Straight Lines

Silverchair

Breathing from a hole in my lung
I had no one
With faces in front of me
Racing through the void in my head
To find traces
Of a good luck academy

Oh oh oh

Sparks ignite and trade them for thought
About no one
And nothing in particular
Washed the sickened socket and drove
Resent nothing
There's good will inside of me

Oh oh oh

Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Wake me up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line

Something I will never forget
I felt desperate
And stuck to the marrow
Invisible to everyone else
I'm a sex-change
And a damsel with no heroine

Oh oh oh

Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Wake me up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line

I don't need no time to say
There's no changing yesterday
If we keep talking and
I keep walking in straight lines

Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Wake me up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line


Lyrics submitted by patrick3972

Straight Lines Lyrics as written by Julian Thomas Hamilton Daniel Johns

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Straight Lines song meanings
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  • +3
    General Comment
    "It took me a long time to realize that the sound Ben, Chris and I make when we play my songs is something special", says the Silverchair frontman. "I've been thinking a lot since we finished the album about were this fits into the other stuff we've done. The way I see it the first album was naivety, the second one was anger, the third one was depression and the last one was escapism. Young Modern is all about acceptance. It's about embracing who we are as band and just really enjoying ourselves because that's all that really matters. Hopefully listening to this album will make other people feel what we feel when we play these songs together because I've finally figured out that that's a very special feeling." Can't be any more correct than that. And another thing. If diorama and straight lines 'commercial' then it would make tool look like simple plan. I know there is a lot of us silverchair fans that, myself included, prefer the first two albums, however bands change and there is no way in hell silverchair have ever changed in a bad way. No matter whatever people say, musically, Diorama is a work of a genius that is Daniel Johns as will be Young Modern.
    stevemc81on February 13, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    awesome. great to have them back.
    bing_redboyon February 05, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    I disagree with the people implying that Silverchair have become commercial. This song may not be as raw as some of their earlier stuff, but there are two things to consider when claiming they've gone commercial. 1. During the Frogstomp & Freak Show days, all three band members wrote the songs whereas from that point onwards, Daniel became the sole songwriter. 2. Daniel is just damn good at writing slightly more 'poppy' songs than he is at writing heavier songs. Look at Diorama. Look at The Dissociatives. Look at the song he wrote for Natalie, 'Satisfied'. It's just what he's good at. Just because it sounds less raw, less heavy, doesn't mean it's not from the heart.
    patrick3972on February 15, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    You guys need to get back to the MEANINGS of this song! Thats what this site is for...
    Machineryon March 27, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    my god 732, what a load of pretentious wank.
    CheekyBoy099on December 28, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I'm sorry "old chair fans" but what you fail to understand is that although excellent albums, Frogstomp and Freak Show are long gone. These guys have developed into their own style of music its not commercial at all. Daniel is an unbelievable singer/songwriter with incredible range in vocals. This is the first song they put out from the new album but wait and see maybe you'll be surprised
    crazymitch16on February 12, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    silverchair are and always will be one of australia's all time fav bands this songs rocks daniel is doing better with each song i didnt even know that could happen hurry up with the next single i am so dying to here it
    spunkeyon March 07, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    For what it's worth... I grew up in Washington state during the 90's. Grunge was a religion back then... I was way into Pearl Jam, STP, Alice in Chains, etc. etc. Then Silverchair came, and me and all my buddies thought they sucked... then bands like Matchbox 20 started cropping up... and it was all over. Then we graduated from high school, went to college, blah blah, years have gone by and i've grown up a lot... i'm not the same punk I was 11 years ago when I saw Dave Matthews band BEFORE 'Crash' was released... Then today... I saw the video for 'Straight Lines'... at first I thought "Oh God, these guys are STILL AROUND? Jesus..." but man, this song fucking RULES! I downloaded it off iTunes and I absolutely love it. I guess me and Silverchair both have matured.... this song blew me away. Not sure about the album, but this song for sure is one of the best things i've heard all year. OK, I am going to listen to 'Mad Season' and import my Alice in Chains box set into iTunes.... later!!
    bradleybon July 26, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    this song is about continuing to live a straightened life, like Daniel has his whole life, the part where he says "I'm a sex-change and a damsel with no heroine" is an exaggeration, some newspapers thought he was a chick, and some started rumors that he was a drug-addict, his only problem was his battle with anorexia which he got over, he's always led a straight-edge life, and he's telling us that he's still committed to staying straight and he won't be giving up if that's what anyone's thinking. I luv Daniel Johns & Silverchair. XD
    dark_eyez_666on June 26, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I think this song is about overcoming his reactive arthritis not his anorexia which he was well over when he would have wrote this. 'searching to find traces of a good luck academy' might be Johns not being able to believe how unlucky he has been with illnesses. He talks about being set on fire in the evening, to me that's the pain in his joints. He got so weak he needed help to get around so didnt feel like a man anymore - sex change. (bit sexist but hey they are newy bogans at heart) As the song builds and gets stronger, so does he. He apparently even had to use a walking stick for a while, thats how bad it got, so although I think 'walking in a straight line' can be taken semi literally, to me it more represents just getting stronger, getting back on track and not looking back and just fuckin charging. Go the 'chair!
    johnny dazedon July 25, 2008   Link

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