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.
Just last night I woke from some unconscionable dream
Had it nailed to my forehead again
To keep this boat afloat
Well there were things you can't afford to know
So I save all my breath for the sails
But you'll find those lingering voices
Are just your ego's attempt to make it all clean and nice
And make a moron out of you
Walking a bridge on weakening cables
Huddled up in fear and hate because we know our fate
And it's a lot to put us through
Most ideas turn to dust
There are few in which we all can trust
Haven't you noticed I've been shedding all of mine?
So let's abandon that track
And leave our fathers fighting in a sack
'Cause we are way too wise-assed for that
You might find some fools at your doorstep
Hustling the latest changes to the book that's the strangest
In an attempt to multiply
Marionettes on weakening cables
Huddled up with fear and hate
Because they know their fate and it's a lot to put them through
We've taken on a climb
And it's long enough to put the best of us on our backs
Walking up a slide
And there are those we know who'd have us five miles off the track
You'll find those lingering voices
Are just your ego's attempt to make it all clean and nice
And make a moron out of you
Crossing the bridge on weakening cables
Huddled up with fear and hate because we know our fate
And it's a lot to put us through
Had it nailed to my forehead again
To keep this boat afloat
Well there were things you can't afford to know
So I save all my breath for the sails
But you'll find those lingering voices
Are just your ego's attempt to make it all clean and nice
And make a moron out of you
Walking a bridge on weakening cables
Huddled up in fear and hate because we know our fate
And it's a lot to put us through
Most ideas turn to dust
There are few in which we all can trust
Haven't you noticed I've been shedding all of mine?
So let's abandon that track
And leave our fathers fighting in a sack
'Cause we are way too wise-assed for that
You might find some fools at your doorstep
Hustling the latest changes to the book that's the strangest
In an attempt to multiply
Marionettes on weakening cables
Huddled up with fear and hate
Because they know their fate and it's a lot to put them through
We've taken on a climb
And it's long enough to put the best of us on our backs
Walking up a slide
And there are those we know who'd have us five miles off the track
You'll find those lingering voices
Are just your ego's attempt to make it all clean and nice
And make a moron out of you
Crossing the bridge on weakening cables
Huddled up with fear and hate because we know our fate
And it's a lot to put us through
Lyrics submitted by doobeydoobeydude, edited by smallwonderrobot, Raven95
Fighting In A Sack Lyrics as written by James Russell Mercer
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Perhaps this is just my own take on it, but i see this song as not only an anti religion rant, but also an anti philosophy one. The Shins, in this song, and also somewhat in Saint Simon.. sound like disgruntled college philosophy majors. "To keep this boat afloat, there are some things we can't afford to know, so i save all my breath for the sails" He is saying that it takes enough effort just to survive ("keep this boat afloat"), so why waste your breath talking about what it all means?
The anti-philosophy tack sticks out again in "most ideas turn to dust".. showing skeptism of any new explanation for our lives, religious or otherwise, because there will always be newer, "better" philosophies to come and take their place. So why bother? Let the philosophers, religious leaders, and gurus fight it out.. cuz we're "way too wise ass for that".