Why
do you work
when you’re sick of lifting,
when you’re sick of lifting?
The festivities
left you on the shelf.
Why’re you always trying to please everybody but yourself:
“That which bears witness to it’s own failure” -
are you so sure?
Why
do you work
for the festival
when you’re sick of lifting
spirits,
spirits,
to the sky:
Body and Soul - two words for that same nameless thing
you have never known?
Why
do you work
in place of bearing witness
to your own inclusion,
inclusion,
inclusion…
and strike!?!!
Strike!!!
do you work
when you’re sick of lifting,
when you’re sick of lifting?
The festivities
left you on the shelf.
Why’re you always trying to please everybody but yourself:
“That which bears witness to it’s own failure” -
are you so sure?
Why
do you work
for the festival
when you’re sick of lifting
spirits,
spirits,
to the sky:
Body and Soul - two words for that same nameless thing
you have never known?
Why
do you work
in place of bearing witness
to your own inclusion,
inclusion,
inclusion…
and strike!?!!
Strike!!!
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Does it seem to anyone else that Daniel Bejar is some kind of cynic? It strikes me that either he is that or a critical, complaining giver of advice. And one always encouraging people to be open and honest or realistic and mature--almost like he's telling them what they should do not out of altruism but out of being wholly annoyed by them. "Don't become the thing you hated." "Once again you've...confused the catechism with your chores" "The sketchy crowd shows me drawings; they're alright--an alternately dim and frightful waste" Not that I understand anything this man says. He and Tim Kinsella should get together and they could give us all death by confusion.
I'd say he's a huge cynic and misanthrope, which is one of the main reasons that some people like him so much. How often is genuine and heartfelt advice given out of pure altruism? How often is anything done out of altruism? I don't think bejar postures at all, for which I am grateful. His lyrics are terribly cryptic though, I agree.
This song seems like its a conversation with someone who doesn't allow themself any satisfaction. It could be about someone who really buys into the protestant work ethic and works a grind sort of job-- he is telling them to strike, or quit, or do something different, because they're miserable. Or it could be less literal than that and just be about someone who doesn't allow themself to feel included or to have any fun. They're weighted down by some sort of self-imposed obligation. I can relate to this.
I find this song so powerful, moving and freeing. I agree with upthera44 -- that it's about some sort of self imposed obligation that the singer is questioning.