The Gallery
Voyeuristic Streets: Unveiling Hidden Lives in 'The Gallery'
Lyrics
My building's full of little holes with heads in,
Observing people with heads in little holes within the building, looking at the street.
Staring at the street.
Continuation of people staring at the street from the building's holes.
They sometimes topple forwards,
These individuals sometimes lose balance and fall forward.
Then stick at one another,
After falling, they stick together, possibly forming a spectacle for onlookers.
Passing freaks.
Refers to unusual or eccentric individuals passing by.
They rarely speak and though I don't feed them--
Despite not providing support, the observer notes that these people maintain their weight.
Still they keep their double (their quadruple) chins.
Commenting on the physical appearance of these individuals, emphasizing their overweight condition.
Their garbage bins are emptied each day.
Their trash bins are regularly emptied.
By night waiting with lights off, their cats out,
At night, they wait in the dark with lights off, cats outside, and wives inside, engaging in voyeuristic behavior.
Their wives in-- they're PEEPING!
Highlighting the secretive and intrusive nature of these individuals who are peeping into others' lives.
They're peeping at the methylated man who spits in a can,
Describing the person being observed as a "methylated man" who spits in a can.
Spreads his hands for silver,
Depicting the person seeking financial support, spreading hands for silver.
Pans for gutter gold.
Searching for valuable things in undesirable places, such as gutters.
He mutters old forgotten songs his father taught him,
The observed person recites old songs taught by his father, possibly indicating nostalgia.
Rolls on the floor.
Describing erratic behavior, like rolling on the floor.
He rolls in alcoves,
Further erratic behavior, rolling in hidden corners or recesses.
Gets caught in waterfalls down rotting walls.
Experiencing challenges or setbacks, represented metaphorically by waterfalls and deteriorating walls.
(He's bored.)
Expressing boredom with the observed individual's routine or existence.
My friends applaud, throw pennies and wait. . .
Despite the peculiar scene, the observer's friends applaud and wait, possibly for entertainment.
Peeping from the gallery.
Reiterating the act of peeping, this time from the gallery, suggesting a collective observation.
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