Sound Effects and Overdramatics

I saw that person asking what he thought the lyrics for Vindicated could mean, what they are interpreted as. So I thought Id give it a shot. This song is called Sound Effects and Overdramatics. It is by The Used, who I saw in concert a day ago, and it EFFING ROCKED. If any of you out there like The used, or My Chemical Romance, and they are coming to your town, MAKE SURE YOU GO! Heres the lyrics...tell me what you think...I cant really figure it out. But this song has helped me through many a sad nights. Its really heavy and loud and screaming like. intense

When the shirt came off, it was all in time
When a m-m-m-minute turned into a mile
And then I broke that grin, and I cut it out
And you got all turned on by the taste of your sin
When I mention blue, all you thought was color
When you mention drugs, all I thought was sober
When your pants came off and I turned you over
When you mention blue

Kill, smile, cut it out for me this time
This is not a smile, haven't seen him smile in a little while

Keep the mask aligned
Get it up in time
There's a space between valleys
and try and catch a vibe
Make a circle square, a rectangle curve
Use a smile as a noun and I think like a verb
Run quick switch sides
Spill the filled up canister
And the room is shaking
Now you're changing places,
and I switched my pace,
and my breathing races when you mention blue

Kill, smile, cut it out for me this time
This is not a smile haven't seen him smile in a little while
Kill, smile, cut it out for me this time
This is not a smile haven't seen him smile in a little while
Kill, smile, cut out for me cut it cut it out
Smile, cut it out for me cut it cut it out
We cut it out
Get down and stay awake
Smile

Sound Effects and Overdramatics is about boysex.
"When your pants came off and I turned you over "
"Get it up in time
There's a space between valleys
and try and catch a vibe"
"Spill the filled up canister"
Makes sense now, huh?

Yeeeea because The Used would get a great response if they sang about boysex.. come on. I'm sure their fan base would love it.

No, I'm serious, it is. And alot of their fanbase does love it, well, the sickening teenie girls. It also has references to crystal meth in it, referd to as 'blue'. But, that's definately not something you wouldn't expect from Bert.

I just discovered this post, and I'm a fan of the Used (well I used to be) Anyway..
I adore this song, it's angsty and metaphorical (excuse my spelling)

Cherryfreezy61, I agree with you that there are references to 'boysex' or homosexual behaviour as it's pretty taboo in this day and age, just like drug use. Bert loves taboo, we all know this...however, I don't agree that it is as stright up as you say.

I think in this song he is refering drug abuse and sex. He uses the gay sex as a metaphor. Drugs fuck you up. In the beginning of the song the lyrics depict two characters, one; an experienced drug user trying to become sober and the other, character two; a younger niave drug abuser.

"When the shirt came off, it was all in time" and "Keep the mask aligned, get it up in time." could represent the facade that the character smust hide behind in order to keep the secret, the drug allows them to let go and be themselves, no pretending.

"there's a space between vallyes, try to catch a vibe" A space between a valley is a mountain, which represents the high and lows of the drugs effect. When you're a user, you're always trying to chase a high, thats all you're after - relief.


"When your pants came off and I turned you over " "Now the room is shaking, and your changing places, and I switch my pace" This is the referal to 'boysex as you suggest, however, to me it represents that in the beginning, character two; was in control of the drug, it was recreational, a little fun, experimenting just like gay sex is. However now, the trading of places, the drug is now controling the character, it's slowly becoming him, and he can do nothing about it. It literally fucks him.

"And my breathing races - when you mention blue..." The character has come to the realization point. He's an addict.

So now the song has reached the end and character two, has now turned into character one.

Sorry if thats a little weird, it makes sense to me lol. But thats what I took from the song.

Basically the underlying message is - don't take drugs kids. They'll fuck you.