A good impression
Of myself
Not much to conceal
I'm saying nothing
But I'm saying
Nothing with feel

I simply am not here
No way, I
Shut up, be happy
Stop whining please

Because of who we are
We react in mock surprise
The curse of "there must be more"
So don't breathe here
Don't leave your bags

I simply am not here
No way, I
Shut up, be happy
Stop whining please

The dust in my soul
Makes me feel the weight in my legs
My head in the clouds
And I'm zoning out

I'm watching TV
But I find it hard to stay conscious
I'm totally bored
But I can't switch off

Only apathy from the pills in me
It's all in me, all in you
Electricity from the pills in me
It's all in me, all in you
Only MTV, cod philosophy

We're lost in the mall
Shuffling through the stores like zombies
What is the point?
What can money buy?

My hand's on a gun
And I find the range, God, tempts me
What did you say?
Think I'm passing out

Only apathy from the pills in me
It's all in me, all in you
Electricity from the pills in me
It's all in me, all in you
Only MTV, cod philosophy

Only apathy from the pills in me
It's all in me, all in you
Electricity from the pills in me
It's all in me, all in you
Only MTV, cod philosophy

Water so warm that day (water so warm that day)
I counted out the waves (I counted out the waves)
As they broke into surf (as they broke into surf)
I smiled into the sun

The water so warm that day
I was counting out the waves
And I followed their short life
As they broke on the shoreline
I could see you
But I couldn't hear you

You were holding your hat in the breeze
Turning away from me
In this moment
You were stolen
And there's black across the sun

Water so warm that day (water so warm that day)
I counted out the waves (I counted out the waves)
As they broke into surf (as they broke into surf)
I smiled into the sun


Lyrics submitted by rocinante79, edited by misteree, Shirudo, Octavarium64, smoledman, CharMarRules, spacedye, cherrytcbp, Ravenh, ElBastard, Xlerb

Anesthetize Lyrics as written by Steven John Wilson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing

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Anesthetize song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment

    Ok, so this is my first song interpretation thing on this website. I felt compelled to share my views on this fantastic song as many others have.

    I think the meaning of this song has a lot to do with the title, "Anesthetize". And, bear with me, is largely relating to the somewhat unpopular view (held by many individuals and notably scientolgists) that Anesthetisa for treatment of mental conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder is either morally wrong, ineffective or at least over used in modern society.

    As has been mentioned, there appears to be three distinct parts to this song. Each I believe dealing with one individual in three different stages of their mental struggle.

    The first section of the song I believe deals with someone who has a mental condition of some sort, be it depression, anxiety or something more serious such as schizophrenia. The lyrics (as with most PT lyrics) are rather vague but I believe that they (and the way in which they are spoken) convey a clear message of someone suffering from a slight mental illness of some sort, possibly brought on by living in the modern society. The modern world can run people down quite easily and as a result many people feel they are depressed, paranoid or anxious, despite not actually having anything seriously wrong with them. And as a result, they see their psychiatrist who loads them up with prozac and sends them on their way.

    The second section of the song is the part where the individual has been "Anesthetized" by the drugs he has taken to combat his mental issues. As a result, he has been made into an apathetic, consumerist, almost unconscious individual. There are numerous references that can be made here:

    "Apathy from the Pills in me": Rather straight forward. The side-effects of depression drugs.

    "Electricity": Cerebral Electrotherapy - Controversial technique used for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

    "Cod philosophy": Psychiatry?

    There is also a comment regarding holding a gun, which could be a possible relation to shootings that have occured with people loaded up on depression drugs such as prozac. For instance, Steven Kazmierczak who shot up Northern Illinois University earlier this year (worth noting that FoaBP was released quite some time before this incident).

    The third part of the song I'm not so sure about.

    I believe, just prior to the third section (possibly at the climax of the instrumental section of the song) the indivudual abandoned the treatment he was recieving including the drugs and electrotherapy that he was undergoing that essentially Anesthetized him.

    The final scene we are left with is the individual on the shoreline taking in the beauty the world has to offer him which he previously had not noticed nor felt whilst Anesthetized. The key words being "warm" and "smiled" as they denote feeling, something non-existent to him during the second section.

    In regards to the final line, I think it may be similar to XCrusherX interpretation, whereby the individual looks to his partner or lover to see if they too are taking in the beauty of this moment, only to see that they are still Anesthetized and don't feel the things that he feels.

    Longwinded, but thats my take. FWIW, I don't necessarily believe that Steven Wilson actually believes such things about psychiatry. SW said that doesn't specifically send messages through his music that this is wrong or this is right, instead it is supposed to hold a mirror to what's happening in the world at any given time.

    The overuse of depression drugs such as Prozac for the treatment of mental issues is all to common in today's society, and given FoaBP is pretty much a concept album on the issues of modern society, this could be the image SW is trying to convey in his mirror.

    Suspenseon April 22, 2008   Link

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