Join in my
Join in my child
And listen, digging through
My old numb shadow

My shadow's shedding skin
I've been picking scabs again
I'm down, digging through
My old muscles looking for a clue

I've been crawling on my belly
Clearing out what could've been
I've been wallowing in my own confused
And insecure delusions
For a piece to cross me over
Or a word to guide me in
I want to feel the changes coming down
I want to know what I've been hiding

In my shadow
My shadow
Change is coming through my shadow
My shadow
Shedding skin
I've been picking
My scabs again

Join in my
Join in my child
My shadow's
Closer to meaning

I've been crawling on my belly
Clearing out what could've been
I've been wallowing in my own chaotic
Insecure delusions
I wanna feel the change consume me
Feel the outside turning in
I wanna feel the metamorphosis and
Cleansing I've endured in

My shadow
My shadow
Change is coming
Now is my time
Listen to my muscle memory
Contemplate what I've been clinging to
Forty six and two ahead of me

I choose to live and to
Grow, take and give and to
Move, learn and love and to
Cry, kill and die and to
Be paranoid and to
Lie, hate and fear and to
Do what it takes to move through

I choose to live and to
Lie, kill and give and to
Die, learn and love and to
Do what it takes to step through

See my shadow changing
Stretching up and over me
Soften this old armor
Hoping I can clear the way by
Stepping through my shadow
Coming out the other side
Step into the shadow
Forty six and two are just ahead of me


Lyrics submitted by implode, edited by midnightzone

Forty Six & 2 Lyrics as written by Daniel Carey Adam Jones

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Forty Six & 2 song meanings
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  • +3
    My Interpretation

    This song isn't about drugs at all... As people have already said, there are 46 chromosomes in human DNA - the song is about evolving to having an extra two chromosomes, explaining the 'shedding skin'. When he says "I", he is talking about us as an entire, and unified, race. He's talking about people clinging to being the same old repetitions of classic human behaviours, and not allowing ourselves to properly better ourselves as a race (picking scabs - stopping the 'healing' process). My interpretation of the shadow symbolism is that we have to embrace the darker parts of ourselves in order to see the light; to be conscious of our destructive paths so we can aim for a better day. It could also mean a temporary sacrificial act to secure a long term improvement (stepping through my shadow, coming out the other side...)

    Warholkolicon February 18, 2014   Link

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