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Machineries of Joy Lyrics
With primitive ablutions
Like a hobbyist of deranged proportion
The win is yours
We failed again
The fleshy existence you keep
To yourself is secure
We are magnificent machineries of joy
We are magnificent machineries of joy
Machines of joy and then some
Machines of joy and then some
You are a vision of extraordinary contortion
An athletic form of warm distortion
The triumph yours
We lose again
The fleshy existence you keep
To yourself is secure
We are magnificent machineries of joy
We are magnificent machineries of joy
Machines of joy and then some
Machines of joy and then some
You are a vision
A kind of vision
So tell me what he said
Though it doesn't really matter
Tell me what he said
Though I don't really care
It's only what he said
And we can make it better
Tell me what he said
Though I don't really care
Help is on the way
Help is on the way
Help is on the way
It's a kind of vision
We are magnificent machineries of joy
We are magnificent machineries of joy
The fleshy existence you keep
To yourself is secure
Like a hobbyist of deranged proportion
The win is yours
We failed again
The fleshy existence you keep
To yourself is secure
We are magnificent machineries of joy
Machines of joy and then some
Machines of joy and then some
An athletic form of warm distortion
The triumph yours
We lose again
The fleshy existence you keep
To yourself is secure
We are magnificent machineries of joy
Machines of joy and then some
Machines of joy and then some
A kind of vision
Though it doesn't really matter
Tell me what he said
Though I don't really care
It's only what he said
And we can make it better
Tell me what he said
Though I don't really care
Help is on the way
Help is on the way
We are magnificent machineries of joy
To yourself is secure
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I am 99% sure this is a song of an argument/struggle between a theist and an unbeliever.
The chorus saying we are machineries of joy is stating the person's views that we are created by someone and are of/for joy. The whole parts with the fleshy existence to me are almost clearly about an ardent atheist.
"With primitive ablutions Like a hobbyist of deranged proportion"
"You are a vision of extraordinary contortion An athletic form of warm distortion"- Basically saying the other person is deranged in his/her views.
"The win is yours We failed again" The person the lyrics concern is basically tired of arguing with the other person
"The fleshy existence you keep To yourself is secure"
This means the unbeliever believes in no soul and feels secure with his/her views.
The whole part with "Tell me what he said"
"Help is on the way" - help is on the way for the atheist "it's a kind of vision" - the theist sees something (in the atheist) affirming his views.
After this song I have a feeling the mentions of finding God in the song "It ended on an oily stage" were literal, and that song could actually be about faith too.
Good song, I like the Sea of Brass version.
@Vyper I can't agree more. Nice explanation of the song and that's what I heard about.
@Vyper I can't agree more. Nice explanation of the song and that's what I heard about.
Interesting take. I can kind of see it given the inspirational source material — Ray Bradbury’s short story of the same name, which is about conflict and reconciliation among a group of priests. That material, however, suggests to me that the meaning of the song is spiritual, but broader than just atheist/believer. I too think it is a dialogue. But between a believer constricted by the orthodoxy of organized religion and a believer free from that orthodoxy. I think the “he” in “tell me what he said” is God.
Interesting take. I can kind of see it given the inspirational source material — Ray Bradbury’s short story of the same name, which is about conflict and reconciliation among a group of priests. That material, however, suggests to me that the meaning of the song is spiritual, but broader than just atheist/believer. I too think it is a dialogue. But between a believer constricted by the orthodoxy of organized religion and a believer free from that orthodoxy. I think the “he” in “tell me what he said” is God.
I think this song is about a women pleasuring herself rather than being pleasured by a man, knowing it's an easier way to accept that form of self expression but well insecurity gets in her way to accept it otherwise. Machineries Of Joy, in other words, in my interpretation is well self-explanatory, we please ourselves. The name of the album (and its title track) comes from a collection of short stories by Ray Bradbury, The Machineries of Joy. (wikipedia). I haven't read any of his works so I won't know deep down the meaning ; although in my head this song speaks this, just my theory
@DenzelForevar Machineries of Joy is the first short story in that collection. It’s about Catholic priests, Irish and Italian, in Chicago who have very different opinions about the Church’s views on space exploration. In the end they learn the thing that motivated them most on the issue was to not be proven wrong.
@DenzelForevar Machineries of Joy is the first short story in that collection. It’s about Catholic priests, Irish and Italian, in Chicago who have very different opinions about the Church’s views on space exploration. In the end they learn the thing that motivated them most on the issue was to not be proven wrong.
@DenzelForevar The first story in that Bradbury collection is also titled "Machineries of Joy," and it is about a group of priests who disagree about the theological implications of men traveling to other planets. Personally, I think there is a clue about the meaning intended in the song there.
@DenzelForevar The first story in that Bradbury collection is also titled "Machineries of Joy," and it is about a group of priests who disagree about the theological implications of men traveling to other planets. Personally, I think there is a clue about the meaning intended in the song there.