| Fair to Midland – (Tibet) Dance of the Manatee Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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To me, the song is about corrupt capitalism practices. The song starts off asking us to dive into the shallow, or into a superficial world with low morals (hence, "shallow"). The song goes on to describe the tortoise and the hair in the rat-race, which is a sort of cliqued social darwinism that "fits like a glove," referring to how these corporate bureaucrats are a good fit for the economic environment (again, that social Darwinism). Their heads hang heaviest tells us how these corrupt business men may feel ashamed and or guilty about what they're doing, but that does not damper their "imagination" on how to continue their actions. The second verse follows in the same grain. It points out that women are guilty as well as men, telling both to put their mouth where their money is, or to literally vocalize where all their money has come from. The song then asks whether these "birds of a feather" are smart enough to cover up and/or justify what they've done. "Heads cast shadows like skyscrapers" alludes to big egos and delusions of grandeur like the skyscrapers they preside in, but are still small enough to fit up their asses, which means there is always someone to answer to when it comes to operating a free market corporation, which could help keep these delusions in "perspective with definition." (feeding off the lesses also works in this theoretical interpretation, as the rich often prey upon the poor). "Take a gander, the bigger they are the harder they fall" I only have one word to say...Enron. "Not needy you'll see" = living in excess and "come with open arms over trees" = pretending to be a man of the people. The guarantees speak of empty promises while the beating of the chest alludes to the primitive nature of seeking power (Linking social Darwinism with evolution, very nice). But we can't "keep it in a jar" since everybody is trying to make a quick buck these days. I then asks the listener to look around and see with this situation has done for everyone...not a pretty sight. I know everybody wants to link this song to prostitution, what with the "Marys" strewn about, but to me that just means these figurehead are whores to the system, doing whatever they can to get by and paid at the same time. As far as the chorus, "hang us those limbs" talks yet about doing anything to get ahead, though it holds no virtue, but only vice for the power-mungers. I like another interpretation I read about "those told to Hold," alluding to the bible how "he who is without sin cast the first stone," goes to "project on my cue," which to me sounds like its talking about the hypocrisy throughout the business world and how they justify their actions. that's all what I think anyway... |
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