Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Welcome home
While away
They have tampered with the locks
And your things they rearranged
"We propose,
A better way"
Said the note they left behind
In their wake of disarray
You fell in place
Don't fall asleep
They'll find us here
I know a place
To disappear
As a voice proclaimed
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
Let us cry
Let us be
Let us open up our hearts
Without fear of anything
Faith alone's
All we need
To traverse this burning bridge
Now before it gets too late
You claim, "it's fine"
But the heart reveals
What smiles betray
Your sad sad eyes
Gave you away
And don't you know
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
Our shoulders bear an awful weight
But still we trudge on just the same
Our colors run then leave a stain
They blacken our once honest name
How can we argue, tell me
Over the fury and the fire
How many times can we tell you that we
Are not like you, we see right through
The poor disguise that fails to fool
The wary eye is trained on you
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
Yeah we don't have the strength to go on.
While away
They have tampered with the locks
And your things they rearranged
"We propose,
A better way"
Said the note they left behind
In their wake of disarray
You fell in place
Don't fall asleep
They'll find us here
I know a place
To disappear
As a voice proclaimed
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
Let us cry
Let us be
Let us open up our hearts
Without fear of anything
Faith alone's
All we need
To traverse this burning bridge
Now before it gets too late
You claim, "it's fine"
But the heart reveals
What smiles betray
Your sad sad eyes
Gave you away
And don't you know
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
Our shoulders bear an awful weight
But still we trudge on just the same
Our colors run then leave a stain
They blacken our once honest name
How can we argue, tell me
Over the fury and the fire
How many times can we tell you that we
Are not like you, we see right through
The poor disguise that fails to fool
The wary eye is trained on you
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
What we are is the sum of a thousand lies
What we know is almost nothing at all
But we are what we are 'till the day we die
Or 'till we don't have the strength to go on
'Till we don't have the strength to go on
Yeah we don't have the strength to go on.
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Step
Ministry
Ministry
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
"But we are what we are until the day we die Or until we don’t have the strength to go on" i think its like untill you have your own voice, your beliefs, untill you break under the pressure of society.
@mxbrady - 1000 LIES is in the booklet and Tim himself says that this song is about information that spins in the world