Steam Engenius

Correct lyrics: I was born in the factory Far away from the milky teat What's the use? Oh, what's the use?

You cheered as I was split in half A mechanical sacrificial calf for you Oh, all for you

Steam engenius, you see Steam engenius enough to answer anything you need But what's the use?

Human nature was installed in me. I did once right but naturally it wasn't natural. Though not my fault No

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot He'd lost his car it was sitting there crying waiting in the parking lot Just for you.

What a waste of time What a waste of words What a waste of strength Well, I spoke in binary and you for volume and dizzying length

I was born in the factory Far away from the milky teat What's the use? Oh, what's the use?

Birds flew out as I was split in half A mechanical sacrificial calf. They flew. Oh, off they flew

Steam engenius, you see Steam engenius enough to answer anything you need And ah that speed

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot He'd lost his car it was sitting there crying waiting in the parking lot Just for you

What a waste of time What a waste of words What a waste of strength Well, I spoke in binary and you for volume and dizzying length.

(I was born in the factory)

Both halves are the better half like a joke tryin' to make another joke laugh. Ha! Ha!

Stasis is what you brought. Like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw. In the past talking present tense. Gonna break it.Gonna Wreck it. Gonna try to make it all make sense. Stasis is what you got. Like a rickshaw getting pulled 'round by another rickshaw.

Steam Engenius you see! Steam Engenius enough to bring my own damn doom. What could I do? I blame blame that blame had grew. Well deep inside everybody knew it was them. It was all on them. Things rang of stories greek. I didn't want it, you gave me deity. It was you. Yeah, all for you

I was born in the factory. Far away from the milky teat. What's the use?

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot He'd lost his car it was sitting there crying waiting in the parking lot Just for you.

I was thought up by man to think better than them then revered , admired , then destroyed by them. Hell even all that that was my own damn plan.

What a waste of time What a waste of strength.

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot He'd lost his car it was sitting there crying waiting in the parking lot Just for you.

Stasis is what you got Like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw.

I wrote an essay on it... I haven't done the conclusion yet, but here's what I've got. I think it's what he meant, because I read in an interview something about his view of technology.

Modest Mouse’s song “Steam Engenius” from their album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, takes a metaphoric approach to addressing the issue of human over-reliance on technology. The writer, Isaac Brock, combines biblical and technological references as well as stylistically portraying his message through the music itself by choice of dynamics and tempo.

From the very first phrase, “I was born in a factory” Brock offers a perfect summary of his point. The imagery is clear — conveyer belts whisking parts through a crowded warehouse and being assembled by countless robots, all at a speed much faster than their human counterparts could do the job. The factory itself is Brock’s first metaphor, embodying technology’s eventual usurpation of humans. He expands on this theme in later stanzas, seamlessly supporting his claim with facts that can be proved using his own factory analogy. Why are human workers being replaced with robots? The simple answer is efficiency. Technology works faster, better, and asks for nothing in return. It truly is “all for you”.

But there is another point in his opening line — what came from the factory was not merely created, but born. That is the key to revealing the deeper layer of Brock’s meaning, and understanding the metaphor of the factory. That technology, as well as replacing humans, is being made to become human. Now it is not merely the manual labor of a factory worker that is being replaced — it is our very minds. The line “I was thought up by man to think better than them” shows the paradox of the situation. Aptly deemed the “mechanical sacrificial calf”, the men that created it in the first place are forgotten as their inventions are revered and admired.

However, it is clear that while it seems technology is taking over, it is the humans who should be in control of the situation. We gave it deity. A machine has no power, no thoughts, no needs… it works for us, but on its own, it is like a rickshaw pulling another rickshaw — pointless. Man gives it purpose. A rickshaw doesn’t have anywhere to go, your phone doesn’t have anyone to call, and the essence of what Brock is saying is that they are tools for us to use, not something greater than ourselves.

My opinion of this song is that Brock wrote this from the point of view of the computer. I think this is about our internet culture and what a waste of time this all is.

The rickshaw pulling a rickshaw is all computers connecting each other, but there's no driver in charge.

In the past talking present tense could mean postings like this. I wrote this in the past, but you are all reading this like it's present tense.

I like the religious interpretations and also the robot messiah idea too. I think they fit well with the theme of the song as well which is cool because I did not think of this song like that until I came here.

Bottom line is no matter what the song means to you, enjoy it because its brilliant on so many levels lyrically and intrumentally. Brock is a mofo genious!

I was born in a factory. Far away from the milky teat. What's the use?! Oh, what's the use?! You cheered as I was split in half, A mechanical sacrificial calf for you. Oh, all for you.

Steam engenius, you see. Steam engenius enough to answer anything you need. But what's the use? Human nature was installed in me. I did what's right, but naturally it wasn't natural. Still not my fault.

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot, he'd lost his car it was sitting there crying out waiting in the parking lot just for you going, "Woo-hoo, woo-hoo, woo-hoo, woo-hoo!"

What a waste of time what a waste of words. What a waste of strength. Well I spoke in binary and you for volume and dizzying length.

I was born in a factory. Far away from the milky teat. What's the use?! Oh, what's the use?! Birds flew out as I was split in half. A mechanical sacrificial calf. They flew. Oh, out they flew. Steam engenius, you see. Steam engenius, enough to answer anything you need. And ah, that speed.

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot, he'd lost his car it was sitting there crying out waiting in the parking lot just for you going, "Woo-hoo, woo-hoo, woo-hoo, woo-hoo!"

What a waste of time what a waste of words. What a waste of strength. Well I spoke in binary and you for volume and dizzying length.

Both halves are the better half like a joke tryin' to make another joke laugh. Ha! Ha!

Stasis is what you brought, like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw.

In the past talkin' present tense,. Gonna break it. Gonna wreck it. Gonna try to make it all make sense.

Stasis is what you got like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw.

Steam engenius, you see. Steam engenius, enough to bring my own damn doom. What could I do? I blame blame that blame had grew. Well deep inside everybody knew it was them. Things rang of stories greek. I didn't want it, you gave me deity. It was you. Yeah, all for you. I was born in a factory Far away from the milky teat. What's the use?!

I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot, he'd lost his car it was sitting there crying out waiting in the parking lot just for you going, "Woo-hoo, woo-hoo, woo-hoo, woo-hoo!"

I was thought up by man to think better than them, then revered, admired, and then destroyed by them. Hell even all that was my own damn plan.

Well what a waste of time what a waste of words what a waste of strength. Well I spoke in binary and you for volume and dizzying length.

Stasis is what you've got. Like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw.

Here are the official lyrics to the song, directly from the digital booklet that came along with the album on iTunes:

I was born in a factory. Far away from the milky teat. What’s the use?! Oh what’s the use?! You cheered as I was split in half, a mechanical sacrificial calf for you. Oh all for you. Steam engenius you see, steam engenius enough to answer anything you need. But what’s the use? Human nature was installed in me. I did what’s right but naturally it wasn’t natural. Still not my fault. I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot, he’d lost his car it was sitting there crying out waiting in the park- ing lot just for you going, “Woo-hoo, woo-hoo, woo-hoo, woo-hoo.” What a waste of time what a waste of words. What a waste of strength. Well I spoke in binary and you for volume and dizzying length. I was bornin a factory, far away from the milky teat. What’s the use?! Birds flew out as I was split in half. A mechanical sacrificial calf. They flew.Oh out they flew.Steam engenius you see. Steam engenius enough to answer anything you need and ah that speed.I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot, he’d lost his car,itwas sitting therecrying out waiting in the parking lot out for you. What a waste time. What a waste of words. What a waste of strength. Well I spoke in binary and you for volume and for dizzying length. Woo-hoo woo-hoo woo-hoo! Both halves arethe better half like a joke tryin’ to make anoth- er joke laugh. Ha! Ha! Stasis is what you brought. Like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw. In the past talkin’ present tense. Gonna break it. Gonna wreck it. Gonna try to make it all make sense. Stasis is what you got. Like a rickshaw getting’ pulled ’round by another rickshaw. Steam engenius you see! Steam engenius enough to bring my own damn doom. What could I do?! I blame blame that blame had grew. Well deep inside everybody knew it was them. It was all on them. Things rang of sto- ries greek. I didn’t want it, you gave me deity. It was you. Yeah all for you. I was born in a factory far away from the milky teat. What’s the use?! I held in my hands the beating heart of a robot. He’d lost his car, he was sitting there crying out waiting in the parking lot just for you. Woo-hoo! Woo-hoo! I was thought up by man to think better than them then revered admired and then destroyed by them. Hell even all that was my own damn plan. Well what a waste of time what a waste of strength. Stasis is what you’ve got. Like a rickshaw getting pulled around by another rickshaw.

phew. I hope you all enjoy that.

i love the woohooo's!! =D they're great! this song is amazing!

"Things rang of stories Greek I didn't want it, you gave me deity It was you Yeah, all for you"

In Greek theatre the resolution would often be deities (gods) coming out of nowhere and solving the problem, so he's saying that what happened "rang of stories greek" (resembled greek theatre). That's where those first two lines come from.

I'm pretty sure it's "milky teat" every time, because it's referencing the fact that he was born in a factory, so far removed from the human experience of birth. Also, "milk and tea" makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Oh wooow these lyrics are really off. I have the album which has the lyrics in the cover booklet and there are a LOT of mistakes in this