I know I'm part of something greater than myself
Don't know the meaning, but I hope that matters less
I don't know anyone affected without a skill
I know I'm part of something greater than myself

We're all engaging in a game of attrition
Maybe God is just a chemical fiction

I'm a monkey with a madding affliction
Fact checking for a mental condition

I know I'm part of something greater than myself
Don't know the meaning, but I hope that matters less
I don't know anyone affected without a skill
I know I'm part of something greater than myself


Lyrics submitted by Grabbal

52 Seconds Lyrics as written by Greg Graffin Brett W. Gurewitz

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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52 Seconds song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    basically he's saying he, being a human, is part of something great: creation he's not saying specifically what started/created this though (hince, "maybe god is just a chemical fiction", "i'm a monkey with a madding affliction")

    ZenfullTangerineon July 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yeah well he is saying that he knows that there is some sort of greater being that was responsible for creation and the great world. He is leaning towards some sort of chemical reaction that started the universe, as opposed to actually God, like the Big bang theory. He is saying that God is really just science occuring like a big chemical reaction that created everything ("Maybe god is just a chemical fiction"), obviously stating his belief that there is no God. He also says that he doesn't really understand why "creation" happened, but it doesn't really matter because it did and it exists ("Don't know the meaning of it but I hope that matters less"). It just happened and there is no explanation. He is just one small person in this huge world that exists today.

    What I don't know is why this song is called 52 seconds? Any ideas especially when the song is 58 seconds long?

    nobrakes90on July 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The "chemical fiction" probably refers to the God gene hypothesis which suggests that certain people are predisposed to religiosity. Graffin is up on his science so I wouldn't be surprised.

    philliposophyon July 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song was written by brett gurewitz

    nobrakes90on August 07, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    its about being under control of forces you aren't allowed to question, and hoping that they mean something, so that your life isn't wasted. at least thats what i get. and don't be dumbasses: the reason its 58 seconds is because they have a bunch of noise at the beginning. you can hear them getting ready.

    tjtech12on August 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I'm a monkey with a madding affliction With fact checking for a mental condition ^ Is it just me or is that a mocking of religionists/Christians?

    gofuckyourselfon December 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "Monkey with a madding affliction:" yeah, he's kind of mocking the Christians. He seems to be taking the "rational animal" aspect of humanity and also coupling it with people's desire to believe in something.

    But, the next line kind of confuses me. It seems like he's also mocking the scientists with their necessary "fact checking" to back up whatever's being claimed as true. They might also consider a belief in God as a "mental condition" or something that can be explained biologically/psychologically.

    Oh, hell. I don't know. I'm probably reading way too much into this. But, it seems like Brett's taking on both sides, and in all honesty that wouldn't really surprise me.

    Blackbird_1565on February 06, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I'm a monkey with a madding affliction With fact checking for a mental condition

    This is in fact mocking the anti-evolutionists (creationists mostly, mayve intelligent design believers as well).

    he's a monkey, meaning that us humans evolved from monkeys, evolutions....and he has a madding affliction, a mental condition, which is fact checking, since anti-evolutionists don't pay attention to facts (most of them at least), so they see him as crazy or as a bad person.

    ZioShiraion January 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It seems to paint a picture of being drawn apart...

    from not being sure to maintain a feeling of religios spirituality or to be counteracted by facts of science and evolution; or to just remain indifferent about it but finding it hard to ignore. and just severe painful apprehension of the matter

    pinkfadeon July 07, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Music for Idiots. good lemmings. Enjoy your indoctrinated meaningless lives.

    gallium31on July 03, 2010   Link

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