Kalopsia

Correct lyrics from the ...Like Clockwork Double LP:

I never lie To myself Tonight

Rose tinted eyes Colour my sorrow a shade of wine Bye bye black balloon I'll see ya real soon Wave bye bye Bye bye...

Oh why you so sad? What have they done? Forget those mindless baboons, they're off playing God Copy cats in cheap suits are playing it safe While cannibals of bad news consume the parade

Is it wonderful?

Far, far from shore-sure The land of nightmares, gone... Forever more

I love you more than I can control I don't even try. Why would I?

Oh why the long face? You've got it all wrong Forget the rat in the race, we'll choke chain them all Fates favor the ones who help themselves The rest feel the sting of the lash as they row...

…The boat to hell

Row.

The song is a conversation between Homme and his consciousness. Josh is officially saying goodbye to his dark life-style. For some apparent reason it makes him sad. His consciousness telling him to be happy about turning a new leaf and to forget those who are a bad influence to him. It's a really deep song. Artistically ...Like Clockwork is QOTSA's magnum opus.

I never lied To myself Tonight

Rose-tainted eyes Colour my sorrow A shade of wine

Bye bye black balloon I'll see you real soon Wave bye bye Bye bye

Oh. why are you so sad? What have they done? Forget those mindless baboons They're off playing God

Copy cats in cheap suits All playing it safe While cannibals with their noose Consume a parade

Is it wonderful?

Far, far... from ashore Land of nightmares Gone forevermore

And I love you more Than I can't control I don't even try Why would I...?

Oh, why the long face? You've got it all wrong Forget the lead and the rings We'll choke chain them all

Fate favours the ones Who help themselves The rest feel the sting of the words As they row (as they row) A boat... to hell!

I think this song is about taking off your mask and embracing who you are. Being as the character in this video is a ugly monster. He takes off his mask and sees happiness then is killed by a man who does not accept him.

It's hard to tell if the line is "they're all playing god" or "they're off playing god". But at least both possibilities make sense!

On topic...the song's appropriately "off" sounding and that's awesome. The voice of the song sounds like they're split between seeing the world as a wonderful place and hating everybody (the stupid baboon people playing god with stuff and probably being all loud about it to each other). Aren't we all? In and out of denial, I mean. I feel like "Is it wonderful?" really ties up that package neatly.

The line mentioning wine may be quietly teasing at the idea of someone drowning their troubles by drinking, which makes them feel happy and less inhibited. If you flip those around - though one causes the other - it's the right order in terms of the lyrics. The rose-coloredness might also be why they claim they don't lie to themselves, if that's the right idea of the first lines.

The black balloon I wasn't sure about at first, but I bet most people are familiar with this whole song and dance, therapy or not: "Now imagine all your bad emotions are a balloon...let go of it...it's floating up, up and away..." I think that's what's being alluded to. The blackness could be anything, I dunno. Hate? Anger? The aforementioned sorrow? All of them? See you real soon? If they're caught between clashing feelings, as stated, that bad black balloon will be back. They try to let go, but it doesn't stay that way.

Arthur Rimbaud poetic vignette of opium induced hallucination.

Check out live performances of this song on Youtube you'll see that Josh dedicates this song to his daughter almost every time. I totally get it, life is sometimes shitty, friends turn away, but you have this darling little thing who sees you more perfectly then you see yourself... bye by black balloon... see you real soon ... she's the one with kalopsia. The one who love you no matter what, and reminds you that they can all f* themselves sideways... you got each other's backs.

It's funny that none of the top answers analyze this song starting with its title.

Google Web-Definitions defines kalopsia as "The delusion of things being more beautiful than they are."

That having been said, this is where, what I think of as some of the best, most insightful, and most artistic lyrics in the song come in.

If you were only able to make out the eyes of something, like, say, in the dark or something, red eyes would be considered by most to be a bad thing (scary or hateful, etc.). However, using the word "rose" in the line "rose-tinted eyes" gives the delusion of these red eyes being more beautiful than they are.

Also, the line "I love you more than I can control" tends to suggest the same type of phenomenon.

Clearly, there is more to the meaning of this song than just "kalopsia" but it is, indeed, the title, so I tend to think that it has more to do with it than the suggested meanings have included so far, although, I'm not sure of the connection or just how much meaning "kalopsia" has to the overall song meaning.

Just thought I'd add my two cents here.

I've just updated what I could decipher, but I'm pretty sure the last two verses I put are completely wrong. (My edit isn't showing for some reason though?!)

Arthur Rimbaud poetic vignette of opium induced hallucination.