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.
Nervous tension, man's invention
It's the biggest killer that's around today
Let the tension out or it will build and build inside
And strike you down some day
Nervous tension, man's invention
Is the biggest waste of human energy
Let the tension out, or it will surely kill
And that will be a tragedy
Valium helps you for a while
But somehow Valium seems to bring me down
There's no pill I can recommend where side effects
Aren't guaranteed to send you round the bend
You gotta let out the tension
With a little bit of exercise
Loosen up your muscles
And feel the knots in your body untie
We oh we oh
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
It sure beats Quaaludes
It sure beats cocaine
Even Freud recommends it
Cause it relieves the strain
Altogether now
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Some people say it sends you deaf
Some people say it sends you blind
Some people say it makes you old
Some people say it blows your mind
But I say
If it's good for your health
It's good for your mind
If it keeps you together
It's really all right
We oh we oh
Oh c'mon, kick the cat
Oh oh oh oh it's the state of the national health
Oh oh oh oh blame it on the national health
Nervous tension, nervous tension, nervous tension,
Nervous tension, nervous tension, nervous tension,
Nervous tension, man's invention
Is the biggest killer that's around
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Valium helps you for a while
But somehow Valium seems to bring me down
There's no pill I can recommend where side effects
Aren't guaranteed to send you round the bend
I say I say
Oh oh oh oh it's good for your health
Keeps you together, it's the state of the national health
Oh oh oh oh blame it on the national health
Oh oh oh oh it's the state of the national health
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
It's the biggest killer that's around today
Let the tension out or it will build and build inside
And strike you down some day
Nervous tension, man's invention
Is the biggest waste of human energy
Let the tension out, or it will surely kill
And that will be a tragedy
Valium helps you for a while
But somehow Valium seems to bring me down
There's no pill I can recommend where side effects
Aren't guaranteed to send you round the bend
You gotta let out the tension
With a little bit of exercise
Loosen up your muscles
And feel the knots in your body untie
We oh we oh
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
It sure beats Quaaludes
It sure beats cocaine
Even Freud recommends it
Cause it relieves the strain
Altogether now
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Some people say it sends you deaf
Some people say it sends you blind
Some people say it makes you old
Some people say it blows your mind
But I say
If it's good for your health
It's good for your mind
If it keeps you together
It's really all right
We oh we oh
Oh c'mon, kick the cat
Oh oh oh oh it's the state of the national health
Oh oh oh oh blame it on the national health
Nervous tension, nervous tension, nervous tension,
Nervous tension, nervous tension, nervous tension,
Nervous tension, man's invention
Is the biggest killer that's around
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Valium helps you for a while
But somehow Valium seems to bring me down
There's no pill I can recommend where side effects
Aren't guaranteed to send you round the bend
I say I say
Oh oh oh oh it's good for your health
Keeps you together, it's the state of the national health
Oh oh oh oh blame it on the national health
Oh oh oh oh it's the state of the national health
Oh oh oh oh ah ah ah ah
Lyrics submitted by thewallbreaker67
National Health Lyrics as written by Ray Davies
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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