I am officially addicted to this song. It's insane how she's able to communicate such a clear story using so few words.

Father, father, father, father, father,
father, father, father
Yes

Father, father, father, father, father,
father, father, father
Yes

The floor heard everything
The floor heard everything
The floor heard everything
Yes

The floor heard everything
The floor heard everything
The floor's favorite feet are bare

The soldiers came in their boots
Civilians came in their shoes
The nurses came in their heels
The children came in their hoops

But the floor's favorite feet are bare
The floor's favorite feet are bare

Father, father, father, father, father,
father, father, father
Yes

Forgiveness, forgiveness, forgiveness, forgiveness,
forgiveness, forgiveness, forgiveness,

Father, father, father, father, father,
father, father, father
Yes

Forgiveness, forgiveness, forgiveness

The floor heard everything
The floor heard everything
The floor heard everything
Yes

The floor heard everything
The floor heard everything
The floor's favorite feet are bare

The soldiers came in their boots
Civilians came in their shoes
The nurses came in their heels
The children came in their hoops

But the floor's favorite feet are bare
The floor's favorite feet are bare
The floor's favorite feet are bare

To me, this song is about domestic abuse. "The floor heard everything," "father father father," and then the part about forgiveness. And I feel really strongly about that, which leads me to even more wonderment at the sheer genius of this song. It's able to evoke such a complete scene for me, and with so few words.

I haven't really thought about it beyond that though. Any thoughts, all you brilliant song interpreters out there?

Your ideas about the song really make sense... She certainly does paint a vivid picture with such few words. The line "the floor heard everything" really speaks to the way nothing can truly be kept secret.

Oh and I thought the line was "the children came in their hooves..." Which I took as a humorous take on the cluelessness of kids. (They're just stomping around in an emotional situation or something like that. Idk...)

The line about the children, I thought hoops also made sense because sometimes children would be playing, regardless of any kind of tense situation... So I guess I thought the same kind of thing, I wasn't really sure which it was.

this song is darned catchy!

i automatically took it to be about the bedroom, mostly because i thought father could be taken sexually, and the yes is pretty obvious in context, as well as the nurses.. and in keeping with that, i figured the couple was just kinky and acted things out about civilians and soldiers (coming home from the war and all that). then the kids' "hooves" were them clomping in and jumping into mommy and daddy's bed during the day or whatever, totally oblivious.
Then, the floor's favorite feet are bare would refer to the couple being intimate without gimmicks... though i'm at a loss about who the floor represents-i'd say it was just a fly-on-the-wall perspective for the sake of communicating the song, but the floor has a preferrence about feet (feet representing the differnt ways the master bedroom is used). so i don't know what the true significance of the floor is...

But i love your interpretation! it's more rich than mine, and it puts the "forgiveness" into perspective. there are some blanks that i can't seem to fill, though: Nurses, if the ambulance was called in from the abuse, but soldiers? civilians? and why exactly does she repeat "father" so many times?
i feel like i'm missing something obvious.

oh, and why are the floor's favorite feet bare? What's with all the "yes"'s? perhaps a double-entendre?

nitpick: i think it's "the nurses came in high heels" but i'm not positive.

P.S. i can't get this song out of my head!!

To me. I think this song is about church/confession. (note- i'm atheist so why i think this...idk). The 'Father' part, is like praying fervently. kind of like those fancy churches where people rock to and fro and shout things like "father! YES! FORGIVENESS!" I think the "floors" are God, and that nothings a secret, and to come as you are "barefoot". I think the nurses, children...ect, are the church goers clomping in their footwear, making a scene, praying.

but who's really right?

quote:

Originally posted by spangler:
To me. I think this song is about church/confession. (note- i'm atheist so why i think this...idk). The 'Father' part, is like praying fervently. kind of like those fancy churches where people rock to and fro and shout things like "father! YES! FORGIVENESS!" I think the "floors" are God, and that nothings a secret, and to come as you are "barefoot". I think the nurses, children...ect, are the church goers clomping in their footwear, making a scene, praying.

but who's really right?

All these different interpretations make sense in different ways... Confession make sense ("Father" and "forgiveness" make for a fairly simple connection). However, your interpretation then goes into the image of a rowdy lively church setting. While Confession in the sacramental setting is a strictly Catholic notion, that kind of church setting is not. So if confession is the key scene, then I think the song would make a little more sense as a day-in-the-life of an intimate (yet emotionally intense) scene in a confessional.

Still, in that little twist on your interpretation, the line "the floors favorite feet are bare" seems out of place, as no one would show up with bare feet in a Catholic Church... I suppose the line could be construed as a metaphor for openness like "The floor prefers bare feet, just like God doesn't want you to cover any part of who you are." The same floor that has already 'heard everything' wouldn't want you to cover up those feet (feet representing sins because they're so unattractive?) before the eyes of God.

Okay so now that sets up a lot of symbolism in what each character is wearing on their feet. Anyone want to run with that?

I too thought this song was about abuse. The Father and the daughter. I think it fits with the setting of the song and the melody.

In that case I believe that the father disguises his intentions by playing games. (civilians, nurses, soldiers) "But hey girls, you should take your shoes off. the floor likes bare feet. and then the pants. yeah it's better if you take em off" kind of style.

The "yes" after fatherfather confused me though. It would make more sense if it was "no". But then I thought that maybe the daughter doesn't understand. She's just obedient 'cause you're supposed to obey your father. Many girls in this situation may not understand to say no. Especially if they're really young. They feel guilt that their fathers are not happy. If he's not happy it's her fault and therefore she does what he wants.

And then the church interpretation is really interesting! The bare feet is also a way to show respect. When Moses saw that bush that was on fire God told him to take his shoes off 'cause he was standing on holy ground. so it actually makes sense.

You shouldn't have to wear heels or boots. You should just be able to come as you are.
Actually, when I was at church 2 weeks ago the woman on stage singing came with no makeup and in her comfy clothes. And she always wear makeup and is looking perfect. First time with no makeup for 13 years I think. But she said she just felt that there shouldn't be a need to dress up when going to church. And that you should come as you are.

I think we might be a bit into these religious interpretations since Laughing With :P

haha! yes, i'm sure that Laughing With has had a real effect on our interpretations of regina's songs, altought that's reasonable, and not a bad thing. Who says Laughing With is the only song ever written with god/religion in mind? i remember dstinctly that several songs prior to LW were taken to have religious meaning, and several people had a problem with that, saying that regina "nver writes about that crap"... but now we see that it has, at least at one time, been a topic of songwriting interrest.

i hope it's not about abuse! but that has no bearing on whether it actually is... i might have to let that fester before concluding whether i think that's the meaning of the song.

abt the shoes: i forgot about moses and all the other times shoes were removed to acknowledge holiness. that fits beautifully. Yet i still can't shake the sexual vibe i get from this song. i'm leaning more and more toward a double entendre.. reg certainly doesn't shy away from either topic... but what would be the significance of abuse and religion being presented so closely? Perhaps the infamous Catholic priests who abused young boys? I can't really take that anywhere at the moment.

this song is cryptic!

quote:

Originally posted by Be like the water, people.:
haha! yes, i'm sure that Laughing With has had a real effect on our interpretations of regina's songs, altought that's reasonable, and not a bad thing. Who says Laughing With is the only song ever written with god/religion in mind? i remember dstinctly that several songs prior to LW were taken to have religious meaning, and several people had a problem with that, saying that regina "nver writes about that crap"... but now we see that it has, at least at one time, been a topic of songwriting interrest.

yeah I always thought Aquarius was somehow about God "listening in the shadows". So I don't mean that it's just because of LW that we think as we do

One of the things I really love about regina is the fact that she doesn't shy away from any topic =) She'll just say what's on her mind. Not many people would have the courage.

Catholic priests and young boys is possible... Wow. Hehe. We are so over-thinking this :P but it's intersting!

I'll go do some more thinking about this song...

edit: the whole respect/holiness/shoes off thing could also be applied on the abuse interpretation. Since the dad is "almighty" in that situation.

quote:

Originally posted by sweetness in my lungs:
yeah I always thought Aquarius was somehow about God "listening in the shadows". So I don't mean that it's just because of LW that we think as we do

One of the things I really love about regina is the fact that she doesn't shy away from any topic =) She'll just say what's on her mind. Not many people would have the courage.

Catholic priests and young boys is possible... Wow. Hehe. We are so over-thinking this :P but it's intersting!

I'll go do some more thinking about this song...

edit: the whole respect/holiness/shoes off thing could also be applied on the abuse interpretation. Since the dad is "almighty" in that situation.

haha i don't think there's such a thing as overthinking a regina song.. they're very rich (emotionally, and with details/content), and yet the lyrics appear random enough that one can't gelp but delve into them and say, "what did she mean by /that/?"

i thought that about Aquarius, too! i mean, who else could she be addressing with "dear someone listening/watching from the shadows, i only talk to you sometimes. And though i ask for help in riddles, it is clearer in my mind"...

anyway, this...

"edit: the whole respect/holiness/shoes off thing could also be applied on the abuse interpretation. Since the dad is "almighty" in that situation."

...is very deep! i never thought about it like that... i wonder if that's what regina had in mind when she wrote it?? Probably not, imo... it really doesn't fit with the nurses and civilians. But then, what does?

(WARNING: Extreme tangent on the way!)
well, when i think of these people she describes, a few things stick out to me: first, she defines them by very black-and-white roles, something that's not typical from regina. And second, they sort of sound like characters/extras from tv shows, movies, plays, etc... like the people being mentioned on that part aren't "real". they lack a depth that regina's spoiled us with. ... idk. just a thought.
(WARNING: mini-tangent from (about? of? derived from?) the extreme tangent on the way!)
ok, don't take this seriously.. i wouldn't accept it as plausible unless someone could prove that this was relevant to a real-life situation that Reg would write about! 'kay, here goes:

sticking with the "father, yes" as being two people in the act, and the nurses and soldiers (and children!!!) as being extras on a set, what if this is the story of two people getting busy while they're supposed to be working (on a play/movie), then they get so loud that a crowd of actors dressed as nurses and soldiers, and the kids wearing some sort of costumes involving hooves/hoops develops outside the door or something. as a result of being so unprofessional, they're both in danger of being fired. This is my explanation of the "forgiveness": "please, please don't fire us! forgive us!"
again, this is totally not legit. it just popped into my head, so i wrote it down. i believe they call that "brain crack"...

wooow! acting! theater! yes! (again and always: maybe. we'll never know)

Ok if people are dressed up in costumes and it's at the theater.... Imagine this little girl whose parents want to make her famous. It's all "yes I'll do whatever you say. Ok daddy I'll do my best. I'll become a star. Promise. I'm sorry I couldn't last time!!"

It's confusing, heels there, shoes here, boots and hoops (what are hoops??)... stressful... showbiz.

But really she doesn't want to be all dressed up. She wants bare feet. It's not her dream to become an actress - it's theirs. expectations... argh.

I never thought of it that way!

But I still think "the floor heard everything" still signifies the floor having a sort of fly on the wall perspective, to use someone else's words. The floor hears all, even what is hidden from the rest of outside world. The floor hears true emotions, y'know?

But aaaalll of these interpretations are so fascinating. I had this so firmly pegged as being about some kind of abuse, but now I'm not so sure.

i'm glad you like my inperprtation, sweetness in my lungs!

while i was reading your comments on it, something popped into my head: What if the "floor" refers to theater/performing arts? Then bare feet represent genuine emotion, like almostspotless said...

So the boots, heels, hoo(p/ve)s, etc represent all of te lazy themes that theater has taken on: there are all of these black and white tv shows about hospitals, and there hasn't been a movie out in a hot minute that doesn't feature faceless civilians (this brings to mind action/guy-type movies in particular). as for the children, i think that line is fast becoming the next Dusseldorf "new york muttdom" haha i have no idea what she's saying, or just what she means.

Bottom line, i agree that the stage kid obeying, then performing insincerely is a solid theory. Brilliant deduction! just adding on: perhaps the "floor" refers to the "soul" of the theater.. it sees plenty of other types of feet, but it's really all about the bare (Uncle Bobby) feet. that's the real reason the theater is around. (this interpretation reminds me of All the Rowboats!)

Question: does anyone know of a random situation where "The Floor" would refer to something other than just the ground beneath your feet in a structure?
For example, in gymnastics, it refers specifically to the foam-covered spring floor apparatus, rather than just the ground in any given spot ("next we'll see Nastia perform on the floor. She's been battling an injury this season...")


So yeah. perhaps this is also a term in other situations/settings, whether those situations are relevant to any of our current trains of thought or not... (does the floor refer to anything specific in theater terms?)