Some days we get a thrill in our brains
Some days it turns into malaise
You see our face in the veneer
Reflected on the surface of fear
Because you know that we're better than that
But some days we're worse than you can imagine
And how am I supposed to live with that?
With all these train wrecks coming at random
Hey - what are you gonna do?
When those walls are falling down - falling down on you
Hey - what are you gonna do?
When those walls are falling down - falling down on you
You got warheads stacked in the kitchen
You treat distraction like it's a religion
With a rattlesnake step in your rhythm
We do the best with the souls we've been given
Because you know we're nothing special to them
We're going some place they've already been
Trying to make sense of what they call wisdom
And this riff-raff ain't laughing with them
Hey - what are you gonna do?
When those walls are falling down - falling down on you
Hey - what are you gonna do?
When those walls are falling down - falling down on you
You're wearing all the years on your face
Turn a tombstone into your own place
And your heart only beats in a murmur
But your words ring out just like murder
Some days it turns into malaise
You see our face in the veneer
Reflected on the surface of fear
Because you know that we're better than that
But some days we're worse than you can imagine
And how am I supposed to live with that?
With all these train wrecks coming at random
When those walls are falling down - falling down on you
Hey - what are you gonna do?
When those walls are falling down - falling down on you
You treat distraction like it's a religion
With a rattlesnake step in your rhythm
We do the best with the souls we've been given
Because you know we're nothing special to them
We're going some place they've already been
Trying to make sense of what they call wisdom
And this riff-raff ain't laughing with them
When those walls are falling down - falling down on you
Hey - what are you gonna do?
When those walls are falling down - falling down on you
Turn a tombstone into your own place
And your heart only beats in a murmur
But your words ring out just like murder
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
You got warheads stacked in the kitchen
(I believe he is talking about the state of the common family, and how explosive the close relationship can be in a family these days. It's not like it used to be, what with the "American dream" of a perfect life anymore. At the same time he is also talking about how families have TVs in their kitchen now, and have to hear all the doom and gloom of CNN)
You treat distraction like it's a religion
(A bit of a build from the last line, refering to the distraction of TV in the modern world. Most people sit and allow themselves to be absorbed by the television, to the point of treating it like a religion these days.)
With a rattlenake step in your rhythm
(No clue : P)
We do the best with the souls we've been given
(Humanity is losing is spirtuality, but people still want to feel something deep. Most people feel like they're missing something in their life, but don't do anything to change it)
Because you know we're nothing special to them
(Refering to other people, and how we don't think that "we" are special to other people in our lives. I really don't think this line is about terrorism)
We're going some place they've already been
(I think Beck is refering to "they" as the generation that birthed us, and how even though we hate them for ruining the earth for us, we keep doing the same thing to it)
Trying to make sense of what they call wisdom
(We're trying to understand the wisdom in our parents generation, but for most of us it doesn't make sense, especially because they grew up in generation X. Our parents generation has less wisdom than our grandparents did at that age, because they haven't been through a war, and now that our generation is in one, they have no wisdom for us.)
And this riff-raff ain't laughing with them
(Not entirely sure about this line, but I think it goes with the theme of things. Even the "white-trash/riff-raff" of our generation isn't laughing at the state of the world. But it seems like our parents our, because when they were young, this is exactly what generation X wanted.)
Hey what are you gonna do When those walls are falling down falling down on you Hey what are you gonna do When those walls are falling down falling down on you
(I think the chorus has two meanings. Literally, he's talking about the world ending and the walls of our houses coming down on us because of all the war, famine and other awful things that are happening. Metaphorically Beck is talking about our generally delusive state of thinking that we've grown into, about how we let the government get away with ridiculous things because we are so focused on pop-stars, and other trival things. Once these walls are finally torn down and people realize what terrible shape the world is in, they might freak out hence: "what are you gonna do?")
This makes me think of the Cold War.
Me too! That was my own first impression. Actually, it makes me think of the movie Threads, which is about nuclear fallout, as well, but yeah! I definitely thought of the Cold War.
Me too! That was my own first impression. Actually, it makes me think of the movie Threads, which is about nuclear fallout, as well, but yeah! I definitely thought of the Cold War.
its almost like the distractions i.e. pop-culture, are placed on purpose. diverting our attention from real issues. now, WHY would anyone to do that???
"And your heart only speaks in a murmur" i feel that this song is about terrorism. it is pretty obvious that it is with lyrics like "warheads stacked in the kitchen" and "Because you know we're nothing special to them We're going some place they've already been Trying to make sense of what they call wisdom" This one of my favorites on this album.
terrorism is far removed from our general inability to commune with our own spirit(s) - though both our spirits now, and soul in the afterlife, could be called casualties of the kind of war that beck is referring to.
terrorism is far removed from our general inability to commune with our own spirit(s) - though both our spirits now, and soul in the afterlife, could be called casualties of the kind of war that beck is referring to.
the heart is quiet, because we can't really feel ourselves - or whomever we might really be (constituated of).
the heart is quiet, because we can't really feel ourselves - or whomever we might really be (constituated of).
warheads is plain language - and becks genius is to make this song universal, understood by the layman..... but you understand that warheads cannot be understood apart from distraction, religion, and fear. those things that sepetate us from our fellow man-spirits.
warheads is plain language - and becks genius is to make this song universal, understood by the layman..... but you understand that warheads cannot be understood apart from distraction, religion, and fear. those things that sepetate us from our fellow man-spirits.
I think the lyrics theburninator64 is referring to actually goes into Beck's scientology beliefs. Scientologists believe numerous souls possess us and keep us tied down to beliefs in various institutions like religion, money, etc. These souls do not think of us as special and they have been around this planet a lot longer than we have. I think parts of this song kind of sound like Beck is tired of scientology. Another part of Scientology is where a person tells are their dark secrets to a person who is called an "auditor." This auditor then makes sure you do not stray away from scientology with threats of revealing these secrets to others..."but your words ring out just like murder."
this is my absolute favorite song on modern guilt
i love this song so much! its so beautiful to listen to.
Beck's scientology beliefs. Scientologists believe numerous souls possess us and keep us tied down to beliefs in various institutions like religion, money, etc. These souls do not think of us as special and they have been around this planet a lot longer than we have. I think parts of this song kind of sound like Beck is tired of scientology. Another part of Scientology is where a person tells are their dark secrets to a person who is called an "auditor." This auditor then makes sure you do not stray away from scientology with threats of revealing these secrets to others..."but your words ring out just like murder."
im blown away, surprised, and enlightened that somebody else actually figured this out and put a name to it. you see. i am a scientologist that never heard of scientology. we control our destiny. were ju St too damn busy enjoying ourselves being john malkovich style
I believe it's about inner fear of the unknown that mankind is so gripped by, that we need to rationalize with unknown in order to come to grips with it. At the same time it's put into second and third person terms it seems like we're being studied, by perhaps another species or a "god" or "gods" depending on your faith. But it also strikes me as a monologue of someone who is gripped by that fear of the unknown, not necessarily spilling his inner thoughts but letting the fear grip him and question things and further tear him/her apart.
WOW burninator, I logged on here to read over the lyrics again after reading an interesting article about Beck being a Scientologist. I am blown away at your discovery and am shocked they haven't taken your post off by now. ROCK ON! Great interpretation, and I don't know anything about the Scientology thing, BUT! I do know that everyone should watch the videos of EVERY SONG ON THIS ALBUM is redone acoustically. Its on Vimeo. and if you get certain tools to download the video and other tools to extract audio you will know how to listen to Beck acoustically everyday on whatverpod you listen to!