So Kabir mentioned starting up a new thread to deal with smaller lyrical details and this appealed to me because I have pointed something out a couple of times but no one has responded. If someone else wants to start a more official thread (i.e. not started by a noob) please feel free to delete this one.

So here is my contention:
We seem to be in agreement that the narrator is "just outside Area 51". I just want to know what I am missing in regards to the line "I never expected to see it in a place like this". First of all, I don't think it is that easy to hear exactly what is being said so I am assuming it is still an open question. If someone has slowed down the lyrics and heard that this is in fact what is being said then disregard my comment. Anyways, when I hear that line it sounds to me like "but what do you expect to see in a place like this?". Isn't area 51 one of the few places where you would expect to see flaming bananas splitting the sky? Do you think he is trying to be ironic by saying he didn't expect to see such a thing? In my opinion, "but what do you expect to see in a place like this?" just makes more sense. thoughts?

I've edited the song some so you can hear it more easily, and it's definitely "never really expected to see"

I think it's "never really expected to see" As in: I've heard of strange things happening at Area 51, involving UFO's and stuff. And I suppose I thought it was a possibility i would see a UFO, but I "never really expected to see..." ----- Know what I mean?

Well then, I guess that settles it. Good thing these words are too fast to even try singing along with so I won't have to worry about always singing the wrong thing.

Well, if we are nitpicking, does Maynard say "so real" or "surreal" when he talks about wonderland? Also, Ive read that some people think that he says "Uncle Quark", but that doesnt really make sense and besides, "Uncle Martin" is a character from my favorite Martian.

Also "So alive in this way" doesnt make sense to me "Light his way like an apparition" makes more sense too me. You always read about "ghosts" sort of shimmering or glowing. Thoughts?

I hear "So real", not "surreal"

I'm pretty sure it's "so real." There's a clear 'o' sound from "so" than an "uh" sound from "SUrreal".

Also, when I did my listen through it... personally I heard something along the lines of "So light his way like an apparition"

same i hear so real.