its amazing how far music can come.. 24 years after it released and its one of the most heartfelt songs ive heard
We're on
That's a nice way to start, Johnny
Are you such a dreamer
To put the world to rights?
I'll stay home forever
Where two and two always makes a five
I'll lay down the tracks
Sandbag and hide
January has April showers
And two and two always makes a five
It's the devil's way now
There is no way out
You can scream and you can shout
It is too late now
Because you have not been
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
You have not been
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
You have not been
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
You have not been
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
I try to sing along
But I get it all wrong
'Cause I'm not
'Cause I'm not
I swat 'em like flies
But like flies, the bugs keep coming back
Not, but I'm not
All hail to the thief
All hail to the thief
But I'm not
But I'm not
But I'm not
But I'm not
Don't question my authority or put me in the box
'Cause I'm not
'Cause I'm not
Oh, go and tell the king that the sky is falling in
But it's not
But it's not
But it's not
Maybe not
Maybe not
That's a nice way to start, Johnny
Are you such a dreamer
To put the world to rights?
I'll stay home forever
Where two and two always makes a five
I'll lay down the tracks
Sandbag and hide
January has April showers
And two and two always makes a five
It's the devil's way now
There is no way out
You can scream and you can shout
It is too late now
Because you have not been
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
You have not been
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
You have not been
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
You have not been
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
I try to sing along
But I get it all wrong
'Cause I'm not
'Cause I'm not
I swat 'em like flies
But like flies, the bugs keep coming back
Not, but I'm not
All hail to the thief
All hail to the thief
But I'm not
But I'm not
But I'm not
But I'm not
Don't question my authority or put me in the box
'Cause I'm not
'Cause I'm not
Oh, go and tell the king that the sky is falling in
But it's not
But it's not
But it's not
Maybe not
Maybe not
Lyrics submitted by SyntaxLies, edited by Paymaan, Mellow_Harsher, TheKidA
2 + 2 = 5 Lyrics as written by Edward John O'brien Colin Charles Greenwood
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
At the 2:25 point in the song, it switches up dynamics and chord progression. The whole tune is basically divided into three parts: the electronic intro, the "paying attention" break-out, and the "'cause I'm not" part, which begins at 2:25 a.k.a. 2+2=5