I actually just read something, referenced in another Foals song, about an interview in which Yannis discusses mental illness in his family, and the therapy that the family went through to try to fix things. The impression I got is that his father is/was an emotionally distant person, and that Yannis was in danger of being the same way. I think this song addresses that, and also seem to alter between the thoughts of his father (trying to get away from what he viewed as a "system"), and either Yannis or the therapist(s), or perhaps both, in the verses and choruses, respectively. I get the idea from the chorus that his father believed once, or was told once, that having children would help him change. I think the line is mostly "something won't heal, children can't help you out, a compass can't help you out." Of course, this is just MY theory; only Yannis could tell us for sure.
I actually just read something, referenced in another Foals song, about an interview in which Yannis discusses mental illness in his family, and the therapy that the family went through to try to fix things. The impression I got is that his father is/was an emotionally distant person, and that Yannis was in danger of being the same way. I think this song addresses that, and also seem to alter between the thoughts of his father (trying to get away from what he viewed as a "system"), and either Yannis or the therapist(s), or perhaps both, in the verses and choruses, respectively. I get the idea from the chorus that his father believed once, or was told once, that having children would help him change. I think the line is mostly "something won't heal, children can't help you out, a compass can't help you out." Of course, this is just MY theory; only Yannis could tell us for sure.