it's going to rain
Here in this collapsed lung of a borough
There is no sunlight
The sunlight is manufactured in a windowless room
Distant and incoherent
Businessmen hang themselves
[Chorus]
We all sing the songs of separation
And we watch our lives bleed out through our hands
That's how it was on the first day
When we saw Paris in Flames
The lower east side is a jukebox playing the deadman's crescendo
The needle is a vector
An intersection that we all must cross
A dimly lit hallway where shadows of moths decorate the walls
Discard this message
Discard this message
Discard this message
(Burn this city down, down...)
Discard this message
Throw this bottle back in the ocean
Rip this page from the history books
Smash all the street signs
Erase all the maps
Forget my name
Forget my face
Forget my name
Because it's going to rain (it's going to rain)
And it never ends
Rain, rain down
I think it's going to rain, rain down [x2]
I think it's going to rain
I think it's going to rain, rain down [x3]
I think it's going to rain
[Chorus]
We all sing the songs of separation
And we watch our lives bleed out through our hands
That's how it was on the first day
We saw Paris in Flames
Paris in Flames was written by Geoff Rickly & Tom Keeley & Tim Payne & Tucker Rule & Steve Pedulla.
Paris in Flames was produced by Sal Villanueva.
Thursday released Paris in Flames on Tue Apr 10 2001.