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Brick Windows Lyrics
Been bangin' my head against the window
Just trying to see the world outside
Some people say it doesn't matter
Some people take you for a ride
I am covered in blood and broken glass
It seems the window likes to fight
Some people say the world's on fire
Some people say the world's on ice
Some people say the world's on ice
? all alone in a relation
Brick windows
I am sticking my face right through the glass
Just trying to see if the world's alive
Some people will say the window's broken
Some people will say it's all right
Some people will say it's all right
Keep bangin' my head against the wall oh
Just trying to keep the past alive
Some people who make the windows shatter
Some people who make it airtight
Some people who make it airtight
? all alone in a relation
? all alone in a relation
Brick windows
Brick windows
Just trying to see the world outside
Some people say it doesn't matter
Some people take you for a ride
I am covered in blood and broken glass
It seems the window likes to fight
Some people say the world's on fire
Some people say the world's on ice
Some people say the world's on ice
? all alone in a relation
Brick windows
I am sticking my face right through the glass
Just trying to see if the world's alive
Some people will say the window's broken
Some people will say it's all right
Some people will say it's all right
Keep bangin' my head against the wall oh
Just trying to keep the past alive
Some people who make the windows shatter
Some people who make it airtight
Some people who make it airtight
? all alone in a relation
? all alone in a relation
Brick windows
Brick windows
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wow, first comment? I love this track, one of my favourites on an very underrated album.
I think 'brick windows' is meant to symbolise something that should be transparent, but has been blocked up (obviously). You are trying to see the truth about the world, and the need to see the truth is burning and desparate ("banging my head against the window" until "covered in blood and broken glass"). However, the view is blocked and the truth about the world is hidden.
Various people will tell you different things about what's on the other side - some say it's on fire, some say it's on ice - i.e. people will try and tell you their own versions of the truth, but you can't see it for yourself. Some people even say it doesn't matter and don't care what the reality is.
Also I think the line "all alone in a relation" should be "Sweet all alone in alienation" - feeling alienated and alone from being shut off?
Overall, I love how the music is so upbeat and catchy, but on closer inspection the lyrics are full of frustration and a real feeling of claustrophobia.
This also reminds me of a line from Dylan's "Maggie's Farm" in the verse about Maggie's Pa - "his bedroom window, it is made out of bricks" - similar principle, but in comparison, Maggie's Pa doesn't want people looking into his room and wants to hide his truth from the outside world.
Did they remove the button for the correction of lyrics? So it seems... I ask this because, in my opinion, it's "Shrieked all alone in a relation". At least that's what I read in some lyrics I downloaded back in 1997. It could also be "Shrieked all alone in alienation". That would make much more sense.
Did they remove the button for the correction of lyrics? So it seems... I ask this because, in my opinion, it's "Shrieked all alone in a relation". At least that's what I read in some lyrics I downloaded back in 1997. It could also be "Shrieked all alone in alienation". That would make much more sense.
About the song's meaning, I agree with Little Miss Nitro. A little issue to clarify would be if this song's content is based on any particular event as it is the case with "Breathe".
About the song's meaning, I agree with Little Miss Nitro. A little issue to clarify would be if this song's content is based on any particular event as it is the case with "Breathe".
And speaking about Bob Dylan's...
And speaking about Bob Dylan's songs, maybe he influenced in some way the birth of "Brick Windows". After all, Ministry covered "Lay Lady Lay" for this record. Maybe Bob Dylan was stuff they were listening to back on those days.
I quite agree with littlemissnitro and the reply about Maggie's Farm. However, I also interpret this songs in a very wide way about describing the problems with sensation and perception. If anyone is into philosophy/psychology you'll know what I'm referring to. The basic idea is that all we can know is our perception of reality, and this perception is only a distorted version of reality. The act of perceiving itself distorts reality. For example, color does not exist in nature (i.e. true reality) we perceive color because of the way light effects our eyes (i.e. the way we interpret, involuntarily, light wavelengths). The visual spectrum of light is actually only a very small portion of the entire light wavelength spectrum, etc...No matter what we can never know the absolute truth about true reality, therefore, we can never know the truth about anything. Everything is skewed and distorted. We obviously do know some things because we are able to function in the world, make predictions that come true, react to stimuli etc, but the idea is that what we know is only part of the whole that amounts to absolute truth.
I think this song is dealing with the frustration of someone trying to find his way in the world and being thwarted by Windows which he can't see through. The establishment is obscuring everything he sees and he is frustrated by it.