I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Jimmy Cream was keen
His brain was always winnin'
I can't keep tabs on mine
It's really quite a joke
I see him down the road
I ask if he'd be willing
To lend me 15P
I'm dying for a smoke
Don't arrange to have me sent to no asylum
I'm just as sane as anyone
It's a just a game
I play for fun, for fun
I told 'em
"Look!, I said I'm not the way you're thinkin'
Just when I'm down, I'll be the clown
I'll play the fool"
Don't arrange to have me sent to no asylum
I'm just as sane as anyone
It's a just a game
I play for fun, for fun
Will he take a sailboat ride?
Well he is very likely to
Will he feel good inside?
Well he ain't very likely to
Will he tell you he's alive?
Yeah he is always trying to, yeah
But nothin', no, no nothin'
Does he say, oh no
In the morning when the day's begun
Hello Good morning, how are you?
And in the evening or the noonday sun
What a lovely afternoon
Well I've been living next to you
Bluesy Monday
Is the one day that they come here
Yeah when they haunt me
And they taunt me in my cage
I mock 'em all
They're feelin' small, yeah they got no answer
Yeah they're playin' dumb
But I'm just laughing as they rage
Don't arrange to have me sent to no asylum
Well it's only a game
I'm playing for fun
Yeah I've been trying to fool everyone
(No that's too heavy)
Will he take a sailboat ride?
Well he is very likely to
Will he feel good inside?
Yeah he ain't ever likely to
Will he tell you he's alive?
Well he is always trying to, yeah
But nothin', no, no nothin'
Does he every say, yeah
In the morning when the day's begun
Do you think it looks like rain?
And in the evening or the noonday sun
You know I nearly missed my train
Well I've been living next to you my friend
But what kind of friend are you?
Oh, is it the beginning or the sorry end?
Will I ever see it through?
No I've never been insane
Oh what's the game?
I believe I'm dying, oh!
He's mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad
Not quite right (not quite right)
His brain was always winnin'
I can't keep tabs on mine
It's really quite a joke
I see him down the road
I ask if he'd be willing
To lend me 15P
I'm dying for a smoke
Don't arrange to have me sent to no asylum
I'm just as sane as anyone
It's a just a game
I play for fun, for fun
I told 'em
"Look!, I said I'm not the way you're thinkin'
Just when I'm down, I'll be the clown
I'll play the fool"
Don't arrange to have me sent to no asylum
I'm just as sane as anyone
It's a just a game
I play for fun, for fun
Will he take a sailboat ride?
Well he is very likely to
Will he feel good inside?
Well he ain't very likely to
Will he tell you he's alive?
Yeah he is always trying to, yeah
But nothin', no, no nothin'
Does he say, oh no
In the morning when the day's begun
Hello Good morning, how are you?
And in the evening or the noonday sun
What a lovely afternoon
Well I've been living next to you
Bluesy Monday
Is the one day that they come here
Yeah when they haunt me
And they taunt me in my cage
I mock 'em all
They're feelin' small, yeah they got no answer
Yeah they're playin' dumb
But I'm just laughing as they rage
Don't arrange to have me sent to no asylum
Well it's only a game
I'm playing for fun
Yeah I've been trying to fool everyone
(No that's too heavy)
Will he take a sailboat ride?
Well he is very likely to
Will he feel good inside?
Yeah he ain't ever likely to
Will he tell you he's alive?
Well he is always trying to, yeah
But nothin', no, no nothin'
Does he every say, yeah
In the morning when the day's begun
Do you think it looks like rain?
And in the evening or the noonday sun
You know I nearly missed my train
Well I've been living next to you my friend
But what kind of friend are you?
Oh, is it the beginning or the sorry end?
Will I ever see it through?
No I've never been insane
Oh what's the game?
I believe I'm dying, oh!
He's mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad
Not quite right (not quite right)
Lyrics submitted by hardcor_toonz
Asylum Lyrics as written by Roger Hodgson Richard Davies
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Note the cuckoo sound at the end referencing to the novel ( not the movie since it came out a year later ).
@Ex Abrupto The recording engineering was in a very poor state. That Supertramp would avoid repeating over and over and over is amazing and took lot's of faith. They did jam, but would get in and out quick. My older brother actually bought a version of King Crimson's first album "In the Court of the Crimson King" not in Stereo, but in the prior Mono format.<br /> Great interpretation of where the song originated. A Clockwork Orange.<br /> C
hmm, it seems to me he has a split personality. like when roger sings, maybe thats the voice in his head,... also: "Well I've been living next to you my friend" "no nothin' does he ever say" "But what kind of friend are you?"
makes sence to me
@sdrawkcab88 I've always felt that the progression in Hide in Your Shell went too far actually providing a third part conclusion to the song where none was needed. I mean how does one follow that up without it being anti-climactic?<br /> Asylum was the perfect follow up. It's like Rick is rebelling against Roger's prior interpretation of Christ being crucified with a heavy metal pushing up of the progression to the point of insanity. Supertramp always liked to follow the first verse with a variance of more complex playing along with new additions of instruments.
I love the ending. "He's mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, mad, ....NOT QUITE RIGHT!
Haha, i've just noticed that 'Not quite right' is a contrast to 'Bloody Well Right's : "Right? Quite Right!"
what the... when I submitted this song it got turned down.
Anyway, great song, music reflects the atmosphere very well. lyrics very poignant.
and why hasn't anyone commented yet?
The character is going mad. It's difficult to say what brings on the state, but the previous song on the album gives some pretty strong clues.
Many of the elements of the song can be explained as references to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
"Will he take a sailboat ride?"
The principle character takes the ward on a deep sea fishing trip in one part.
Will he take a sailboat ride..... will he pop off and go crazy???
He's gone "sailing", lol very imaginative lyrics.
It's like I wrote this song too.
@pirate87 This song introduces an orchestration of strings in it as the conclusion to the A-side. Before this time, because of the top-10 formats used in radio, B-backsides to records were just considered trash and ignored. <br />
I have come to realize that this song is in reference to the most obvious and sophisticated pleasure involving getting it up the rump for fun.
Please don't send me to no asylum It's just a game I play for fun