Radio Lyrics
I feel it in the static
He lives in my basement
And I can hardly face it
My performance is easy
I am the god of romance
And in my confusion
I have the right to reign
He trades on my jokes
He makes all my engines go "Oh oh oh oh"
He put an "e" in the arsenal
A comb in my 'fro
Divine retribution
And away we'll go
Hey hey hey hey
Moving out of time you'll hear it
Falling in the way you fear it
Jumping thumping shout out something
Jumping thumping shout out something
And you will hear the songs you know
Make it effervescent here
And you might have a job my dear
Beyond my understanding
Looking for meaning
Where nothing is demanding
There are no surprises
Where nothing is expected
If you offer nothing
Then everyone accepts
He trades on my jokes
He makes all my engines go oh oh oh
He put an "e" in the arsenal
A comb in my 'fro
Devine retribution
And away we go
Hey
Moving out of time you'll hear it
Falling in the way you fear it
Jumping thumping shout out something
Jumping thumping shout out something
And you will hear the songs you know
Make it effervescent here
And you might have a job my dear
My dear
Ouch
Ouch
Ouch
Radio
Ouch-ouch
Ouch
Ouch
Radio
Moving out of time you'll hear it
Falling in the way you fear it
Jumping thumping shout out something
Moving out of time you'll hear it
Falling in the way you fear it
Jumping thumping shout out something
haha I submitted this? Weird. When I clicked the "most recently submitted lyric" link in my profile I didn't expect it to be this song. I expected Cherry Poppin' Daddies or like... The Black Heart Procession or something.
What's this song about? I haven't listened to it in forever at at this point I don't care; I don't know if I ever did. It's just a fun, catchy pop song... to me at this moment.
On second thought this could be, like every other song ever written, about addiction.
what the crap does "He's stolen my Oscars He trades on my jokes He makes all my engines go "Oh oh oh oh" He put an "e" in the arsenal" mean???
Obviously, there's some sinister HE that the narrator fears, perhaps paranoically. Is this HE the one who may deal out "Divine retribution"? Why is HE living in the basement but choosing the attic?
"Listen to the Radio, And you will hear the songs you know. Make it effervescent here, And you might have a job, my dear."
This chorus seems pretty clear to me, especially if remember the primary definition of effervescent is bubbly or fizzy--like pop.
My opinion: This song is Robbie's "scathing satire" song, the one where he takes a look at the pop music machine. The HE is the Radio: HE's in both the attic and the basement; HE profits from and takes credit for Robbie's every award and soundbite, and HE can strike the singer down as easily as HE has buit him up. The second verse, about "looking for meaning/where nothing is demanding", becomes a search for something the substantial stuff among what one might call the Usual Pop Dross.
Maybe the OUCH is biting the hand the feeds him (or shooting himself in the foot).