I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
As i count the calories
I start to feel the grand fatigue
All in vain goes down the drain
Inside my brain the grand fatigue
In my sleep only food on my mind
In my dreams only food i can find
Behind the wheel i long to heal
The grand fatigue
Breakfast brunch and lunch and dinner
Every stone of you a sinner
Is it chocolate is it bacon
Every inch of you a fake
For lasagna you've been waiting
Over pasta contemplating
Set your mind on decorating
Of a schwarzwald cake
When we meet you're hardly there
The dry eyes the falling hair
In the mirror in the mirror
That's not you
As i count the calories
I start to feel the grand fatigue
All in vain goes down the drain
Inside my brain the grand fatigue
In my sleep only food on my mind
In my dreams only food i can find
Behind the wheel i long to heal
The grand fatigue
What's the beef you eat with candy
Does the camembert come handy
Pouring gravy on a piglet
Peking duck away you take
What's inside that stuffed tomato
Cream and cheese on baked potato
Set your mind on cutting slices
From a schwarzwald cake
Where's the friend who i once knew
Share the pain you're going through
In the mirror in the mirror
That's not you
As i count the calories
I start to feel the grand fatigue
All in vain goes down the drain
Inside my brain the grand fatigue
In my sleep only food on my mind
In my dreams only food i can find
Behind the wheel i long to heal
The grand fatigue
When we meet you're hardly there
The dry eyes the falling hair
In the mirror in the mirror
That's not you
As i count the calories
I start to feel the grand fatigue
All in vain goes down the drain
Inside my brain the grand fatigue
In my sleep only food on my mind
In my dreams only food i can find
Behind the wheel i long to heal
The grand fatigue
I start to feel the grand fatigue
All in vain goes down the drain
Inside my brain the grand fatigue
In my sleep only food on my mind
In my dreams only food i can find
Behind the wheel i long to heal
The grand fatigue
Breakfast brunch and lunch and dinner
Every stone of you a sinner
Is it chocolate is it bacon
Every inch of you a fake
For lasagna you've been waiting
Over pasta contemplating
Set your mind on decorating
Of a schwarzwald cake
When we meet you're hardly there
The dry eyes the falling hair
In the mirror in the mirror
That's not you
As i count the calories
I start to feel the grand fatigue
All in vain goes down the drain
Inside my brain the grand fatigue
In my sleep only food on my mind
In my dreams only food i can find
Behind the wheel i long to heal
The grand fatigue
What's the beef you eat with candy
Does the camembert come handy
Pouring gravy on a piglet
Peking duck away you take
What's inside that stuffed tomato
Cream and cheese on baked potato
Set your mind on cutting slices
From a schwarzwald cake
Where's the friend who i once knew
Share the pain you're going through
In the mirror in the mirror
That's not you
As i count the calories
I start to feel the grand fatigue
All in vain goes down the drain
Inside my brain the grand fatigue
In my sleep only food on my mind
In my dreams only food i can find
Behind the wheel i long to heal
The grand fatigue
When we meet you're hardly there
The dry eyes the falling hair
In the mirror in the mirror
That's not you
As i count the calories
I start to feel the grand fatigue
All in vain goes down the drain
Inside my brain the grand fatigue
In my sleep only food on my mind
In my dreams only food i can find
Behind the wheel i long to heal
The grand fatigue
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.