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.
because there’s anger in my blood
because there’s blood on the floor
‘cause we all chose for entertainment
broken dreams and closet whores
a lone man’s cry, an unheard call
is loud in that man’s ears
mine is not an inner struggle
yours may be to shed my tears
roots that hold nurture the soul
and strangle as they wind
this punk rock ghetto’s noose of thought
too proud to cut the twine
it lifts us, lets us see forever
we see all as our world fades
when scenes reflect the outside world
numbered are their days
numbered, numbered are their days
numbered are our days...
we’re stretched to our limit as mostly white and straight
another “boy’s club” anthem just won’t get us through the day
‘cause in the end what difference did we make
when we say we’ll change the world but we can’t even change the scene
and the world don’t give a fuck if you can’t even say what you mean
right…
like a body lying under me
killed in vein
but it couldn’t stop struggling
take what you’ve got
but do not take more
‘cause when your ethics rot
in the outside pours
want a healthy libido? gotta stroke it the right way
can we at least change ourselves or will that rub us against the grain
when trying another’s shoes is just too much of a pain
and speech is just one step but we forgot what to say
‘cause saying you’re no sexist (or homophobe, or racist, or fascist, etc.)
just doesn’t make you that way
right…
little minds and little culture
‘cept that which we claim to fight
break the chains we scream unending
pull to break but we just tighten them
rest assured we’ll sleep unnoticed
by a world that never cared
we’re just not a threat to that world
that world baked the cake that we all share
because there’s blood on the floor
‘cause we all chose for entertainment
broken dreams and closet whores
a lone man’s cry, an unheard call
is loud in that man’s ears
mine is not an inner struggle
yours may be to shed my tears
roots that hold nurture the soul
and strangle as they wind
this punk rock ghetto’s noose of thought
too proud to cut the twine
it lifts us, lets us see forever
we see all as our world fades
when scenes reflect the outside world
numbered are their days
numbered, numbered are their days
numbered are our days...
we’re stretched to our limit as mostly white and straight
another “boy’s club” anthem just won’t get us through the day
‘cause in the end what difference did we make
when we say we’ll change the world but we can’t even change the scene
and the world don’t give a fuck if you can’t even say what you mean
right…
like a body lying under me
killed in vein
but it couldn’t stop struggling
take what you’ve got
but do not take more
‘cause when your ethics rot
in the outside pours
want a healthy libido? gotta stroke it the right way
can we at least change ourselves or will that rub us against the grain
when trying another’s shoes is just too much of a pain
and speech is just one step but we forgot what to say
‘cause saying you’re no sexist (or homophobe, or racist, or fascist, etc.)
just doesn’t make you that way
right…
little minds and little culture
‘cept that which we claim to fight
break the chains we scream unending
pull to break but we just tighten them
rest assured we’ll sleep unnoticed
by a world that never cared
we’re just not a threat to that world
that world baked the cake that we all share
Lyrics submitted by PLANES
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Hayalperest
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Yo La Tengo
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Great version of a great song,
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No Surprises
Radiohead
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.
Page
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