Bad Religion – Sanity

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Send "Sanity" Ringtone to Cell

There's a watch in my pocket and its hands are broken
The face is blank but the gears are turning
Confusion is a fundamental state of mind
It doesn't really matter what I'm figuring out
I'm guaranteed to wind up in a state of doubt
And sanity is a full-time job
In a world that is always changing
And sanity is a state of mind that you believe in
Sanity

There's a shadow on the wall where the paint is peeling
My body's moving forward but my mind is reeling
Depression is a fundamental state of being
It doesn't really matter how my day has turned out
I always end up living in this world of doubt

Send "Sanity" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by oofus

Track duration: 02:45

"Sanity" as written by Brett Gurewitz

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Sanity song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:That first/second line is a nice metaphor for someone who is going insane. The face is blank but the gears are turning. The watch, like the person isn't showing you what's going on!

    Sanity is a full time job in a world that is always changing - I guess that means the person has to work at being normal. And they can't rely on the shifting mess of the outside world, and (implied) they must work from within.

    The shadow on the wall where the paint is peeling isn't as obvious to me and I want to say it's just prose, invoking solitude. Things you notice when you've got nothing else to do.
    Flag leemodon January 31, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think we have to work hard on ourselves to be sane, it's hard to understand what's going on around us.
    confusion and depression are part of the process when you are looking for your own path
    Flag thebagronon July 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think he is talking about his attempt to find truth. The more he digs for it, the more he questions it, until he is unsure of what the truth really is. Also I think he his conceives of sanity as having an understanding of the truth, which to him is an idealistic goal that he feels he cannot realistically attain.

    Thoughts?
    Flag chikenleggon August 25, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think this song speaks to anyone who suffers from Philosophical Insanity from time to time. When the Universegod pays your logic and perception a visit, punishing you for daring to drop your daily delusions.
    Flag Consciousnesson January 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's saying [eg: at the start] that you will always question something, you will always get confused. Then it goes on to say do you believe in sanity? what is sanity? I'm guessing an insane person is defined as someone who doesn't know wrong from right. Like I said before, you always get moments wondering, so that means we have moments of "insanity". You have to keep working, to not be confused.
    Flag DJgifon May 08, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Visuals??, so there IS a video of this song.
    Flag TheSamePersonon July 24, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is about maintaining your sanity even while everything else about you is crazy and how hard it is. I love this song. Awesome visuals
    Flag TaytorToton February 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:bad religion rules. hah hah ha. well im outie..bye
    Flag i_failed_preschoolon December 08, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:you all i mean not the band
    Flag A .Don December 08, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Only one comment?
    Idiots
    Flag A .Don December 08, 2005   Link

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