People won't be people
When they hear this sound
That's been glowing in the dark at the edge of town

People won't be people
No, the people won't be people when they hear this sound
Won't you show me what begins at the edge of town

People won't be people
When they hear this sound
That's been glowing in the dark at the edge of town

People won't be people
No, the people won't be people when they hear this sound
Won't you show me what begins at the edge of town

Singer is a crook, whoa, ey, oh
Singer is a crook, whoa, ey, oh
Singer is a crook, whoa, ey, oh
Singer is a crook, whoa, ey, oh

Kitchen is the cook, whoa, ey, oh
Scissors are the barbers, whoa, ey, oh
Singer is a crook, whoa, ey, oh
The chorus full of actors

People won't be people
When they hear this sound
That's been glowing in the dark at the edge of town

People won't be people
No, the people won't be people when they hear this sound
Won't you show me what begins at the edge of town

People won't be people
When they hear this sound
That's been glowing in the dark at the edge of town

People won't be people
No, the people won't be people when they hear this sound
Won't you show me what begins at the edge of town

Singer is a crook, whoa, ey, oh
Singer is a crook, whoa, ey, oh
Singer is a crook, whoa, ey, oh
Singer is a crook, whoa, ey, oh

Kitchen is the cook, whoa, ey, oh
Scissors are the barbers, whoa, ey, oh
Singer is a crook, whoa, ey, oh
The chorus full of actors

People won't be people
When they hear this sound
That's been glowing in the dark at the edge of town

People won't be people
No, the people won't be people when they hear this sound
Won't you show me what begins at the edge of town

People won't be people
When they hear this sound
That's been glowing in the dark at the edge of town

People won't be people
No, the people won't be people when they hear this sound
Won't you show me what begins at the edge of town



Lyrics submitted by Cubizmo

Track duration: 07:07

"Atlas" as written by Tyondai/williams Braxton

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Atlas song meanings
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70 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:in the beginning of the song, when there in like whispering, there are no actual words being said. it's just a gutiar note being runed though a looping device. there's no language being spoken in the beginning.
    Flag maxubeton May 31, 2011   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation:I think this song is Battles commenting on the use of technology in music diminishing or changing the role of musicians. People aren't people when they hear the sound, because the sound is so dehumanised after being run through machines.

    The singer is a crook, because he can be replaced by a machine that does his job better. The theme in the second verse is about the tools taking over the role of the person who uses the tools - the scissors become the barbers, the kitchen becomes the cook. It's a statement about "what begins at the edge of town" - a musical movement outside the mainstream that challenges the traditionally-defined role of musicians.
    Flag bittersweetmeon April 15, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Frightening song.
    Flag countess of persiaon April 07, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"People will be people when they eat a sandwich"
    Most prolific line of 2007?
    Flag bocmaximaon January 03, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't know about the rest of you,

    But this song REALLY REALLY reminds me of Salvia. Lyrics and the sound.

    It's a great song.
    Flag Peeelon June 22, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I thoroughly agree with Skintei, I never once heard the words "town" or "Darkness" in this song, and I also feel the word "forever" (which replaces the aforementioned words) helps to provide a new edge of meaning to this song.

    For Example: reading/hearding

    "People won't be people when they
    hear this sound that's been
    glowing in the dark at the
    edge of the forever"

    gives quite apocalyptic undertones, as in "Humans (or society) will no longer be humans (or society) when the forces that have been brewing in the edges of our understanding or time (as in our length of existence) begin to show themselves", like humanity (or society) will begin to break down when the signs showing our end (the sounds, horsemen (if you want to get biblical)) begin to reveal themselves.

    Then the:

    "Singer is a crook
    Kitchen is a cook"
    etc...

    seems to indicate a certain melodramatic statement of the obvious in our society that we will begin (or are already began) to not notice, (most) Singers earn copious amounts of money, kitchen workers cook, barbers use scissors etc... just a breakdown of humanity or society at a very basic level.

    Even the title itself seems to not the idea of an arcaic world, since the word was once called "Atlas" after the Greek God, that the world will no longer be known as "Planet Earth, inhabited by humans" but simply as "atlas"

    Then again, I could be wrong entirely, but that's your place to judge!
    Flag quigonthehippyon February 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Those sound right to me, except I think that "town" is "forever".
    So it would be:

    People won't be people when they
    hear this sound that's been
    glowing in the dark at the
    edge of the forever
    People won't be people, no, the
    people won't be people, when they
    hear this sound, won't you
    show me what begins at the
    edge of forever?
    Flag Skinteion December 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:No way man.. the whisper in the beginning is Danish: "Is i maven, is i maven, is i maven, is i maven", which means "Ice in your stomach".
    Flag DisguiseDKon October 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i always thought the whispering at the beginning was german... "ich bedeute, ich bedeute, ich bedeute"
    Flag milosc9on September 23, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always thought he was saying "the singer wears a cloak." I don't know though, I can't make out much from this song
    Flag blooryon September 01, 2008   Link

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