In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Do you feel what I feel, see what I see, hear what I hear
There is a line you must draw between your dream world and reality
Do you live my life or share the breath I breathe
Lies feed your judgement of others
Behold how the blind lead each other
The philosopher
You know so much about nothing at all
Ideas that fall under shadows of theories that stand tall
Thoughts that grow narrow upon being verbally released
Your mind is not your own
What sounds more mentally stimulating is how you make your choice
So you preach about how I'm supposed to be, yet you don't know your own
Sexuality
Lies feed your judgement of others
Behold how the blind lead each other
The philosopher
You know so much about nothing at all
There is a line you must draw between your dream world and reality
Do you live my life or share the breath I breathe
Lies feed your judgement of others
Behold how the blind lead each other
The philosopher
You know so much about nothing at all
Ideas that fall under shadows of theories that stand tall
Thoughts that grow narrow upon being verbally released
Your mind is not your own
What sounds more mentally stimulating is how you make your choice
So you preach about how I'm supposed to be, yet you don't know your own
Sexuality
Lies feed your judgement of others
Behold how the blind lead each other
The philosopher
You know so much about nothing at all
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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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.
Page
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Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
"Thoughts that grow narrow upon being verbally released"
It's about being a blabbermouths who expect everyone to listen to their opinions, and in turn don't listen to anyone elses. You can't really say it's against christians, because you have loudmouths of all ideologies.
Chuck said in an interview this song was indeed about Paul Masvidal. The lyrics are basically about pseudo-intellectuals who preach bullshit in general. They make conjectures about things that don't actually matter or pertain to real life and are so immersed in their bullshit ideas that are lacking in any sort of substance. I don't believe Chuck is ignorant enough to be condemning philosophy as a whole though, merely just the pseudo-intellectuals. As an amateur philosophy scholar myself, I myself must agree with his sentiments.
I never thought about it before, but this song very easily be against Paul Masivdal. Paul is a philosopher, and many believe he is homosexual. I just can't picture Chuck getting mad at a guy like Paul...
@AJ190 He recently came out as gay.
@AJ190 I think a lot (in relation to other places at the time) of ancient Greeks in Athens, a city known for philosophy were homosexual.
@AJ190 I think a lot (in relation to other places at the time) of ancient Greeks in Athens, a city known for philosophy were homosexual.
@AJ190 Accidentally replied twice, sorry
@AJ190 Accidentally replied twice, sorry
"The philosopher You know so much about nothing at all" Sokrates
"Do you feel what I feel See what I see Hear what I hear There is a line you must draw Between your dream world and reality" René Descartes
"So you preach about how I'm supposed to be Yet you don't you know your own sexuality" Yeh, could very well be Freud
"So you preach about how I'm supposed to be Yet you don't you know your own sexuality"
I always had a feeling this line was talking about Sigmund Freud. Like he's saying to Freud concerning his theories "That is my business, oh and, what the hell would you know about sexuality ?" I just wanted to add that, the meaning of the rest of the song is pretty obvious.
People just ignore this Blackened89 retard. His entire life consists of visiting metal bands on this page and whining about how he hates their lyrics. The guy is insane
I have read that Chuck read a lot of philosophical literature, and have always thought this song is about a (possibly temporary) disillusionment in using philosophy to help make you a better person. It's happened to me for sure. At first you absorb all the thoughts and writings of others, then you realize that none of these people have lived your life thus have no idea what is right for you to do.
But if my interpretation of the song is correct, and Chuck's opinion on philosophers is correct, then it's basically saying that you can't learn anything from other people, and I don't think Chuck was ignorant enough to believe that so I'm probably wrong somewhere.
An absolutely amazing song.
I think that it's about a person who feels that they are the know-all of everything going on in the world around them, including things that are not within their grasp (ie; other peoples personal affairs.) This person isn't even quite sure of his own matters but continues to make false insights about everything else going on.
For all I know, this may have an even deeper meaning regarding something such as media. Meh.
this song isnt an anti-christain song at all. Chuck has said that he isnt "anit-Christian" and that he doesn't sing about religion. its about Paul Masvidal, whos a "philosopher" who's rumored to be gay
"[...]the video for the track The Philosopher, a lyrical slam against former guitarist Masvidal, even made it on to a Beavis & Butt-head episode in 1994[...]" from wikipedia.org I wonder what that is about...