Wiki
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Length
3:40
“XO” is the final track on the album and reiterates themes found throughout the record but with an increased amount of pessimism and angst. This is done in a similar manner to other closers “The Patron Saint of Liars and Fakes” and “West Coast Smoker”. In this case, the "From Under the Cork Tree" themes of desperation and hopelessness reach a climax: the speaker of the song relentlessly searches for temporary lovers in the bar/club scene (“the crowd”).
The song also features themes of secrecy and scandal. The speaker resorts to hotel rooms to carry out his affairs. “Loose lips sink ships” is colloquialism started during wartime that warned against spilling strategic secrets. Furthermore, the bridge of the song indicates the speaker lustfully watches someone through a keyhole.
The song also touches on Biblical morality – a subject that is occasionally visited by the band. The speaker notices a Gideon Bible placed in the hotel drawer and briefly questions his actions before ignoring an object that would “never call when down”. This emphasizes the speaker’s apathetic worldview.
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