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The Sinking Feeling Lyrics
All my books lay on the table
Waitin' to unfold
I sit and stare at my reflection
While the darkness chills my bones
My head fills like a junk shop
In desperate need of repair
The path of least resistance leads to the
Garbage heap of despair
I think I'd better get back in bed
I'm just a symptom of the moral decay
That's gnawing at the heart of the country
I'm just a symptom of the moral decay
That's gnawing at the heart of the country
You can't destroy your problems
By destroying yourself
Death is not the answer
For your soul may burn in hell
My memory my fond deceiver
Is turning all my past into pain
While I'm being raped by progress
Tomorrow's world is here to stay
They wouldn't have it any other way
I'm just a symptom of the moral decay
That's gnawing at the heart of the country
Waitin' to unfold
I sit and stare at my reflection
While the darkness chills my bones
My head fills like a junk shop
In desperate need of repair
The path of least resistance leads to the
Garbage heap of despair
I think I'd better get back in bed
That's gnawing at the heart of the country
I'm just a symptom of the moral decay
That's gnawing at the heart of the country
By destroying yourself
Death is not the answer
For your soul may burn in hell
My memory my fond deceiver
Is turning all my past into pain
While I'm being raped by progress
Tomorrow's world is here to stay
They wouldn't have it any other way
That's gnawing at the heart of the country
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First of all, Matt Johnson is a superb writer, and to The The's credit, an incredible vocalist to boot. This song highlights both of those talents.
It's a sarcastic song about that adolescent sting of self-importance. It's all really self-explanatory really, which is why it's such a brilliantly written song. The way Matt sings "I'm just a symptom of the moral decay that's gnawing at the heart of the[...]" implies a sense of defeat and self-deprecation; yeah, that's the way we feel sometimes, but it's total bullshit. The same feeling is carried when he pauses in the word "despair," he gives the listener an opportunity to take in the sarcasm and appreciate his wit.
MJ is one of my favorites for catchy lyrics that just make me smh because they're so genius.
I believe this song means the world is a tough place to live and gets worse as time marches on. Taking the easy way out gets you nowhere and suicide isn't the answer because it'll result in eternal damnation one cannot escape. Raped by progess means getting strapped in for the long haul because life will not get better if you don't pull yourself up by your bootstraps