In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Periodic tableware
Psychotropic science fare
But who will save the sane?
Some beings
Just can't change
Now crawl on by
With a fake tear in your eye
And think
Isn't he strange?
Pseudogasmic chemistry
Necromorphic apathy
But who will save the sane?...
Physical laws unapplied
Hamper my quest
Unsurreal world
Of unfailed HIV tests
Der Ubermensch warning
Of pi (techno junkies)
3.141592653...
Come on boy
Tell me, tell me
Tentative ambulance
Date bound for G Ward
Beartrap psychiatrist bait
Chew my paw off
Unmercilessly we will take you
Away to slumber
But only if you can recite
Avogadro's number
Now crawl on by
With a fake tear in your eye
And think
Wasn't he strange?
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at the time Peter cites pi Kenny's melody is actually 31415926 in notated guitar tablature.
I love this song - just the time sig and the riff. And I like songs with long words in them.
Sounds to me like Pete spent some time in the G ward. lol I guess he had a bad experience.
I just have two questions... 1) What does Der ubermensch mean? and 2) Why does Pete quote pie? (3.141592653)
BTW The first time I heard this song was In a Mental hopsital, I had got the World Coming Down album, and I decided to listen to it on my Diskman when I was with dad at work... He was doing a computer job at this Mental Hospital... It was scary... Yet Funny.
Der Ubermensch, loosely translated= "the supermen"
interesting song, sounds like pete knows some advanced math formulas, or at least did some research,. Still can't tell if Kenny is playing the tabbed out notes when Pete sings the Pi phrase.(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Coming_Down)
and it's not likely Kenny would utilize drop-d tuning, although I wouldn't exactly rule it out.
This song is awesome :)
Is there any other song that namechecks Avogadro's number? That's flipping brilliant.
Best song by Type O Negative.. This is the song that made me a fanatic. =/ This song could be relating to one who is totally sane in his own mind, but to everyone else, he is insane.. Because their thoughts are common, which makes them not sane.... You follow me?
I came here to understand this song. Type O have been my favorite band since i was 15 years old. Even though i don't listen to them very often anymore i always enjoy every piece of music written by them like a brilliantly served exquisit glass of premium wine. I even saw them one day in Germany back then. Rest in piece, Peter!
Perhaps it is just the emotional side of the lyrically genius Pete Steele which is just randomly coming out in these lyrics.
I read about him brought to hospital by his own family. He was raised catholic and i think also with the included values of family-thinking like "always sticking together no matter what happens".
But this tall Dude i think was more than sensible which made him some of the greatest artist and song writers/singer of his time.
So he must have been very, very disapointed by his family and in general i think by his damn whole life, which he -perhaps - partically - created himself. I never had the honour to get to know Sir Pete. but that assumption was always what had let me identify with type o and the lyrics.
Such a big man, so ferocious, bad, fucked up but in a very emotional kind of way - just disappointed by a world that - maybe was too much for him to cope with. That was the same for me in my own life so often. . To get to the facts:
I think he recites some facts that state his own intelligence: (periodic table/ some really special terms/ numbering out whole 15 numbers of pi ) IN the first verse it's much about what you learn in school also i think.
But then: does that guarantee you a "safe way" a SANE way through this crazy life? I think we all know the answer...
And in the same way as he states his knowledge he is doubting the "who knows these facts is a wise man"-things at the same time by simply using these "schoool terms" and calling out the people who define themselves by this. - "some people just can't change"
The second verse is somehow throwing it all together for me. Impressions " and words. techno junkies. This could be kind of "okay i know all these facts but I'm still me and it still doesn't make me a techno junkie" - sentence.
Always that Chorus. It is i think about himself. not feeling rightly located in this bad world. not belonging to anyone ore anywhere. which is kind of megalomaniac the whole time. Could be. I don't know.
I also think it is alot about himself in this universe, peter was a very intellignet man, but he still did not seem to get aliong with all the emotions being emotional is bringing with it.
I really don't know but i love this song.I hope some of you agreee with me and i still hope someone will bring up a better explanation of these lyrics.
THank you!
Stay negative ;)
all the best from germany !!!