Lyric interpretation

I figured I'd start a thread on lyric interpretation, as it's always pretty interesting to see the many different ways something can be taken.

To start with...

Richard Shindell - Are You Happy Now?

I set the timer, thought of you
Put the lens up to my head
I took a photograph for you
What comes out gray is really red

So, what does he mean by that last line? The anger that's inside his head is what's red?

I think he's taking a picture of something vibrant, but because he is sad, it comes out gray.

nate, that's how i've always interpreted it, for what it's worth.

The way I interpreted it was that since it's black and white film (we played roles in black and white, you left a roll of black and white) the picture of his face/head is gray but that his eyes are really red from crying.

ahh.. the eyes.
Interesting.

Heee. I'm someone who relates to sadness, not anger, so that colors my interp, I think. :)

yeah, I like yours better, actually....

Though neither anger nor tears seem to fit the feel the song has... hrm...

Well I think he's pretty heartbroken AND angry...just singing it in a matter-of-fact way. Like maybe he was crying a lot and taking the picture and sitting in the dark avoiding the trick-or-treaters and was pretty bad off but by the time he's singing the song he's gotten to that stage where you're numb. I always feel quite an undercurrent of bitterness beneath the nonchalance.

I set the timer, thought of you
Put the lens up to my head
I took a photograph for you
What comes out gray is really red

he took some kinky pictures of himself.

Emilie's just got a one-track mind.

heh

Put the lens up to my head

come *on*.

but that wouldn't be a�very good picture, just kinda smooshed up against it.

might not feel that great, either

Cold lense on hot...

Nevermind.��

Well, if it was a wide angle lense you could get away with it, and wide lenses have the added bonus of *ahem* distorting objects in the foreground

ummm, head....red....it rhymes! and that's why.

Sorry for being morbid here, but when I first read those lyrics I thought of a guy getting back at his lover by killing himself via a gunshot to the head (the "gray" being the gray matter of the brain). Yes, I know I'm a sick one sometimes!