Devil in the Details

i think this is about taking advantage of something and trying to convince yourself that what you did was ok, when really you know that what you tell yourself.. it's just.. it's just a story you tell yourself to feel better and you know that when it comes down to it you did what they say you did and you try to tell yourself anything to forget it

it almost seems as if the lyrics say that he's trying to play not knowing any better. if that was intended or of thats the truth is unclear. he seems lost in this.

"I am the first one I deceive if I can make myself believe the rest is easy."

maybe all he's saying is that he has to get over his conscience and as long as he can tell himself that he didn't do anything wrong then he will be ok.

i really love bright eyes haha

I agree with past past present. But I think it is the relationships that he forms with other people in an attempt to forget someone else... He can't tell if in forming these relationships he knew he was lying to himself the entire time or if he simply just did without realizing it... Examples as follows:

'Now you have your cake. Don't hesitate. Come on and just do it. ' Now is his opportunity to make a new relationship. There is possibly the chance to love here that he is waiting for, but he's hesitating because he's not sure if his heart is really into it. He's got to psyche himself up to give it a try.

'But know there's no backing out. This is gonna be reality. You can never dream it down. ' After getting in, he can't just decide if it was wrong. He's trying his hardest to make love happen, to make falling in love become a reality. With the lines "I have no way of telling the two apart" he is explaining that he can't tell whether it is true feelings that he has (reality) or just wishful thinking/trying too hard (dreams)

In the next verse where he says "Well I made amends in the general sense but the devil's in the details. And I know the cost, and I wanna stop" The relationship worked, but now that it's over and he's apologized for it all to her and perhaps himself, he realizes underneath he was only lying to himself and his partner and it is eating him from inside. He wants to stop from doing it again, but he just can't seem to. He had MEANT for there to be love... which is in the next few lines. But he doesn't know, after it is all over, if the whole thing was an accident, or if he should've truly believed in the love that he felt. As time goes, the two feelings are getting mixed up.

Without pasting the rest of the song, which it would really need all of it for me to pick apart to find the meaning, I will just explain: At the end of the song, he is trying to bury away what has happened. He's going to try to change his habits of lying to himself to be happy. But he just continues to keep dreaming of what would be, and to do so, he has to lie to himself. Once he's done this, he can go on without doubting his feelings.

Sometimes, it's not obvious what his songs are about until he does that Conor-thing where he warbles a quick sentence about what the next song is about, during live performances. During the Digital Ash Tour, he'd say, before this song, "This song's about our good friend, Temptation." And, then, of course... It all comes together...

He talks about giving into temptation during the first verse, and not thinking so much about it or dwelling... Just do it, just do it, and don't think about tomorrow. The rest of the song continues the idea that, with choices comes thoughts of/and consequence. In this case, the decisions/consequences have to do with, love & accidental love, or leading someone on, or sex. All is summed up in the final line, which is a very deep feeling, just knowing from personal experience... There are things that you know you should not do... Things that will have consequence... Things that hold the devil inside... And, sometimes, you may have already made the mistake once or twice, so you bury it in the past/ground. And, if, for a second, you make yourself believe otherwise... You give in, again.

Goddamn, love you, Conor AND Mogis. That incredibly-delicious, addictive riff that is played after the second chorus, chills my bones. <3

"i am the first one not to see you"

should be "i am the first one i deceive"

fixed.

i think this song has to do with Conners alcoholism."Well, I made amends in the general sense... But the devil's in the details. And I know the cost, and I wanna stop... But I can't do it." making amends to people you've hurt while you were intoxicated is one of the most important steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. when he talks about "devil's in the details" he might mean that he may apologize and make promises but he knows he can't keep them or mean them if he is still drinking. the "devils" being alcohol. the "cost" is death which will evitably happen if he doesn't stop. he then goes on to say that he wants to stop but he can't because he is consumed by alcoholism.

i don't know i might be completely wrong.

is this song on I'm wide awake, its morning?

no digital ash in a digital urn

"i have the no way of telling the two apart"

his drunken state of life and reality.

oh god this song is so beautiful, I missed that.

his voice as he sings "But know there's no backing out" it so so pretty. I love this song.