In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I delve into myself ceaselessly
But I rarely see
What I want to see
Embracing the future
Forgetting the past
Loves lost and misfortune
The chaos and the crass
I'm wary of you
But you're oblivious to me
I'm chained to your ego
And there isn't a key
I play with emotions
But never my own
Don't you recognize me
Try looking inwardly
But you won't see me
Such a strange situation
As I wallow in waste
That such a trivial victory
Could put a smile on your face
Using me as the scapegoat
For what you want to believe
So I'll just bow out politely
And tip my cap as I leave
Comme ci comme ca
My eyes are wide open
Yours are closed
It's time you realised
I'm a part of you
Look inwardly
Don't bleed for me
Look to yourself
But I rarely see
What I want to see
Embracing the future
Forgetting the past
Loves lost and misfortune
The chaos and the crass
I'm wary of you
But you're oblivious to me
I'm chained to your ego
And there isn't a key
I play with emotions
But never my own
Don't you recognize me
Try looking inwardly
But you won't see me
Such a strange situation
As I wallow in waste
That such a trivial victory
Could put a smile on your face
Using me as the scapegoat
For what you want to believe
So I'll just bow out politely
And tip my cap as I leave
Comme ci comme ca
My eyes are wide open
Yours are closed
It's time you realised
I'm a part of you
Look inwardly
Don't bleed for me
Look to yourself
Lyrics submitted by mightypotato
Looking Inwardly Lyrics as written by John Lever David Fielding
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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It expresses the frustration and disappointment of the singer, who is in a relationship where they feel unnoticed and used by their partner. The singer delves into themselves, trying to understand why they continue to stay in the relationship, but they rarely see what they want to see.
The singer is wary of their partner, who seems oblivious to their feelings. They feel chained to their partner's ego and are played with emotionally, but their own emotions are never acknowledged.
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According to Mark:
"This was written very early and was recorded for the first Peel session in 1981. It hadn't seemed to fit on 'Script' at the time so we put it in here. It didn't really change much from the improvised Peel version and it seems fresh I think because it wasn't a song we played very often. Confused introspection, very dull in my view."