Two Worlds

So this might seem like a rather dramatic interpretation of the song, especially considering how "pop punk" Tigers Jaw is, but after reading through the lyrics, to me it seems pretty clear that the song is about schizophrenia.

First off, the title is "Two Worlds," and later on in the song there's the line "I split my brain in two...I'm in two worlds tonight." Schizophrenia, literally translated from the Greek, means "a splitting of the mind." That's pretty accurate, considering the common symptoms: delusions and hallucinations, distorted view of reality, even feeling like there's another person/other people inside your mind; often, it feels like two "worlds" inside your brain are fighting: the side of delusions and the side of reality.

"The constant in my mind is 'speed it up' "--I'm not so sure about this line, but to me it sounds like a description of how the mind's often "racing," to the point where it becomes a sensory overload of sorts. Sounds a bit more like ADHD than schizophrenia, but I think this can manifest itself in schizophrenia as well, especially when it comes to extreme paranoia, another common symptom, which is referenced in the next line: "I can't believe in anything now."

"You don't know how I feel...I've been seeing myself a lot." This describes how people with schizophrenia feel alienated from others around them, and how they feel lost inside their own head, thus leading them to believe that no one else could possibly understand what's going on inside their own head.

The next few lines talk about the tiredness/"laziness" a lot of schizophrenics experience: "I can’t commit, I hate to work, how does the body die? It starts with the lodging in my mind and in listening to nevermind. A hearing aide and glasses and coffee in bed. I want to be a loser, forever man." This is pretty typical of the loss of motivation described earlier; those with schizophrenia often would prefer to lie in bed all day long. As for "a hearing aide and glasses and coffee," this could refer to a few things, for example that the speaker feels "impaired" in all their senses, so they need help with hearing, seeing, and staying awake/aware, or perhaps that they feel they have almost superhuman senses--they can hear, see, and be aware of things that other people aren't, though these are due to hallucinations rather than a truly expanded view of reality.

"You ask why I never call you back/I don't know." Seems descriptive of the social withdrawal/ social difficulties caused by schizophrenia.

Returning to the line "I split my brain in two, I'm alright," specifically the "I'm alright"--the speaker is in denial of their problems, as schizophrenics often are; according to wikipedia (go ahead, roll your eyes) "30-50% of people with schizophrenia fail to accept that they have an illness or their recommended treatment.

Finally, the last two lines: "You ask what it's like to go insane/ It's nothing good." This refers to the curiosity, perhaps even misguided romanticization of mental illness in our society, and the speaker denying this view of "fascination" by saying that there's absolutely nothing to be fascinated with, that it's a debilitating illness that ruins lives. Again, a rather dramatic interpretation, but it seems like the meaning Tigers Jaw was going for.

So that was pretty long, but I guess I explained it thoroughly. I'm surprised no one else has posted on these lyrics earlier, because it seems like one of Tigers Jaw's best songs; hopefully others will post.