Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
To the dark dark seas
Comes the only whale
Watching ships go by
It's the day we try
It doesn't know
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's automated computer speech
It's automated computer speech
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio
If they hold you, whale
On a really hot day
When the call got made
You've gone away
It doesn't know
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's automated computer speech
It's automated computer speech
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's automated computer speech
It's automated computer speech
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio
Comes the only whale
Watching ships go by
It's the day we try
It doesn't know
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's automated computer speech
It's automated computer speech
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio
If they hold you, whale
On a really hot day
When the call got made
You've gone away
It doesn't know
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's automated computer speech
It's automated computer speech
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's a Styrofoam deep sea landfill
It's automated computer speech
It's automated computer speech
It's a Casio on a plastic beach
It's a Casio
Lyrics submitted by Fushigikai, edited by Mbtravis99, SukiaGorillaz
Plastic Beach Lyrics as written by Jamie Hewlett Damon Albarn
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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I thought I'd look it up, and I think it's important to read the second quote you provided in it's full context, specifically the next sentence:
"It was a strange kind of optimism that I felt... but trying to get that into pop music is a challenge, anyway. But important."
Feeling a "strange kind of optimism" would mean that he does live with a certain amount of despair by our way of life and it's destructiveness, so much that it deeply moves him to see at least something good come out of it.
I don't think it's as hands-off to ecological issues as you painted it - although certainly not as critical as I originally imagined.