Every pupil in the classroom will answer the same if you ask them
Every mouth shout the message out as one
Every girl weeps like the willow, every boy cries into his pillow
Every tear disappears in the morning sun
You don't need an indie song to figure out what's going on

Tell me that I'm normal, tell me that I'm sane
Tell me that you feel this too
All the dreams that we have had are gonna prove that we're not mad to you

Every nose is a vacuum cleaner in the loved-up London arena
Every eye flies a dollar sign for me
Every tongue will wag if you want it, every lung has a shadow on it
Every heart comes apart at the seams
You don't need a mastermind to read between the long white lines

Tell me that I'm normal, tell me that I'm sane
Tell me that you feel this too
All the dreams that we have had are gonna prove that we're not mad to you

Well we all need reassurance as we play life's game of endurance
Like a nice cup of tea or a cigarette
But don't lean too long on your crutches or you'll fall straight into the clutches
Of those who see free expression as a threat
You don't need a law degree to set your mind and spirit free

So tell me what the hell is normal and who the hell is sane?
And why the hell care anyway?
All the dreams that we have had are gonna prove that we're all mad and that's okay


Lyrics submitted by Nelly, edited by TheBluestCrowe

Mastermind Lyrics as written by Neil Hannon

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Mastermind song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    One of their greatest songs in my opinion, and criminally overlooked!

    Lazy_wolf_eyeson May 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I completely agree with you, actually the regeneration album is probs my favourite of theirs! After a good 12 months I heard this song and it conjured up exactly how I felt when I used to listen to it, weird, but then some songs do that. I interpret this song as basically as an assessment of society, how we all share common feelings and how even though we all may feel alone, we are not alone in this feeling.

    Anyway thats how I interpreted it...

    BOYAFRAID5on June 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    My god. I thought it was about someone addicted to cocaine

    gonzaga100on May 30, 2021   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is actually one of Hannon\'s most desperate songs. It laments the way individuals either choose, or are forced into, conformity. It questions why people need to feel like everyone else, either because of loneliness or personal insecurity. Every pupil will give the same answer for fear of sounding different, and cry in private because it\'s not acceptable to feel unhappy or isolated. Everyone is using the same drugs and emotional props to gain peer approval. Ultimately, Hannon claims this crowd-mentality stifles free will and creativity. It can even be exploited by powerful political forces, which deem individual expression as potentially revolutionary. Right from childhood, social pressures encourage people to think like everyone else and don\'t rock the boat. It\'s a bleak message and consequently many of Hannon\'s fans prefer his more positive, jolly albums. They want everything to be nice, happy and on-message. No wonder he openly attacks them in the middle of the song, although their mass adoration ironically means more money for him!

    LeeHoldon April 05, 2022   Link

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