This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
That crucial filament is all but spent
And soon it will be dark in my basement
My heart is waxing the slick floor again
Hoping I'll slip, and fall in love
Well, she gave me the choice
To remain and rejoice, or to recoil and rebel
Well, Papa, this gravity attack
Yeah, it's a gravity attack
And I can't seem to carry, much less bury the past
Well, your ex-girlfriend said I was a terrible mess
Yeah, she's got a real good head on her shoulders
When the singer spoke and confessed
He didn't really smoke cigarettes
She said her teenage brother smouldered
On a hotbed of coal in a sterile white room
Underneath that Joy Division poster
He moaned, "Papa," he moaned, "Papa
Sometimes I gotta vent my spleen
Sometimes I gotta vent my spleen
When I get shattered in the heart
And scattered in the brain"
Well, all the medicine in these sermons
Still can't keep his brazen nose from turning
And salvation, it may come free of charge
But faith always costs him something
They say there's nothing as sacred
As the blood between brothers
When it's pricked from their thumbs
And exchanged beneath the covers
Well, Papa, my brother is gone!
Yeah, my brother is gone!
So would you tell me now how it is
I'm supposed to get along?
Well, you asked for a chorus but you got a refrain
Yeah, it's another sad song that moves like a train
You can't whistle to it
But you can fast-forward through it
Flick it off your shoulder like dead skin
They say my head on a plate
May curve the debate
About the unbearable high cost of living
But Papa, everything falls apart!
Everything falls apart
And the grass will grow
As surely as they'll break your heart
And soon it will be dark in my basement
My heart is waxing the slick floor again
Hoping I'll slip, and fall in love
Well, she gave me the choice
To remain and rejoice, or to recoil and rebel
Well, Papa, this gravity attack
Yeah, it's a gravity attack
And I can't seem to carry, much less bury the past
Well, your ex-girlfriend said I was a terrible mess
Yeah, she's got a real good head on her shoulders
When the singer spoke and confessed
He didn't really smoke cigarettes
She said her teenage brother smouldered
On a hotbed of coal in a sterile white room
Underneath that Joy Division poster
He moaned, "Papa," he moaned, "Papa
Sometimes I gotta vent my spleen
Sometimes I gotta vent my spleen
When I get shattered in the heart
And scattered in the brain"
Well, all the medicine in these sermons
Still can't keep his brazen nose from turning
And salvation, it may come free of charge
But faith always costs him something
They say there's nothing as sacred
As the blood between brothers
When it's pricked from their thumbs
And exchanged beneath the covers
Well, Papa, my brother is gone!
Yeah, my brother is gone!
So would you tell me now how it is
I'm supposed to get along?
Well, you asked for a chorus but you got a refrain
Yeah, it's another sad song that moves like a train
You can't whistle to it
But you can fast-forward through it
Flick it off your shoulder like dead skin
They say my head on a plate
May curve the debate
About the unbearable high cost of living
But Papa, everything falls apart!
Everything falls apart
And the grass will grow
As surely as they'll break your heart
Lyrics submitted by mixedtape
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Well I'm not sure if it's the proper version, I have a live version, and he screws up at "Still can't keep his brazen nose from turning" and forgets the next line, (try and find that version if you can, Conor is to DIE for when he messes up there) He starts saying "Sorry, theres a lot of words to this song" and tries again. Then when he still cant get it he says like " and-aw-ah fuck. sorry! sorry wait, wait. I wanna finish this one. I-I'm gonna finish this one." and then he gets the next line and continues. I DIED when I heard it I couldnt breathe. this song is great, and I love the songs they choose to cover, it always ends up sounding amazing.