Semaphore - Flock of Dimes
from the album If You See Me, Say Yes (2016) As a person who deeply appreciates the meaning and the visual imagery of lyrics, I tend to become obsessive in my pursuit of meaning when listening the well-crafted song of a thoughtful lyricist. As a result, I became all-consumed in my quest to comprehend the song Semaphore by Flock of Dimes. As an exceptional songwriter, Jenn Wasner - better known as the front woman for the Baltimore band Wye Oak - must have had a specific visual image in mind when naming a song Semaphore . The problem I have is not knowing which definition for the word she is using. I am most familiar with the word in a computer programming context, where a semaphore is symbol that is used to act as a "gate" to prevent run away processes from occurring. Inside this framework, the hook line " I'm too far gone for a semaphore " is fucking brilliant. I interpret the meaning as her saying "It is too late. My mind is already racing and