It's interesting to see that a lot of people seem to think this song is about a night worker who sleeps in the day.
Whenever I've heard this song I always get the impression that the song is taken from the perception of one of the big billboard screens that they use in places like New York and London to advertise things or projector screens.
The first verse - this is supposed to be the screen setting the scene, this first verse is nothing to do with the screen apart from the fact that when it's switched on in America, Hong Kong & Taipai are just getting up due to the time delay, also possibly even referring to the place where the screen was made (most of these major signs are made in the middle eastern countries).
Then the next bit carries on about that he sees today with the newsprint fray, night is coloured. During the day these screens are switched off and they go to a dull colour, the same as news papers dull print, and yet in the night the lights go on and they are all there in full bright illuminated colour.
The next verse then is referring to the adverts the screen is showing - the bull and the bear are marking their territories, leading the blind with their international glories - rival companies advertising on numerous signs, all trying to get their loyal followers to buy their products, and even pull in new followers to buy their products, and trying to stay large companies throughout the world (international glories)
The next bit he admits that he is a screen - the blinding light - referring to the fact he is one of these advertising screens and he works at night. The bit before could even be on about the time of replacement - crying because the fluorescent flat caffeine lights are replacing the existing screen, maybe some coffee company paid more to have an advert there, and that it's a furious balancing act for companies to keep their name up in lights.
The final verse could be on about when it's been replaced, and being taken out of the city on one of the trash boats - the ocean machine is set to leave at nine, my bed - the landfill site, is pulling me..., maybe even referring to the landfill compactor squeezing it together (squeeze into heaven and valentine) and pulling it.
That's my thoughts on the actual song every time I hear it, and I think what a really clever song that looks at something that's not real from it's perceptive.
It's interesting to see that a lot of people seem to think this song is about a night worker who sleeps in the day.
Whenever I've heard this song I always get the impression that the song is taken from the perception of one of the big billboard screens that they use in places like New York and London to advertise things or projector screens.
The first verse - this is supposed to be the screen setting the scene, this first verse is nothing to do with the screen apart from the fact that when it's switched on in America, Hong Kong & Taipai are just getting up due to the time delay, also possibly even referring to the place where the screen was made (most of these major signs are made in the middle eastern countries).
Then the next bit carries on about that he sees today with the newsprint fray, night is coloured. During the day these screens are switched off and they go to a dull colour, the same as news papers dull print, and yet in the night the lights go on and they are all there in full bright illuminated colour.
The next verse then is referring to the adverts the screen is showing - the bull and the bear are marking their territories, leading the blind with their international glories - rival companies advertising on numerous signs, all trying to get their loyal followers to buy their products, and even pull in new followers to buy their products, and trying to stay large companies throughout the world (international glories)
The next bit he admits that he is a screen - the blinding light - referring to the fact he is one of these advertising screens and he works at night. The bit before could even be on about the time of replacement - crying because the fluorescent flat caffeine lights are replacing the existing screen, maybe some coffee company paid more to have an advert there, and that it's a furious balancing act for companies to keep their name up in lights.
The final verse could be on about when it's been replaced, and being taken out of the city on one of the trash boats - the ocean machine is set to leave at nine, my bed - the landfill site, is pulling me..., maybe even referring to the landfill compactor squeezing it together (squeeze into heaven and valentine) and pulling it.
That's my thoughts on the actual song every time I hear it, and I think what a really clever song that looks at something that's not real from it's perceptive.