took a drive into the sprawl

Alright, so I know this is backwards, but nevertheless I'm going to post it.

"Sprawl I (Flatland)" is the prelude/companion piece to "Sprawl II" aka my current favorite song. I bought The Suburbs at Target for only eight dollars. I was shocked, but not complaining. So the whole album is amazing, but I'm madly in love with this pairing of songs.

Sprawl I is a sad song. Contemplative lyrics paired with mournful melancholy guitars and strings. "I took a drive into the sprawl/ to find the places we used to play/ it was the loneliest day of my life." Disillusioned and confused, we're only left trying to stir up old emotions that don't come back as easily. "Cops shown their lights/ on the reflectors of our bikes/ said 'Do you kids know what time it is?'/ well sir, it's the first time I felt like something is mine/ like I have something to give." Win Butler's voice gets a little quieter. As if he knows inside what he means, but knows that the others won't understand no matter what he says.

The song ends on a sad note and then immediately followed by the upbeat Sprawl II, telling the same lament of discontent and old memories. In fact, the story is the same. "We shield our eyes from the police lights/ we run away but we don't know why." It's the same story from the two different perspectives of the parties involved. Intrinsically different but ultimately linked together.

Youtube- Sprawl I (Flatland)