Of part and parcel
So, well, we're already dead
Well, it's probably been said
That it's always been said
That

One wing isn't even enough
It isn't even enough
It isn't even enough
It isn't even enough
To leave

One wing isn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
To leave

I'm gonna shake myself right out the door
I'm gonna take myself when it's finally over
I'm gonna let my own bad self take over
I'm gonna move my arm out with my shoulder
And

One wing wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
To leave

One wing wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
To leave

One wing wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
It wasn't even enough
To leave

First off, Gary was on trial, and drunk before we left bed
As things got better, was it hard to say that he had no idea?
Well, I hadn't noticed but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around
So, we all just opened up our mouths and walked to this town
Well, I was walking just a little bit sideways, and you were walking sideways too
Well, I hadn't learned when a front door can be used
Here it goes now

We had darkened doors, so we didn't read what the sign read
Though simple enough, it was to me really tough; the ground needs to be fed
Well, I hadn't noticed, but the people really noticed that they didn't really want us around
So, not a single one of us will ever leave town
Here we go, sir

Our bodies were laid out
They were laid for fifteen yards
Well, two feet above each of our heads was a fly trapped in a jar
Well, I hadn't noticed, but the people really noticed that they really didn't want us around
So, every single one of us hit the ground
Here we go now

One wing wasn't even, uh
One wing wasn't even enough

Oh, pardon, pardon
So, well, it's already been said
That it's always been said that
We're already dead


Lyrics submitted by modestmousenirvana, edited by sheionizes

Fly Trapped in a Jar Lyrics as written by Isaac Brock Eric Judy

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, SCHUBERT MUSIC PUBLISHING INC.

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Fly Trapped in a Jar song meanings
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67 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    Pretty good song, one of the best off the new album.

    well I was walking just a little bit sideways and you were walking sideways too, well I hadn't learned when a front door can be used,

    that parts pretty sweet.

    Kuckuson March 01, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Yeah, and if we don't buy the album, they'll be FORCED to make more music to make ends meet!

    Ah, I'm gonna buy it, but I really have no issue with people who don't. That's what T-shirts and concerts are for -- it's not like album sales are a band's only source of income.

    And now that I've brought up a lot of things this band hates, I'll just say that there's a few corrections I'd like to make..

    "Of part and parcel, so well we're already dead,"

    should be

    "Oh, pardon, pardon, sir Well, we're already dead"

    ..at least I think so. I don't know, "part and parcel" just doesn't do anything for me.. maybe if someone would explain why they think it should be that way, otherwise, it doesn't seem to fit in with the song. Not that "pardon, pardon, sir" does, mind you, but hey, that's what I hear.

    And

    "we had got these dogs so we didn't read what the sign read, how simple enough you taught me that the ground needs to be fed,"

    sounds more like

    "We had darkened doors So we didn't read what the sign read Though simple enough It was to me really tough The ground needs to be fed"

    or something like that.

    "well two feet of us and two of our hands and our flies trapped in a jar,

    should be

    "Well, two feet above each of our heads There was a fly trapped in a jar"

    And right after that

    "so every single one of us hit the ground,"

    should be

    "So every single one of us Fed the ground"

    Ximon February 23, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    its definately of part and parcel and that continues on with the theme first expressed in parting of the sensory. We are made with dead parts (we steal the carbon of dead things). Thus, we are literally already dead because we have stolen our organic material from dead things. The spoken word funk part has many typos too the first one that sticks out to me is the first line where Gary was tired and drunk and not on trial.

    tenserockon February 24, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    gary is not isaac's father. he is just a character in the story of we were dead. his name is mentioned in we've got everything as well.

    noone1111111111111111111on March 03, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I always thought it was gravity

    "Gravity needs to be fed" instead of "Ground needs to be fed"

    cause isaac seems to have an obsession with gravity

    Elevationsnowon March 12, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Hey, tenserock, we get the idea, it pisses you off, now please SHUT UP ABOUT IT.

    jessepenceon March 29, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    its not political. isaac said that he was never gonna write political songs because they die so fast and they are pretty lame. its like they mean something one day but the next day they are just stupid and out dated,

    modestmousenirvanaon April 29, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    For me, understanding the meaning of the human story part of the song involves visualizing the fly trapped in a jar story.

    Imagine the horror of having no-one care about you, even those that put you in the jar in the first place don't care anymore and you've been left on the shelf. Contemplate that all you have is one wing, and that isn't enough to escape out of the jar. The open lid of the jar is torturing you. You're even thinking of how "I'm going to thank myself when it's finally over." Ultimately the fly has no chance and is doomed to die "We were already dead."

    The human story is the same sort of predicament, although the circumstances are obviously completely different.

    You've all put very intelligent suggestions. This is solely what the song means to me. I don't expect anyone else to feel the same way.

    david123on March 09, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    As for the meaning, I've always thought of it as living in a small town were everyone hates you, but you were too poor to get out. So you lived your life there waiting for death and die without really ever living, hence "we were already dead".

    TooFatToFlyon May 05, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I used to listen to this song a lot when I was in my later teenage years. It was my favorite song on the album. I would say a part of music's artistic value is the ability to interpret its imagery, poetry and emotional tones to your own life and subjective experience, right? The "one wing wasn't even enough to leave" line always resonated with me so heavily as that's how I had been feeling for years on end in a symbolic sense. I was sick of my verbally and emotionally abusive parents who constantly scapegoated me and the shitty small town I lived in that had terrible and toxic social dynamics. I was heavily bullied by schoolmates and by people I once called my friend. I did nothing to these people. I felt like my will to leave was just one wing, but it wasn't enough. My mother made it impossible for me to leave, I couldn't get a job, let alone a car, she was ruining my efforts of trying to succeed at community college.. and on and on.. I guess I'm saying the other wing to me was the practical side of getting free.. money, possessions, etc. I did not have that other wing to escape the jar, a.k.a. the present situation I was in.

    glowstickon August 09, 2022   Link

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