I'm feeling out of bounds, out of bounds
I'm running out of time, out of time
I know there's no such thing as either of them but
It doesn't make me feel any better

Out of sight, out of mind
Out of sight, out of mind
We're out of time, we're out of mind
Out of mind, out of mind
Yeah (yeah), yeah

I'm feeling overwhelmed, overwhelmed
It's getting out of line, line, line, line
I know I'm not alone, just adolescents you and I
It doesn't make me feel any better

Out of sight, out of mind
Out of sight, out of mind
We're out of time, we're out of mind
Out of mind, out of mind
Yeah (yeah), yeah
Yeah (yeah), yeah

Out of sight, out of mind
Out of sight, out of mind
We're out of time, we're out of mind
Out of mind, out of mind
We're out of mind
Yeah yeah, yeah


Lyrics submitted by Outcubus

Adolescents Lyrics as written by Ben Kenney Chris Kilmore

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Adolescents song meanings
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18 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    This might not be the "deepest" Incubus song ever... but I'm still diggin it.

    At first I thought it was about a larger picture... sort of like a narrative about human beings... We as human beings have only existed on planet earth for a fraction of time when compared to the overall age of the earth... in that sense we are all "adolescents." Yet, we're f***ing up the world with pollution etc... But we ignore the damage we do... we put it "out of sight" and therefore "out of mind." The singer, here, doesn't find comfort in the excuse of "kids will be kids" or "kids do the darndest things" when it means we are ruining the world, etc... lol... I dunno. Too far?

    But, I also like the more straight-forward idea of it being about growing up, life as a teenager... sort of a "1979" vibe?

    In any case, I like Incubus for their ever-evolving style and the fact that every song can mean something different to everyone.

    Rock on Incubus. Rock on.

    incubusequalsgeniuson May 18, 2011   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    i think this song is simply about being an adolescent. when you're growing up as a teenager, nothing makes sense and you feel lost and confused. you know that you're not alone, but you don't find comfort in knowing that.

    this song grew on me the first time i heard it :) i can't wait for the new album!

    abbnormalon April 19, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This to me is about a changing world, a world where we have lost touch with whats real, whats important, our true selves. incubus' lyrical creations are very much metaphysical and almost mystical sometimes, its really exciting. "out of bounds, out of time. he knows they dont exist" to me he's speaking of our individual and collective psyche (spirit - soul- connection) which is separate from time and space.

    Were conditioned and virtually brainwashed to grow up (hence: adolescents), get a 9to5, consume meaningless junk...the phrase out of sight, out of mind is very simple for my interpretation anyway...a large chunk of humanity seems to be caught in this web of thinking that if we can't physically observe something then it certainly doesn't exist.

    The lyrics suggest a disconnect between what society feels "adolescents" should exude in daily life and what he personally feels. he feels overwhelmed with being told just being who he is, is not good enough."its getting out of line" we've strayed so far from being what we truly are, a "natural" human living in peace with ourselves and nature, and not conforming to all this economical non-sense.

    "were out of mind"- instead of using our intuitive mind, we're literally using our brains, our conditioned cycle of habitual routine, our false ego as they say, to a point where we may be out of time? ...hmmm maybe, but nature has shown absolutely astonishing (even mystical/magical) ways of bringing together evolutionary leaps in such opportune times and in ways that has enabled the possibility for continuity of life.

    spencykinson June 22, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    " 'Adolescents' is perhaps the most familiar sounding Incubus song on this new album. It begins with Michael [Einziger]'s unmistakable and inimitable guitar work and rolls it's way into a kind of drunken waltz. Creeping it's way into the idea that we are collectively just about to reach our cultural teenage years. It does seems like we've been around forever. Us, I mean. People. Culture. But all it takes is a sojourn into Earth's biological record to realize that WE are quite new! And the transitions at play in our complex little game are akin to the struggles that an adolescent might endure."

    -Brandon Boyd

    hellblazer19on July 08, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is about people who have died young.. Brandon is haunted by adolescent spirits. Out of sight out of mind..and people who have had near death experiences claim that time no longer exists in the afterlife. Out of time.

    jpa23245on August 20, 2014   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    According to the stages of child development, we go through the peek-a-boo stage first. As newborns we believe that if you cant see something its gone or doesnt exist. We eventually learn that that is not true, but, we have to learn this on our own.

    i believe we learn and go through this over and over again throughout our life time.

    Incubus uses the term out of sight, out of mind, which pretty much means the same thing..as adolescents we really have no idea what we are doing. This is one of the important stages, as we learn to use our upbringings and morals to make the right decisions.

    The changes in the world are beyond our control. Its like we're young again because we have no idea how to react or how to help. We hear whats going on, but we dont actually see it. As many adolescents we say one thing but do another. We want to save the world, but mainly end up doing nothing, or possibly making it even worse.

    fleeron June 28, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    To me this song is about crossing boundaries where you feel you shouldn't. "out of mind" The mind has more control but when we out of our minds and in our Hearts or just following our feelings we have no "sight" of what is wrong or right. Feeling "overwhelmed" by the feelings that are taking over, whatever they may be about.

    "I'm feeling out of bounds, out of bounds I'm running out of time, out of time. I know there's no such thing as either of them but it doesn't make me feel any better."

    There is no such thing as boundaries because we are all connected on some deeper/unconscious level and no such thing as time because we infinite spirits living a human life.

    The main message I get from this song is being out of your mind and into your Heart or feelings and sometimes they may lead us somewhere which crosses boundaries in this world.

    blackmoon69on January 13, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    way too deep for me to comprehend

    KevinCHansenon April 06, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    incubus are back!!! awesome track and new album . please come to australia!

    StarChild69on May 05, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I dig it. Kinda like we all have an adolescent frame of mind and it's screwing everything up. "Out of sight, out of mind" seems to be saying we don't "see" the effects of our actions so it's "out of mind"... until it's too late of course.

    I can dig the teenager idea too

    PerpetuallyDafton May 25, 2011   Link

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