Dragonships

In 'Dragonships,' Fruit Bats explore a deep-seated desire to escape the complexities and frustrations of modern life. The song opens with a longing to be a man in the western lands, a place often romanticized for its rugged simplicity and untamed beauty. The imagery of digging spurs into the western sand and watching the chips fly from a pine tree evokes a sense of freedom and connection to nature, contrasting sharply with the suffocating feeling the city imposes on the narrator. This yearning for a simpler, more authentic existence is a central theme throughout the song.

The second verse takes this escapism even further, imagining life as a Viking in 1103. The Vikings, known for their adventurous spirit and resilience, represent a time when life was raw and unfiltered. The mention of Vikings being 'ripped' and keeping 'a lot of drugs on their dragonships' adds a layer of rebelliousness and hedonism to this fantasy. It suggests a desire not just for simplicity, but for a life unbound by modern societal norms and expectations. This verse underscores the narrator's frustration with contemporary life and his longing for a time when actions were direct and consequences immediate.

The final lines of the song reveal a more personal struggle with self-expression. The wish for a tape recorder to capture everything ever said highlights the narrator's frustration with communication and the feeling that 'nothing ever comes out right.' This sentiment ties back to the earlier verses, where the inability to write a love song worth anything symbolizes a broader struggle with creativity and authenticity in a world that feels increasingly artificial. 'Dragonships' is a poignant reflection on the desire to break free from the constraints of modern life and find a more genuine, fulfilling existence.