Project 86 – One Armed Man (play On)

Submerged in endless (trailing off)
I watch them fade by (sigh)
Lifeless and blank-faced (paining on)
I see
The face I use to be
They want to feel this (straining on)
They want to sense this (now)
Drunk with existence (waking me)
I'll show you something (someone) you can feel

They search and strain and drink and stagger
They play on, but I'll never, ever look back

Zombies staring, looking my way
Crying out for something
They can't fill their stomachs with enough to satisfy
The hunger growing

Needing something real

Zombies staring, looking my way
crying out for something they can't feel
Play, on stray on, in these wicked days on
Play on and understand that in your drunken stupor you are dying

Zombies staring, looking my way
Reaching out for something, anything
Anything to keep them numbing
Keep them plunging far from knowing


Lyrics submitted by joshbert13

"One-Armed Man (Play On)" as written by Daniel Alan Pifer Aaron M Lieberman

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC

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One Armed Man (play On) song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • +1
    General CommentI think it is a song about everyone. Zombies are looking to satisfy a hunger and keep them numb to the pain. Becuase we live in a fallen world, we have a void that we crave to be filled. The singer is making reference that he has succeeded (found Christ) and that everyone else sees that he has. However, they don't want to feel anything, so they reject what he has. It's not so much that they don't understand how to get it, as much as they don't want it. Schawb makes it very clear that they are purposely looking elsewhere. His response is to flood their existence with the Truth he has found.
    nofameloston June 18, 2002   Link
  • +1
    Song MeaningThis one, to me, is semi-obvious.
    The zombies described are unbelievers who are stumbling through life constantly searching for temporary contentment. Without knowing it, they are crying out for something they cannot presently feel: the love of God. i.e., they are all "needing something real".
    The One-Armed Man is not one of them, but was once (he'll never ever look back).
    He has cut off his right arm since it hindered him.
    OneArmedMan86on February 12, 2020   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti think the zombies are supposed to be non-believers and that they see that he has what they want (salvation), but they dont know how to get it.

    what do yall think?
    Demented joon January 22, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI agree with you. it could also mean the zombies are self-proclaimed chrisatians that are full of pharisee-type laws.
    And he shows them God(aka 'something real'), and not laws.
    EngageThison June 07, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentZombies staring, looking my way
    crying out for something they can’t feel
    Play on, stray on, in these wicked days on
    Play on and understand that in your drunken stupor you are dying

    is the best part of the song...
    I love the video, and I love the song
    needing something real
    needing something real
    needing something
    needing something
    needing something r-r ea l-l
    PROJECT ROCKS!
    JESUSFREAK777on August 14, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIt also sounds as if the Zombies drink to try to find hapyness??
    Beatles-vs-ZAOon October 14, 2002   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General CommentYou guys have pretty much got it. TO clarify it all: Zombies (non-christians, lost in this Broken Paradise), are looking for something to save them. I think that they know about God, they simply don't want to believe that this is what they're looking for. The way out has been right in front of them all along, they just don't want to see it.
    Okay that has all been said before. Sorry for wasting ur time. At least ur eye muscles are getting a workout tho.
    Piece out.
    DemonHunteron April 22, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Commentgood band
    absent124on July 22, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI know this isn't the right place to post this, but does anyone know where to watch the video?
    5letterwordon January 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentit's not about non-christians. It's about drinking and how it eclipses everything in your life, eventually turning you into the walking dead.
    illiniwek05on March 10, 2006   Link

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