Everyone it seems
Has somewhere to go
And the faster the world spins
The shorter the lights will glow
And I'm swimming in the night
Chasing down the moon
The deeper in the water
The more I long for you

Most of what you see my dear is purely for show
Because not everything that goes around, comes back around you know
Holding on too long is just a fear of letting go
Because not everything that goes around, comes back around you know
One thing that is clear it's all down hill from here

My love in your hand cleverly disguised
All the promises of stone, crumble in the light

Most of what you see my dear
Is worth letting go
Because not everything that goes around, comes back around you know
Holding on too long is just
A fear of want to show
Because not everything that goes around, comes back around you know
Not everything that goes around, comes back around you know
One thing that is clear
It's all down hill from here


Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by croope, victormds, moatiliata, sparna, MilkManMike, akimika

…Like Clockwork Lyrics as written by Josh Homme Charles Hugh May

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

...Like Clockwork song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

15 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +6
    My Interpretation

    Ok, here goes my interpretation. As mentioned before, I also believe that this song talks about time and a critic about our modern lifestyle.

    First verse: everybody is in a hurry, seems occupied. Even though the streets are full of people none of them seems to worry about anything else besides their own thoughts and goals, goals followed by free will or by what is imposed to them by the society. Being always busy, faster and faster, we got very time left to enjoy the beautiful things in this world/life, turning them opaque, without light. By 'chasing the moon' he feels that, even thought he seems to have a goal, all his wanderings had led him nowhere in particular, actually, all his efforts seems fruitless considering that the distance between him and the moon is still the same. And it makes him go deeper both in sadness and frustration, but still holding the dream (or truly waiting for someone real) that a person will come and pull him out of that pit, giving purpose to his life.

    Chorus: this part goes all around the clock metaphor. The pointer comes back around to the same spot over and over again, time, in the other hand does not, being a stream that simply follows its path. Sometimes people pretend to be something because it's a goal they haven't achieved yet, in a fear that it may never come true and perhaps it's better to live an illusion than face your limitations and the truth of failure. The same goes when you have something really good and don't want it to change and hold to the moment, unconsciously ruining it anyway trying to make it perfect and last forever.  The hill represents life, and you are in a vehicle ( time ) which you have no control, nothing more than a passenger. Once you are born , it starts the journey to the bottom. There's no slowing down, no way to come back.

    This thought makes me feel like the section with the orchestra ( which is absolutely stunning ) represents a struggle from the character with himself. The song goes higher as he starts to realize the one-way trip he is in and, in a moment of panic and desperation, he tries to fight its way 'back in time' ( an attempt to erase his mistakes maybe ) but acknowledge that, as the music fade away, there is nothing he can do about it. He then enters a state of numbness and lethargy,  which follows his acceptance.

    Second verse: here he talks about human nature. There is happiness all around in the city, but it all comes to fake smiles and second intentions, and to reach someone's heart, 'find one's love line', is very hard. Not only love, but friendship also seems fake ( mention to fairweather friends ) and what may look like a sanctuary is actually a hollow building, with nothing there for you inside. 

    The second chorus is basically the same, some change of words but the meaning remains the same.

    Very beautiful song. Brings something else, no doubt about it. It drags you in if you listen with some attention.  Kudos to qotsa, once again. 

    Tonho93on September 26, 2013   Link

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

Album art
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.