Lyrics for 2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.) as interpreted by SyntaxLies

2 + 2 = 5 (The Lukewarm.) Lyrics
Are you such a dreamer
To put the world to rights?
I stay home forever
Where two and two always makes a five

I'll lay down the tracks
Sandbag and hide
January has April's showers
And two and two always makes a five

It's the devil's way now
There is no way out
You can scream and you can shout
It is too late now

Because
You have not been
Paying attention
Paying attention
Paying attention
Paying attention
Yeah, I'm not feeling it
Paying attention
Paying attention
Paying attention
Paying attention
Yeah, I need it
I needed attention
I needed attention
I needed attention
I needed attention
Yeah, I love it, the attention
Paying attention
Paying attention
Paying attention

I try to sing along
I get it all wrong
Because I知 not
Because I知 not
I swat them like flies
But like flies the buggers
Keep coming back
But I知 not

Oh, hail to the thief
Oh, hail to the thief
But I'm not
But I'm not
But I'm not
But I'm not
Don't question my authority or put me in the dock
Because I'm not
Because I'm not
Oh, go and tell the king that the sky is falling in
But it's not
But it's not
But it's not
Maybe not
Maybe not

Interaction
Mail to a friend Send Lyrics to a Friend
Share on Facebook

Stumble It
Add to Del.icio.us Add to Del.icio.us




  • 214 Comments
  • Printer Friendly Lyrics
oldest first     Expand All
no_quarter51
12-06-2006

Rated 0 
READ 1984. Radiohead might as well have written a book report on it. The song does have Bush connotations, but then again 1984 does in today's setting. Radiohead wouldn't right a whole album about Bush because they said they'd hate to be limited to that. I think if Thom Yorke really wrote this about Bush he'd have no problem being upfront and saying it. Some people are saying the references are accidental, I don't think they would title a track about a central theme of an extremely important book without noticing. Read the goddamn book.

Log in to reply
richardMc
12-27-2006

Rated 0 
As a matter of fact the phrase 2+2=5 refeers to again 1984 but its not so much a lifestyle thing. it is more refering to this one line in the book
" freedom is the freedom to say 2+2 makes 4 if this is granted all elce follows" therefor what it is saying is that there is no freedom left in the word "two plus two makes five". the line
"Because You have not been
Payin' attention" refers to how we have been fool'd into beliving we have total freedom when in reality we have none.

just my take n the song.

Log in to reply
richardMc
12-27-2006

Rated 0 
As a matter of fact the phrase 2+2=5 refeers to again 1984 but its not so much a lifestyle thing. it is more refering to this one line in the book
" freedom is the freedom to say 2+2 makes 4 if this is granted all elce follows" therefor what it is saying is that there is no freedom left in the word "two plus two makes five". the line
"Because You have not been
Payin' attention" refers to how we have been fool'd into beliving we have total freedom when in reality we have none.

just my take n the song.

Log in to reply
jfk
12-28-2006

Rated 0 
Bush. Nothing but Bush. Bush is the president. How did this happen? You have not been paying attention. It is too late now. You can scream and you can shout, there is no way out. It's the devil's way now.

It is almost a retrospective at the election of the thief. The line "hail to the thief" was taken from a protest sign at Bush's inauguration, the first time this ceremony has been protested. Katharine Harris, Jeb and George W., the three thieves.

"Don't question my authority."

Log in to reply
hypernation
12-31-2006

Rated 0 
"january has april showers" is probably a reference to climate change, which thom is hugely concerned about -- he's a high=profile member of friends of the earth.

Log in to reply
wil555
12-31-2006

Rated 0 
And if you're too dumb to sit down and read one of the best books ever, play Half Life 2. It's kind of the same idea. But with zombies.

Log in to reply
Excelsis
01-27-2007

Rated 0 
In a nut shell this song was written for the 2000 election, but i think it goes deeper than that and is a song about ignorance.

"Are you such a dreamer
To put the world to rights?
I stay home forever
Where two and two always makes a five"

Staying home forever could be interpretted has submitting to a life of genetic fallacy where everything your parents say is right. If you grow yo being told 2+2=5..then you believe 2+2=5 and you will have a hard time accepting 2+2=4.

"It's the devil's way now
There is no way out
You can scream and you can shout
It is too late now"

They price to be paid for ignornace. Because...

"You have not been
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention
Payin' attention "

Ignorance.

Log in to reply
Kid A UK
02-03-2007

Rated 0 
erm...i dunno if this song got the title from it(or where i heurd this) but at 2:25 in the song the whole basis of the song changes. i dunno if it's a coincidence or what

Log in to reply
readmedotexe
02-07-2007

Rated 0 
I agree with everything everyone has ever said regardless of agreement or contradiction. That's why everyone likes me.

Log in to reply
bright_eyes13
02-22-2007

Rated 0 
2+2=5 is a perfect connection to the book 1984 because of the album title: Hail To The Thief. "Hail to he who has stolen our freedom, rights, and memories." This thief would be Big Brother, the totalitarian leader of the country in which Winston, the main character, lives... "2 +2 = 5" is something the government tells the people, and they believe it, even though they know very well that this is incorrect; what the government says, is. No questions asked. Also, the lyrics correspond nearly perfectly with the book and its plot and characters:

Are you such a dreamer (Winston, main character, dreams of rebelling against the government)
To put the world to rights? (Winston rebels against the government in an attempt to set things right)
I stay home forever ("I" could mean anyone else in the world in the setting of the novel - no one ventures out of their "houses", they just stay in line and do what they're told and believe anything that is dished out to them)
Where two and two always makes a five (no one questions what the government tells them; the whole line would translate as "I'm not going to rebel against the government; I just devour any information they give me, right or wrong)


January has April's showers (another example of something that the government in the setting of 1984 would tell the people, even though they know it's not true)
And two and two always makes a five (obvious)

It's the devil's way now (the devil would be Big Brother, the totalitarian leader of Oceania, where Winston lives)
There is no way out (the government controls all, there's no escaping it)
You can scream and you can shout (Winston is imprisoned and tortured for rebelling. He screams and shouts, but the torture persists)
It is too late now (Winston has already committed the "crime" of rebellion - it's too late now)

Everything fits... it makes much more sense if you've read the novel... my descriptions are vague... if you've read the book, they make sense.

Hail To The Thief corresponds well with the novel in general.

Log in to reply
bright_eyes13
02-22-2007

Rated 0 
Oh, P.S. this song's also about the 2000 Bush election - Thom seems to think Bush cheated the election, thus, Hail To The Thief. It ties in both ways. Kind of an anti-government song in general. Brilliant.

Oh. Fun musical fact: It starts out in 7/8 and goes to 4/4 about midway... you can hear it in the drums if you listen closely; my musically uneducated older brother thought the CD skipped. :]

Log in to reply
Invader Z?
03-23-2007

Rated 0 
He says "Don't question my authority or put me in the BOX."
And this is definitely a reference to 1984, one of my favorite novels.

Log in to reply
Invader Z?
03-26-2007

Rated 0 
I think, in continuation of the 1984 allusion, that the alternate title (The Lukewarm) refers to how everyone in that world was neither hot nor cold towards the government. There were not anarchistic activists nor government lovers, everybody just complied to what Big Brother told them to do.

Log in to reply
CharlesManson
04-23-2007

Rated 0 
ToxicFool is right!The song is clearly related to the 1984 novel!"Payin' attention" says it all!"Don't question my authority or put me in the dock"......awesome!Great drumming

Log in to reply
skistar123
06-01-2007

Rated 0 
i assuemd that it was referring to 1984, in the third section when Winston is being "cured" by the Party because they think he his mad - a lot of the song referrs to how they can controll whatever they want like "January has April's showers" or "Oh, go and tell the king that the sky is falling in," and there is a hint of 'wanting to be cured' "I try to sing along
I get it all wrong," and at the end acceptance: "Oh, go and tell the king that the sky is falling in
But it's not
But it's not
But it's not
Maybe not
Maybe not"

Log in to reply
lulu17mm
06-08-2007

Rated 0 
i have not read all of the comments, but the most accurate i've seen is the one from bright eyes 13, i came to the same conclusions
also O'Brien constantly tells Winston, 'You have not been paying attention,' when he's torturing him and trying to 'cure' his rebelliousness frm Big Brother.
This contributes much to the theme of the story and this phrase used like the climax of the song has a fabulous effect
I swat them like flies but like flies the buggers keep coming back - i think this might refer to the rats Winston confronts near the end of his torture which symbolize the government, who is always haunting the citizens
"Don't question my authority of put me in the dock cuzimnot"- This might be Big Brother saying not to threaten him, because he has so much control over you, the same with politicians
Go & tell the king that the sky is falling in when it's not- I could only guess that this might have to do with George Bush starting the war because of the supposed weapons of mass destruction that a lot of us doubted were there in the first place??

also 'the lukewarm' might allude to apocalypse 3:16
"But because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth. "
This might be a social commentary on the weakness in our positions.
I can guess Winston was lukewarm because as O'Brien told him, he was not 'good' because he would commit atrocities following his hatred of the party. And we can all be lukewarm in our attempt to cure society from a wrong. We will always be lukewarm and never pure nor completely evil.

mm.. if you see the video from this song, pigs are torturing bony cattle. The cattle is even crucified while the pigs fornicate and fulfill other pleasures. This might allude to 'Animal Farm' another book by George Orwell where the pigs represent the government , the bony cattle represents us and how we have been starved to feed the greedy, piggy mouths of the politicians, the elitist theory

Log in to reply
severalways
06-09-2007

Rated 0 
i love 1:53 and 2:25 (what a coincidence? 2+2=5)
awesome! i just read 1984...neat references

Log in to reply
Artemisian
07-19-2007

Rated 0 
Invader Z?: "I think, in continuation of the 1984 allusion, that the alternate title (The Lukewarm) refers to how everyone in that world was neither hot nor cold towards the government. There were not anarchistic activists nor government lovers, everybody just complied to what Big Brother told them to do."

... have you /read/ 1984? You say you have, but you seem to have missed a vital point.

There was no 'lukewarm' in emotions towards the government. You loved Big Brother, period. The only other choice was hatred, and you either died or were turned.

Log in to reply
JoshuaChodyko
07-20-2007

Rated 0 
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS ABOUT!!!!! I was watching a movie called farenheight 9/11 and this song is so about bush!!!! on bushes enoguration ceremony thousands of people showed up throwing eggs and yelling "HAIL TO THEIF!!!" it is about how bush stole AL's presidency. watch it and you will understand!!!

Log in to reply
baseballwt6490
08-18-2007

Rated 0 
This song is not about George Bush. Radiohead has stated on multiple occasions that, "It would be far too easy for us to insult George Bush." It's clearly written about 1984.

Log in to reply
troupis
08-27-2007

Rated 0 
This song is clearly a direct reference to George Orwell's 1948 novel, 1984. In 1984, a strict authoritarian government controls every aspect of the society in a mega-country called Oceania in its spiral toward crushing poverty. Citizens are watched at all times and are quickly taken away for insurrection or any hint of expression of otherminded opinion.

Everyone in Oceania behaves as if he or she loves the government, called Big Brother, but it is simply because the government brainwashes all of the children into engaging in doublethink, the ability to hold two conflicting views on something but acting only upon one: the one chosen by Big Brother and enforced cruelly. All of the media is controlled and distorted by the media, hisory is constantly rewritten, and nobody seems to notice

One man in the society has a secret relationship with a young woman and is taken away by the government and tortured to the point of death. His mind is changed permanently and he is released, only to be silently shot while sipping Victory Brand Gin.


The beginning of this song is from the view of the conforming member of Oceania. He questions your ability to dream of something greater than this, and pledges to stay here where nothing makes sense and nothing madders.

The main character is running to hide down by the railroad, expressing his confusion and anger at the nonsense the government expects him to believe.

He realizes that there is no hope for him now that he has disobeyed, that it is too late to take it back. You can scream and shout, but nothing and nobody will help you.

The government then reprimands the man for disobeying by barbarically torturing him, telling him that he has not been paying attention to the rules of life in Oceania.

This tortured man now laments that he cannot be one of the mindless followers. He tries to go along with it, tries to sing along, but he gets it all wrong because he's not one of the sheep.

He pledges his allegiance the government that robs him, the thief. He screams "But I'm not!" as his last call to be heard, to live lucidly for one moment.

The government tells him to never question their authority and he believes everything that he has been told, becomes totally convinced of the false sense of reality.

The last lines are references to the fact that Oceania was under constant "War" with other powers in order to foster a sense of patriotism among the people, but the man suspected that government had been falsifying the wars in the first place. When patriotism was low, the government would claim that armies were advancing on Oceania, and when it was high, it was kept high by falsified victories.

At the end of the song, the terrible reality is over in an instant.

Log in to reply
Natique
09-10-2007

Rated 0 
I'm surprised only two people mentioned the Animal Farm reference in the video. I haven't read 1984, but to people saying the parallels between the song and the book are just a coincidence, I find it *very* hard to believe radiohead made references to two George Orwell books by accident.

Log in to reply
igotMyxomatosis
09-11-2007

Rated 0 
This is definitely one of my favorite Radiohead songs.
One of the really cool things I found about this song is that it starts in 7/4 time signature, which is not a commonly found time signature. Then it switches to 4/4 time at 1:22.
And I've never read 1984, but I think I'm gonna find this and read it.

Log in to reply
severalways
10-11-2007

Rated 0 
this is just the perfect soundtrack for 1984...PERFECTLY put to music.

Log in to reply
p_money4
10-11-2007

Rated 0 
Has anyone ever read 1984 by George Orwell?
I can't really explain my theory if you haven't read it but this song reminds me of that especially the lines "Are you such a dreamer to put the world to rights?" and also "You can scream and you can shout. It's too late now."

P.S. read the book if nothing else because its fantastic.

Log in to reply




  • Add Your Comments
What does this song mean to you?

You must be logged in to post your comments.

Feel free to create an account with us, or log in with your existing account, to start adding your comments to songs.





Popular
Top:   Lyrics, Artists, Albums
Random:   Lyric, Artist, Album

Your Ad Here