| Chameleon Circuit – Exterminate, Regenerate Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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I think I should point out that the lyrics to this song are not reliant on only one episode (although the majority of it would seem to come from season 4, episode 13 Journey's End), but on past episodes and backstory in general. Let's look at the first verse: This verse could be in either the Doctor's voice or Davros's, but I'm gonna say it's the Doctor. The Doctor is commenting on how long it's been since he's last seen Davros (It's been such a long time since I met you back on Skaro) and how things are still the same between him and the Daleks (And I'm pretty sure that you know that not much has changed since then). The part "It doesn't matter how hard you try to remove me, I think you will agree that if one of us dies then the other will too, I am locked in war with you" is about how the Doctor is the sworn enemy of the Daleks and how persistent the conflict between them is. The part "...if one of us dies, then the other will too..." emphasizes the strength of their lasting ties with each other (they keep meeting despite all odds) and how they are somewhat dependent on the other to keep balance. Good cannot exist without evil, and evil cannot exist without good, and that's the contrast we see between the Daleks and the Doctor. One cannot exist without the other to keep it in check. The part "I am locked in war with you" further reinforces the perpetual nature of their struggle, and also alludes to the Time Lords and the Daleks being time-locked within the Great Time War. This suggests that just as the Time Lords and the Daleks are in the Time War, their struggle continuing forever frozen in that one place in time, the Doctor is also cursed with having to constantly fight the Daleks outside the Time War. It's Karma, for using The Moment and fleeing from war. The first chorus is spoken by Davros, I believe. The line "I thought you always knew our fate, to just keep fighting on and on while time keeps turning" suggests the speaker is more inclined to struggle and conflict, and we all know the Doctor (especially the 10th) is pretty pacifistic. The part where he says "...and even though we are the same, why don't you hop into our ship and leave me burning" I believe is when the Doctor's clone foiled Davros's plan and the whole place was coming crashing down. Everything was burning. The Doctor "hopped into [his] ship" and left Davros burning. But if you want to look at the chorus from the Doctor's voice, you could argue that "Why don't you hop into your ship and leave me burning" alludes to how the Daleks always manage to escape/elude the Doctor, and if the Doctor is hurt, he regenerates, which looks a little like he is "burning." The second verse is Davros addressing the Doctor. "Even though, as men, we have our contrasts, we're of exactly the same class, and our constant companion is death." The Doctor and Davros are both "men" of sorts. Neither are human but both have humanoid shape. Davros is saying even though some things differ between them, they're ultimately the same in that he created the Daleks as weapons and the Doctor turns people into weapons. The remark "...and our constant companion is death" is a very clever and subtle allusion to season 1, episode 1 of the reboot with Christopher Eccleson when Rose visits that conspiracy theorists who is hunting the Doctor and he states that the Doctor sometimes has companions, but that his one "constant companion is death." "Look at you, fashioning people into weapons. How can you say that you're better than me? We both carry the fire that is set to devour life." That is Davros further pointing out their similarities. They both have something about them that is bound to devour lives wherever they go. Death follows them both. The bridge could either be Davros or the Doctor speaking, but I think it's the Doctor. "We both carry the fire that has the power to end life..." The Doctor is admitting that he too is capable of taking lives and often does accidentally. "...But what I do with that flame is what separates our types." The Doctor is saying what makes them different is how they use their power. Davros (and the Daleks) uses his for evil and destruction while the Doctor's primarily concern is saving people. "If it takes till the end of reality to beat you, then I'll be sure to meet you at the exit of the world." The Doctor is accepting the burden of being cursed to have to always fight with the Daleks, and is saying he will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to keep the Daleks from winning. "If it take till the end of reality to beat you..." is a reference to the reality bomb Davros was constructing. The second form of the chorus we see is still the Doctor addressing Davros, I think. "You know it isn't too late to end what seems impossible and leave time turning." the Doctor, in his nearly infinite capacity for mercy and compassion, is offering a truce and a chance for them to simply coexist. "And even though we aren't the same, why don't you hop into my ship and we can settle this." The Doctor is now claiming that even though they both wield power and are capable of ending life, they are fundamentally different. He's inviting Davros into the TARDIS to go with him and put their differences aside. Let's not forget "Exterminate, Regenerate." This just depicts the endless cycle the Doctor and the Daleks are locked in. The Daleks exterminate, the Doctor regenerates, and it's rinse and repeat. No one ever wins, and that's what makes the struggle endless. That's why they are "locked in war." Great song. One of my friends loves this song and has never even watched Dr. Who. |
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