The lyrics were written by
Butler and
Chassagne along with former band member
Deu and
inspired by the
North American ice storm of 1998 in
Montreal, which left the city in a blackout for over a week. The
lyrics are mostly
metaphorical and
ambiguous, which has led to speculation as to what message they convey. The lyrics are dark ("Kids are dying out in the snow") and have a
theme of hopelessness ("Don't have any dreams / Don't have any plans"). Butler acknowledges that the two used the outage "as a basis to start from, to talk about other stuff", and so there are many ideas addressed in the song. Despite the
pessimistic atmosphere, Butler has indicated that there are "two sides" to the lyrics, and it can be interpreted as "uplifting", noting the lyrics "And the power's out / In the heart of man / Take it from your heart / Put it in your hand." Says Butler: "If there's something fucked up in your heart, you're going to put it in your hand as a
sword." The lyrics also refer to Butler's idea that it is impossible to completely hide one's secrets. "A lot of people have [the idea] that there are aspects of your life that are hidden or secret … But I think that people are pretty much open book." He adds that the song can be interpreted
politically, as current
political figures have been accused of acting with hidden motives. ==Video==