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The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness Lyrics
Maybe I listen more than you think
I can tell that somebody sold you
We said we've never let anyone in
We said we'd only die of lonely secrets
The system only dreams in total darkness
Why are you hiding from me?
We're in a different kind of thing now
All night you're talking to God
I thought that this would all work out after a while
Now you're saying that I'm asking for too much attention
Loss of no other faith is light enough for this place
We said we'd only die of lonely secrets
The system only dreams in total darkness
Why are you hiding from me?
We're in a different kind of thing now
All night you're talking to God
I cannot explain it
Any other, any other way
I cannot explain it
Any other, any other way
The system only dreams in total darkness
Why are you hiding from me?
We're in a different kind of thing now
All night you're talking to God
I cannot explain it
Any other, any other way
I cannot explain it
Any other, any other way
I cannot explain it
Any other, any other way
I cannot explain it
Any other, any other way
I can tell that somebody sold you
We said we've never let anyone in
We said we'd only die of lonely secrets
Why are you hiding from me?
We're in a different kind of thing now
All night you're talking to God
Now you're saying that I'm asking for too much attention
Loss of no other faith is light enough for this place
We said we'd only die of lonely secrets
Why are you hiding from me?
We're in a different kind of thing now
All night you're talking to God
Any other, any other way
I cannot explain it
Any other, any other way
Why are you hiding from me?
We're in a different kind of thing now
All night you're talking to God
Any other, any other way
I cannot explain it
Any other, any other way
Any other, any other way
I cannot explain it
Any other, any other way
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Matt Berringer was recently interviewed as saying the song speaks to the current dark state of affairs the US is experiencing politically with the rise of dark ethno-nationalistic elements selling people a twisted hate-based faith of sorts. He said the song is about the "darkness before the dawn" in that the system (our society) can only be motivated and inspired to break free and grow out of this divisive hatred, this dark faith, in the most trying, darkest of times (that inspiration being the "dreams" he alludes to). He says that he can tell that "somebody sold you (sic: on some terrible twisted ideology)", being taken aback because he thought we were impervious to the mistakes of history (i.e., "we said we wouldn't be fooled by nefarious elements of society...we wouldn't let them in...but you did."). He says the only cure for this new dark time we've found ourselves in is to eradicate this twisted dark faith many have become beholden to (i.e., "Loss of no other faith is light enough for this place").
@rog27 Could both of the last two interpretations be correct, could he be describing DID and wondering if, on some level, our nation is behaving in much the same way as someone with DID.
@rog27 Could both of the last two interpretations be correct, could he be describing DID and wondering if, on some level, our nation is behaving in much the same way as someone with DID.
Rog27 is correct. ‘The system’ is the political mindset or zeitgeist of the people. The song is about how the people have allowed evil to surface (Trump becoming president) and how there must be some kind of evil magic working in the darkness to allow this happen.
Maybe I listen more than you think (I’m aware of this underbelly of evil) And I can tell that somebody sold you (You’ve been swayed toward the evil) We said we’ve never let anyone in (We thought we could contain the evil within us) We said we’d only die of lonely secrets
The system only dreams in total darkness (The mindset of the people is influenced by a hidden evil) Why are you hiding from me? We’re in a different kind of thing now (The evil has risen to the surface) All night you’re talking to God (By some evil magic (god) that I can’t explain)
I thought that this would all work out after a while (If I ignored this underbelly of evil it might just go away) Now you’re saying that I’m asking for too much attention (But now the evil have surfaced I’m speaking out now and nobody will listen) Also no other faith is light enough for this place (Being good isn’t strong enough to defeat this evil now the people have been ‘sold’)
Evil has surfaced, the mindset of the people has switched in favour of the evil, and I’m so shocked that it has happened. It’s like some kind of evil magic. I can’t explain it any other way.
@hattonthegreat
@hattonthegreat
@hattonthegreat
@hattonthegreat
Yeah, the singer is lamenting how we have let the dark side take over. Wonderful song even if very dark lyric wise.
Yeah, the singer is lamenting how we have let the dark side take over. Wonderful song even if very dark lyric wise.
This band just gets better and better. Nobody will ever convince me tgatbthese are months greatest band on the planet.
A system is a name for the group of identities/personalities who make up the whole person of someone who has dissociative identity (previously known as multiple personality) disorder. So I'm guessing that's what the song is about. Also, the system/whole person often refers to themself/selves as we, as crops up in the lyric. The various identities are sometimes in agreement and sometimes in conflict. Some might be awake while others sleep. Total darkness is when they all dream.
@ali1053051 if this where only about the title of the song then I would say you are on to something, but your theory fails to address any of the rest of the song. I tried applying it myself, but couldn't.
@ali1053051 if this where only about the title of the song then I would say you are on to something, but your theory fails to address any of the rest of the song. I tried applying it myself, but couldn't.
@ali1053051 My interpretation still holds up. The alters and/or host are aware of each other, sometimes communicating. They have previously agreed to keep their condition secret - often happens. But one of them, probably the dominant one, has found religion, confessed to God, is praying at night.
@ali1053051 My interpretation still holds up. The alters and/or host are aware of each other, sometimes communicating. They have previously agreed to keep their condition secret - often happens. But one of them, probably the dominant one, has found religion, confessed to God, is praying at night.
@ali1053051 is spot on. I have DID and this song is a perfect explanation of the feelings we have and live with daily. The lines "We said we’ve never let anyone in. We said we’d only die of lonely secrets" refer to the purpose of alters. Their job is to protect the individual from any memories of the traumas they experienced. As @ali1053051 says an individual will refer to themselves as we/they. I have done this my entire life without knowing or receiving a diagnosis until two years ago. The alters may not be aware of the other alters and...
@ali1053051 is spot on. I have DID and this song is a perfect explanation of the feelings we have and live with daily. The lines "We said we’ve never let anyone in. We said we’d only die of lonely secrets" refer to the purpose of alters. Their job is to protect the individual from any memories of the traumas they experienced. As @ali1053051 says an individual will refer to themselves as we/they. I have done this my entire life without knowing or receiving a diagnosis until two years ago. The alters may not be aware of the other alters and the host or front alter(s) may not be aware of the alters at all. They all exist in secret hiding the memories of the trauma(s) that each holds. They will never let anyone in to learn the secrets.
The brain creates the alters to absorb the pain of the trauma that is too overwhelming to the child experiencing the trauma. The emotions attach to memories and are stored in the brain differently than regular long or short term memories.
The line “We said we’d only die of lonely secrets” is particularly moving for me. I know very little of the experiences that caused these alters to develop. I remember only short pieces of most of my childhood. The alters hold these secrets and will die holding them. These emotions and the attached memories will not be given over easily. “I can tell that somebody sold you” means to me that an alter revealed something that all were committed to dying without revealing to an outside influence, perhaps a therapist or triggering event.
“Why are you hiding from me?” is what I think every second of the day, since I learned about my alters. It is my life but they will not tell me anything about my life. They hold onto these memories and emotions that are mine, but I now know about them. It is a game changer. “We’re in a different kind of thing now” which is how I feel knowing that they exist and that they are protecting me but hiding secrets.
Dreams are hope. We say we dream of one day… Expressing our hope for the future. Hope for the future only exists where there are no people, things, or feelings. Total darkness is the hope of me/us to someday have no experience, thoughts, or feelings. The bliss of nothingness. Safe and protected. I am listening to a god, my psychoanalyst, who is opening these secrets that “no other faith is light enough for this place.”
Lyrics, like great poetry and art, express things that can’t be said or captured in thought. They are too fleeting and ephemeral. This song is that for me. It is illuminating but impossible to comprehend using normal thought. “I cannot explain it Any other, any other way”
He is basically saying that he can tell that something is going on with his lover with the first 2 lines. Then with lines 3 and 4 he is referring to the social compact that they supposedly shared in that they wouldn't let anything or anyone come in between them, clearly implying that "she" has done just this. Saying that "we said we'd only die of lonely secrets" is saying that I thought we both understood that the only thing that could break our compact is keeping secrets from eachother.
The line "the system only dreams in total darkness" the system is the relationship kind of like a "social system" and darkness is the lack of proper communication between them tying into the first lines and the "dreams" are the scattered failing line of proper communication between them. Causing the very nature of the relationship to decay and change into something that is unrecognizable from the original and something that cannot last. Also eluded to by the line 'we're in a different kind of thing now."
He seems to make it clear that "she" has been evangelized by lines 2 and 8. But I doubt he would be so direct more likely that he is using "God" as a euphemism for something he sees and cultish or religious in nature that is coming between them and causing her to cut him off. She is "hiding" from him because she has put her new "faith" first and deflects to him saying he is wanting too much "attention."
The most confusing line in the whole song is "Loss of no other faith is light enough for this place." As far as i can tell by "this place" he means the new corrupted, failing state of their relationship, and by the rest of the line he seems to mean that whatever dogma has infested her psyche that despite what ever kind of deflecting or blaming she may be doing in order to negate her responsibility in the situation that this thing, this dogma or religion or whatever it is is clearly a sufficient explanation for the new "system."
@alternateview I think you are definitely on the right track, this song is all about a relationship which is being tested and in a very perilous place. Its a very adult relationship that has many years of history, that was once built on a very sensible agreement built on honesty, as your assessment of the line "we said we only died of lonely secrets" states. The agreement is that they would always tell each other everything, and lonely secrets imply that one person is planning or dreaming of something outside of their relationship.
@alternateview I think you are definitely on the right track, this song is all about a relationship which is being tested and in a very perilous place. Its a very adult relationship that has many years of history, that was once built on a very sensible agreement built on honesty, as your assessment of the line "we said we only died of lonely secrets" states. The agreement is that they would always tell each other everything, and lonely secrets imply that one person is planning or dreaming of something outside of their relationship.
I have a slightly different...
I have a slightly different perspective in that I think his wife is unhappy, "maybe I listen more than you think" being a clue, and possibly seeing someone else behind his back, or at least dreaming of it, as she may have been convinced by someone, "I can tell someone sold you", may imply.
The line "the system only dreams in total darkness" again reiterates that that breakdown of the relationship is the cause for this "dreaming" of a different life, maybe with someone else or maybe just away from him, as in divorce.
"All night you're talking to God", is simply stating that his wife is going through the emotional turmoil of making this decision, and may be turning to God or whatever, to help guide her decision.
It seems in the next verse that he is fighting for her and was hopeful, "I thought this would all work out after a while", but she has put up a wall and there is nothing he can say to influence her decision, she is going to make up her mind on her own and doesn't want to hear any more from him, "Now you're saying that I'm asking for too much attention".
That said he throws out one final plea, "Loss of no other faith is light enough for this place". What he is saying as that so long as she has not become faithful to someone else, there is still still sufficient "light" or hope that their relationship can survive.
He is definitely feeling a bit defeated and without options, other than trying to explain it to her via this song and hopefully creating a paradigm shift in her thinking, "I cannot explain it, any other way".
@alternateview I actually see this more as an unhealthy co-dependant type of relationship. Where he says, “we’d only die of lonely secrets” I see that as two people whose relationship is built on misery. Basically, we both have no self-worth, and no purpose, but we’re ok if we’re together. However, somewhere along the line she’s finding somekind of hope or purpose in something and he’s saying, “wait, this system only works in total darkness. How can I continue being miserable with you if you’re not miserable anymore?” I think he’s afraid that if she begins to get some self-worth, she’ll...
@alternateview I actually see this more as an unhealthy co-dependant type of relationship. Where he says, “we’d only die of lonely secrets” I see that as two people whose relationship is built on misery. Basically, we both have no self-worth, and no purpose, but we’re ok if we’re together. However, somewhere along the line she’s finding somekind of hope or purpose in something and he’s saying, “wait, this system only works in total darkness. How can I continue being miserable with you if you’re not miserable anymore?” I think he’s afraid that if she begins to get some self-worth, she’ll leave him. But that’s just my two cents.
I believe hattonthegreat has made an interesting point - but I wish rog27 would post a link or other reference to the interview, as I'm not having any luck searching for it. I like to examine the most authorative sources without intervening interpretations.
Having learned a bit about Matt Berringer's politics, I don't doubt hatton's interpretation as to what points the song is trying to make. It is a great song BTW in my opinion, and the live performance is extremely powerful.
As to the "evil Mr. Trump" I would like to contribute my favorite saying on that topic: "No evil is done in the name of evil." In case you are thinking that I'm agreeing with hatton, I am not. On the other side of the street, you look much the same to us. Strangely, the song is just as compelling from my viewpoint as it appears to be from yours.
So tell me brother, if we continue to call each other "evil" are we headed to a good place? Or are we headed to different sides of a war? My suggestion is that we start by admitting our own side is not all good and the opposing side is not all evil. Otherwise there is no point in trying to communicate with each other.
As to the song, I think the National has written a powerful piece that just might get things moving in the right direction, if not exactly the direction they may have intended. Sometimes miracles happen that way.
@soundingboard are you still out there? Yes, of course if we continue to call each other "evil" (and assuming you're also an American) we are headed to different sides of a war. And war is hell, but sometimes it's necessary (although more often, it isn't, even while it's happening). But I now ask you this: If a global evil came into the world, how would you recognize it? Would it show itself by breaking down barriers between all people, or by dividing them? Would it enrich the wealthiest of us, or those who have the least and suffer because of...
@soundingboard are you still out there? Yes, of course if we continue to call each other "evil" (and assuming you're also an American) we are headed to different sides of a war. And war is hell, but sometimes it's necessary (although more often, it isn't, even while it's happening). But I now ask you this: If a global evil came into the world, how would you recognize it? Would it show itself by breaking down barriers between all people, or by dividing them? Would it enrich the wealthiest of us, or those who have the least and suffer because of it? Would it build up the parts of our society that focus on the differences between peoples, or those that focus on the commonalities? And would it foster a proliferation of thought, or accept only those who themselves accept a sanctioned "truth"?
You likely know how I would answer these. If we can't agree on most of the answers to these questions, then we are absolutely, inevitably, headed for a second civil war, fought on largely the same tortured societal territory as the first. Perhaps this will be our legacy; a nation perpetually moving toward yet another spasm of violence, if not living through one.