Well I might
Disintegrate into the thin air if you like
And I'm not

The dark center of the universe like you thought
Well it took a lot of work to be the ass that I am
And I'm pretty damn sure that anyone can
Easily, equally fuck ya over
Well God said something but he didn't mean it
Everyone's life ends but no one ever completes it
Dry and wet ice, they both melt
And you're equally cheated
Well it took a lot of work

Well an endless ocean landing on an endless desert
Well it's funny as hell, but no one laughs when they get there
If you can't see the thin air
Why the hell should you care?
Well it took a lot of work

Well sure you'll tell me you've got nothing to say
And I went and shook hands the other day
If you can't see the thin air then
What the hell is in your way?


Lyrics submitted by rojazz, edited by Ryuhza, Serenlylove

Dark Center of the Universe Lyrics as written by Isaac Brock Eric Judy

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Dark Center of the Universe song meanings
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  • +6
    General Comment

    "'Dark Center of the Universe' is an introduction to the frustration and social isolation felt by a man whose potential search for his own soul resulted in the adoption of all the facets of another’s life. Consequently, the song stands as a realization of the fragility and futility of his situation."

    From the Modest Mouse website. Gotta love this song. I just spent the last hour thinking about it and trying to figure it out.

    RemyKilledElvison June 30, 2002   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    I think that this song is aso just "god" talking about himself.

    Well, I may disintegrate into the thin air if you’d like (YOU KNOW HOW HE CAN DISSAPEAR AND DO MIRACLES AND SHIT)

    I'm not the dark center of the universe like you thought (JUST STATING AN AGNOSTIC POINT OF VIEW)

    Well, it took a lot of work to be the ass I am (HE SEEMS AN ASS SINCE LIFE'S A BITCH, ISAAC WRITES LOTS OF SONGS ABOUT IT)

    And I'm really damn sure that anyone can Equally, easily fuck you over (EVERYONE COULD DO THE SAME AND TELL YOU WHAT TO BELIEVE AND HOW TO LIVE)

    Well, I said something but I didn't mean it (FREE WILL, LIFE BEING PEACEFUL AND STUFF)

    Everyone's life ends but no one ever completes it (SO TRUE)

    Dry or wet ice, they both melt and you're equally cheated (EH)

    Well, an endless ocean landing on an endless desert (NO IDEA)

    Well, it's funny as hell, but no one laughs when they get there (AGAIN, NO IDEA)

    If you can't see the thin air then why the hell should you care? (HE'S THE THIN AIR, AND YOU CAN'T SEE HIM SO..)

    Well, sure you'll tell me you've got nothing to say (PRAYING)

    And our voice shook hands the other day (YOU CAN ONLY "TALK TO HIM". THIS IS ALSO A REFERENCE TO 3RD PLANET.. "YOU'RE GONNA SHAKE THAT EYE'S HAND".. WORD)

    If you can't see the thin air then what the hell is in your way? (SAME AS ABOVE)

    Well, god said something but I didn't mean it (SEE?) Everyone's life ends but no one ever completes it Dry or wet ice, they both melt and you're equally cheated.

    i'm not sure about it.. this is just an idea.

    =]

    The_Reynoldson September 12, 2007   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Madmouser, my interpretation is that "it took a lot of negative and bad life experiences to make me the jaded jerk/asshole that i have become, but at the same time, i don't think my experiences are unique to me, and therefor most everybody else is a jaded jerk/asshole too and could easily and equally fuck you over just like i would.

    Synergisticon February 04, 2005   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    The simplest message of this song that I can come up with is that people don't really fixate on what they think of you, and believing that they do will only screw with your head.

    "Well I might Disintegrate into the thin air if you like And I'm not

    The dark center of the universe like you thought Well it took a lot of work to be the ass that I am And I'm pretty damn sure that anyone can Easily, equally fuck ya over"

    If you have a heated argument with someone else, it's easy and not uncommon to judge them unfairly from that point onward and dwell on your dispute like it's the most important thing in the world. The truth is, people just don't get along sometimes and it's important to just accept that. It's hard to not worry about what other people think of you, but easy to exaggerate someone as the Devil incarnate just because you don't get along/hate one another.

    DoctorSpudon November 05, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Well i might disintegrate into the thin air if you like

    He can just leave this girls life if she wants, just act like they never met if she wants him to

    And I'm not the dark center of the universe like you thought

    but hes not the big ass she thinks he is

    christopherblazekon April 18, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    When Isaac says "Well, an endless ocean landing on an endless desert" it sounds like he is saying Anti-social and on lsd..

    peaceinmindon January 30, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I haven't read all the comments, so i could be wrong, but i haven't seen anything too close to my take on it. Isaac says that he is an atheist, but in several songs (Styrofoam boot, the ocean breaths salty, parasites from ugly casanova) god exists as a metaphorical character. In styrofoam boots god is portrayed as just some average every day guy.
    This song seems to be god talking to Isaac.
    "I might disintrigate into thin air if youd like" if people dont believe in god, then whats the point of him being there? "I'm not the dark center of the universe like you thought" adds to the idea since god is thought of as a entity off in heaven or space.
    "I died saying something but I didn't mean it, It took a lot of work to be the ass i am.
    And im real damn sure that anyone can equally, easily fuck you over" this shows god as someone who is a shitty person just like the rest of us, while he also is defending himself by saying "woah hold on i did some shitty stuff but im not the dark center of the universe like you thought. "well an endless ocean landing on an endless desert, its funny as hell but no one laughs when they get there" this is about life and death. Our lives are like being lost at sea, hoping to see land (death), but when you finally find it, its just a desert. You were looking for land but the desert is just as bad as the open sea. "well im sure youd tell me you got nothing to say, but our voices shook hands the other day" Voices shaking hands is prayer, and this is god basically telling isaac, "you say you dont believe in me, yet you were praying to me the other day. "if you cant see the thin air, then what the hell is in the way." Heaven and religion is the thin air, and if you cant see the obvious (its not there) then what is in the way? anyway thats my interpretation

    dirtyhairyon December 10, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i've seen two conflicting versions of the lyrics on this song, and i'm unsure which is correct - some differences between the two: "God saying something" doesn't come until later in the song, and the lyric is, instead, "well, died sayin' something, but didn't mean it." also, in the other version, it's not "dry and wet ice", but "dry OR wet ice." there are probably other differences as well, but those were the two i noticed... if anyone can help me out, that'd be great! because there really are about an equal number of both versions of lyrics when i search the song.

    scheisseon July 07, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love this song

    OurLastGoodbyeon August 15, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    yep, great song. :)

    detachedon September 01, 2002   Link

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