Just Let Me Breathe

Dream Theater

Open your eyes
And turn off your mind
Step right up folks
And you will find
A growing trend
An epidemic
Spread with zen
And hypodermics yeah
Yeah

Just close your mind
You can find all you need with your eyes

The big machines take care of you
Until you kill yourself and then
The sales go through the roof
Calculated, formulated
Feed my head with simple thoughts
And let me breathe instead of being taught
All bottled up and tearing at the seams
I'm bored, just let me breathe

A daily dose of eMpTyV
Will flush your mind right down the drain
Shannon Hoon and Kurt Cobain
Make yourself a household name yeah
Yeah

Just close your mind
You can find all you need with your eyes

The big machines take care of you
Until you kill yourself
And then the sales go through the roof
Calculated, formulated
Feed my head with simple thoughts
And let me breathe instead of being taught
All bottled up and tearing at the seams
I'm bored, just let me breathe

Strike up your best angst ridden posture, whoa
Manufactured anger
Let's not forget my legacy
All my heroes have failed me
Now they're dead and buried yeah

Just close your mind
You can find all you need with your eyes

The big machines
Will take care of you
Until the fashion fades
And the checks go through
My bankroll's red
And my face is blue
And still they'll turn their backs on you
For someone new
Feed my head
With some real thoughts
And let me think instead
Of being taught
I'll say things
You won't believe
Just stand back
Just let me breathe


Lyrics submitted by Idan

Just Let Me Breathe Lyrics as written by John Myung Derek G. Sherinian

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Just Let Me Breathe song meanings
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15 Comments

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  • 0
    General Commentim thinking this song is about how the "music industry" works..but its just me ..
    Spartaon September 23, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis song is an all out attack against the forcefed pop music that exists in the mainstream. Basically, they're saying that don't bother thinking about what you like...people will do it for you. Note the references to Cobain (who was exploited by the music industry) and "eMpTyV" (obviously meaning MTV...but I think it was like that so to avoid legal issues). Great song!
    llowellon December 15, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General CommentPortnoy has said he wrote out of anger of the pressure of the label in the creativity process in their early career...e.g. 'Just let me breathe...'
    BitterBoshon May 12, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentListen to Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and then this. A few sections sound suspiciously similar.
    ivduckon July 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Commentwell to me it sounds like he is referring to alot of singers that are gone now. especially kurt cobain. Kurt complained alot about the pressure he was under. and the whole "kill yourself" brings to mind cobain, hendrix, and others. i dunno. thats just me
    siamese monsteron August 24, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI think that this song actually takes a shot a Cobain. The lines,

    "Shannon Hoon and Kurt Cobain,
    Make yourself a household name, yeah-yeah"

    "Until you kill yourself
    And then the sales go through the roof
    Calculated, formulated"

    say that Cobain got more popular and more recognized after his death, and this song makes it sound like a publicity stunt.
    Yaridovichon February 10, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI always found this song kind of ironic, considering that this album, Falling Into Infinity (where this song was on), was basically the album where their record company was trying to push them into mainstream.

    I mean, for god's sake, You Not Me was originally You Or Me. Kind of odd, hm?
    Mikachuon June 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentYou Or Me is freaking awesome as a song. The bridge part is great. You Not Me is just... pathetic.

    This song's "Just close your eyes..." part does sound like Bohemian Rhapsody.
    FlashCEon July 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment"A daily dose of eMpTyV
    Will flush your mind right down the drain"

    Couldn't be more true.
    f15x28on August 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThe big machines... the media, the record label, etc. they they take care of you until you're gone and they can exploit someone else.
    Marquezon July 04, 2007   Link

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