How does it feel
To treat me like you do?
When you've laid your hands upon me
And told me who you are?
Thought I was mistaken
I thought I heard your words
Tell me, how do I feel?
Tell me now, how do I feel?

Those who came before me
Lived through their vocations
From the past until completion
They'll turn away no more
And I still find it so hard
To say what I need to say
But I'm quite sure that you'll tell me
Just how I should feel today

I see a ship in the harbour
I can and shall obey
But if it wasn't for your misfortune
I'd be a heavenly person today
And I thought I was mistaken
And I thought I heard you speak
Tell me, how do I feel?
Tell me now, how should I feel?

Now I stand here waiting

I thought I told you to leave me
While I walked down to the beach
Tell me, how does it feel
When your heart grows cold?


Lyrics submitted by numb

Blue Monday Lyrics as written by Bernard Sumner Gillian Lesley Gilbert

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network

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Blue Monday song meanings
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  • +3
    My Interpretation

    It's about domination/alienation, including war.

    The dominant actor is doing the following: 1) interpellation - telling one who one is 2) suture - filling in blanks in meaning - when one is mistaken, they give words 3) historical continuity/project (teleology) - from past until completion 4) subjectification - telling one how to feel 5) demanding obedience.

    It's a very intelligent song - somebody's been studying critical theories of power before they wrote it I reckon. They subscribe to some kind of post-Situationist theory of power, which is being related to war in particular, but also generally to conformity.

    It's even clearer with the video as well - it's saying that actual warfare and state brutality are linked to video games and TV - there's an image flashes up which has soldiers causing an explosion then it says "1000 point bonus". Basically we come to desire power by being told who we are and taught how to feel, through means such as the media, computer games, consumerism etc. (And remember this is a band who gave themselves two Nazi-inspired names in a row, and are associated with Factory Records who are pretty explicitly post-situ).

    "Heavenly person" has a double meaning - dead, or good/innocent. It has the dual overtones of, without you I'd be dead, and without you I wouldn't be guilty (of war crimes, abuse, whatever).

    Power is portrayed as cold, alienating and guilt-inducing... its heart is cold, it tells us what to feel but leaves us finding it hard to say what the official script makes us say, and it stops us being "heavenly".

    Ldxar1on December 09, 2012   Link

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