When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful
A miracle, oh, it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily
Oh, joyfully, oh, playfully watching me
But then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible
Logical, oh, responsible, practical
Then they showed me a world where I could be so dependable
Oh, clinical, oh, intellectual, cynical

There are times when all the world's asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned?
I know it sounds absurd
Please tell me who I am

I said, now, watch what you say, they'll be calling you a radical
A liberal, oh, fanatical, criminal
Oh, won't you sign up your name? We'd like to feel you're acceptable
Respectable, oh, presentable, a vegetable
Oh, take, take, take it, yeah

But at night, when all the world's asleep
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please (oh, won't you tell me)
Please tell me what we've learned?
(Can you hear me?) I know it sounds absurd
(Oh, won't you tell me) please tell me who I am
Who I am, who I am, who I am

Ooh
Hey

'Cause I was feeling so logical
Yeah
D-D-D-D-D-D-D-Digital
Yeah, one, two, three, five
Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah
Ooh, it's getting unbelievable
Yeah
Getting, getting, yeah, yeah
Uh, uh, uh, uh


Lyrics submitted by Hunter, edited by kwisp, despondent

The Logical Song Lyrics as written by Roger Hodgson Richard Davies

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

The Logical Song song meanings
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80 Comments

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  • +16
    Song Meaning

    This song, quite simply put, is about the society causing us to lose our personalities by making us conform to their standards, turning us into "vegetables". The lyrics are very simple, truthful, and beautiful.

    oeraydinon April 23, 2012   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    For me, it is about the way society prefers to create non thinking robots than facing the age old philosophical and spiritual questions that have been asked since time began.

    I think the the first verse speaks of the first 3 stages of a man's life;

    1. As a child where the world is a magical place.
    2. As a pupil/student where he is taught the rules of society and has his thought processes trained and conditioned.
    3. As an adult where he is shown how to conform and become part of that society. Interstingly the song uses the word shown suggesting that he is not totally part of it (yet).

    The first line of the chorus is suggestive that he either lies awake at night and ponders some of life's deeper questions like "who am I?" and/or that at times the world ie society at large can be totally asleep to these issues.

    The second verse is warning about how society treats people that don't conform. History has shown that society tends to defend its own dogma and status quo quite ruthlessly. Radical thinkers of the day have been ostracized, ridiculed and compromised as well as burned at the stake, hung and crucified for daring to suggest paths and alternative ways of thinking to the masses.

    So, it is much safer and easier to "sign up" and bceome part of society. And as the last line says, to become a vegetable.

    Thankfully, the chorus then kicks in again suggesting that the author/singer isn't going to conform and feels the need to question things and seek answers.

    jaenicollon June 18, 2006   Link
  • +5
    General Comment

    Just continuing the theme, I think it's about the conflict within a person who sees the universe as vastly more beautiful and magical than anything society could hope to define.

    Because what he believes in as an individual conflicts so dramatically with the expectations that society bombards him with over his life , he starts to question the very foundation of his logic.

    When he is alone at the end of the day, his introspection compels him to resolve the conflict and find the truth, and yet he knows he will never be able to. In utter frustration, he hopes/prays that someone will intervene, and make his role in the universe make sense to him.

    Aggie96on March 24, 2005   Link
  • +5
    Song Meaning

    This song to me is about a boy with a great imagination who is forced to "grow up" and let go of the things his society doesn't see as practical and in a way it's about losing touch with who you were once

    AlexPsyduckon May 25, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    He is not allowed to be who he really is as a person because of the expectations put on him by society. He is a man who has lost touch with who he once was and what is really important. My take anyway

    Hildeon April 28, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I agree with maxdog, but I don't think it is necessarily a private school. I think he could be talking about any child growing up in any school.

    Very good song, very catchy.

    RemyKilledElvison July 04, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    its a very strait forward song. its really about the gradual loss of innocence and joy we experiance as children, as we grow into adulthood our minds become conditioned and less receptive consciously and spiritually the logical song illustrates this most eloquently

    andrei069on July 21, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this song is about how as a society we have all sort of settled in, gotten comfortable and stopped progressing. People have gotten into the habit of being content with simple, boring, unchanging lives. Then they get stuck being cynical but respectable. People also have stopped asking deep questions for fear of sounding absurd. I think the growing trend in American politics of embracing fundamental Christian values is a good example of what this song may mean. People find it easier to stop asking questions and being unwilling to learn more because they think they are as content as they will ever be. Some people find a happy place and then refuse to change, and any hint of change makes them go hay wire…sorry if this rant makes no sense.

    startingtorambleon March 27, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    its obviously about the human nature and growing up. when we are young, we are so idealistic and fasinated by everything and have such creatve, beautiful and pure thoughts. but as we grow, society forces it out of us. just my thought.

    Fitzgerald7on April 09, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    For years, I swore this was sung by a girl.

    Envy337on December 24, 2007   Link

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