In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
The lunatic is on the grass
The lunatic is on the grass
Remembering games and daisy chains and laughs
Got to keep the loonies on the path
The lunatic is in the hall
The lunatics are in my hall
The paper holds their folded faces to the floor
And every day the paper boy brings more
And if the dam breaks open many years too soon
And if there is no room upon the hill
And if your head explodes with dark forbodings too
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon
The lunatic is in my head
The lunatic is in my head
You raise the blade, you make the change
You rearrange me ' till I'm sane
You lock the door
And throw away the key
There's someone in my head but it's not me
And if the cloud bursts thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon
The lunatic is on the grass
Remembering games and daisy chains and laughs
Got to keep the loonies on the path
The lunatic is in the hall
The lunatics are in my hall
The paper holds their folded faces to the floor
And every day the paper boy brings more
And if the dam breaks open many years too soon
And if there is no room upon the hill
And if your head explodes with dark forbodings too
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon
The lunatic is in my head
The lunatic is in my head
You raise the blade, you make the change
You rearrange me ' till I'm sane
You lock the door
And throw away the key
There's someone in my head but it's not me
And if the cloud bursts thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by mellowcat
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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I agree with and have even been influenced by a lot of people in these comments, but I thought I would give my two cents!
The album as a whole is about human life. More specifically, how absurd and full of nonsense it is. Brain Damage in particular tells how our society dictates the so-called "proper" ways to behave.
The first stanza describes a person standing on grass, likely alluding to "keep off grass signs," yearning for their youth when everything was fun and carefree. They are not obeying the boundaries set by society -- deviating from the norm if you will. Through society's lenses, this person is a lunatic and must be kept "on the path," literally meaning the sidewalk beside the grass and figuratively representing staying in line with what is deemed acceptable.
The second stanza again mentions lunatics, but this time they are said to be "in the hall" and "in my hall," meaning that so-called “crazy” people are everywhere around us, even in our own homes. The next verse goes: "the paper holds their folded faces to the floor, and everyday the paperboy brings more." I don't think this is depicting people being stuck to the floor with pieces of paper, but rather how people read newspapers; their heads craned down "to the floor." This line is about the media telling us how to think, with a constant wave of information being forced upon us everyday through news, magazines, advertisements etc.
The dam breaking in the next part of the song is likely meant to represent a catastrophe that society is unprepared for. In this situation, only those deemed most valuable by society's rules are kept safe "on the hill" while everyone else is left out to drown in the flood. Even without such an event happening, people can be overwhelmed with grim thoughts and the stresses of modern life. If these things happen, you'll end up "on the dark side of the moon."
But what is the dark side of the moon? Unfortunately I have yet to fully develop my interpretation of this verse. I think that throughout the album the sun and moon represent spiritual light and dark. For the context of this song, I think the dsotm represents the unknown, as in "if the dam breaks/your head explodes, we don't really know what will happen to you.
I think we all agree that the next stanza depicts a metaphorical lobotomy. The "lunatic" in the singer/narrator's head is their uniqueness and individuality that steps out of line from the norm. The singer's mind is indefinitely reconditioned to be "normal," and the singer laments how this new personality is not who they truly are.
Then, another stanza describing catastrophe. This time a “cloud bursts thunder in your ear.” I think this is meant to convey how society can occasionally screw you over and how individual struggles usually go unnoticed, thus “you shout and no one seems to hear.” The next part of the stanza seems to be interpreted as a Syd Barrett reference, but I personally don’t see it that way. I’ve always thought the band playing different tunes resembles the world changing rapidly and certain people not being able to adjust. Once again, you’ll end up on the dark side of the moon, in the unknown. Ultimately, I think it is amazing how one song can inspire so many interpretations. It just goes to show that lyrics resonate with everyone in different ways. After all, we’re all lunatics!