In my opinion, it's about both an optimistic view of human progress and sensory/information overload - a very modern affliction which Byrne and Co have referenced in many songs. He wrote this before the internet was a major influence - but not long before.
He starts by talking about a supposedly relaxing drug that doesn't relax him. Then we move to social interactions full of questions and apologies. The first chorus brings in urban sprawl gone out of control - to the extent that he is pushed up to the 100th floor.
Next verse, the overstimulation is taking its toll - bad coordination, garbled communication, everybody being paranoid. Scumbags and superstars have lost their individual identities in the ubiquitous media circus, obliterating the difference between them. In the chorus, he's talking again about the partying and sex ('I could never keep my trousers up') we use to make ourselves comfortable with the craziness of the world and memories we can't process. Which takes us 'from my bedroom to the stars', but will only take us 'home' if it starts -or stops- making sense ('Are there any pirates on this shıp? ıf they sober up they'll have us home by mornıng')
The bridge is full of ımagery about going out of control, all over the road in 'our sexy machıne' ... technology/intoxication/mass media. the passengers screaming seems like both a disaster and a roller-coaster ride.
The last two stanzas seem to capture the ambition we are using to develop this techno-culture, which 'was not an accident at all'. Seems to imply that if we could connect with each other. 'open your windows up', we could buıld our highway to the stars and find the 'winner number'.
From the 80s, but captures the enthusiasm of the early 90s.
In my opinion, it's about both an optimistic view of human progress and sensory/information overload - a very modern affliction which Byrne and Co have referenced in many songs. He wrote this before the internet was a major influence - but not long before.
He starts by talking about a supposedly relaxing drug that doesn't relax him. Then we move to social interactions full of questions and apologies. The first chorus brings in urban sprawl gone out of control - to the extent that he is pushed up to the 100th floor.
Next verse, the overstimulation is taking its toll - bad coordination, garbled communication, everybody being paranoid. Scumbags and superstars have lost their individual identities in the ubiquitous media circus, obliterating the difference between them. In the chorus, he's talking again about the partying and sex ('I could never keep my trousers up') we use to make ourselves comfortable with the craziness of the world and memories we can't process. Which takes us 'from my bedroom to the stars', but will only take us 'home' if it starts -or stops- making sense ('Are there any pirates on this shıp? ıf they sober up they'll have us home by mornıng')
The bridge is full of ımagery about going out of control, all over the road in 'our sexy machıne' ... technology/intoxication/mass media. the passengers screaming seems like both a disaster and a roller-coaster ride.
The last two stanzas seem to capture the ambition we are using to develop this techno-culture, which 'was not an accident at all'. Seems to imply that if we could connect with each other. 'open your windows up', we could buıld our highway to the stars and find the 'winner number'.
From the 80s, but captures the enthusiasm of the early 90s.