Incubus – A Certain Shade of Green

• 0
  General Comment:"You've been raised in limitations
  But that glove never fit quite right
  The time has passed for hand-me-downs
  Choose a new; please evolve; take flight"
  
  Ive always interpreted this line as a refrence to religion. Being "Raised in limitations" refers to growing up in a religious household, where you're taught to live one way and that way only or you are wrong.
  
  "But that glove never fit quite right" As a child you feel as if you have to believe in religion or you are a terrible person, but as you get older some realize religion doesn't really fit their lifestyle' personality, etc.
  
  "Time has passed for Hand-me-downs, Choose a new, please evolve; take flight."
  
  This is saying how its finally time to take a stand against all these traditions and beliefs were raised to follow. How its time to expand your mind and take in new ways that the earth could have been made, like through science.

  Flag JonahC6on February 04, 2013   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:first tym i heared dis song i was 19 something im 24 now, back den i never cared for d lyrics as long it was good to my ears, subliminal stuff maybe, incubus is really good u can make their song turn table and still have meaning, for me dey r einstien of music dey have 2 version lounge n d loud 1 both have different meaning when listened to, for me d song means- u dont need to be high to be different n see clearly

  Flag kotrapalon August 12, 2012   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:I don't even have to explain the meaning verbatim, they say it perfectly in this verse:
  
  Are you gonna stand around 'til 2012 a.d?
  What are you waitin' for
  A certain shade of green?
  
  .... We're almost to the finish line, hang in there everyone!

  Flag DuncanIdahoTPFon June 16, 2012   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:This song is great, first because it raises a question in the listeners mind..What am I waiting for? This could mean your future, your wife, a Job, anything that you want to do, but have not been persistant. On a social and spiritual level this song could mean alot more. I believe Incubus is trying to tell us something, we are all beginning to realize or be taught, that our planet can no longer and has not been able to support all of the humans alive. While the spaceman survives, the people at the bottom will starve to death. Our planet is overused and in 2008 there were over a billion people malnourished or starving. If we continue to wait and not choose to save ourselves, we will certainly perish, and since we have not choose anew, all we can do now is minimize the damage that has already begun.
  
  -Jimmy Barnes, 5th year student @ University of Missouri, St Louis.

  Flag ChiponMyShoulderon January 20, 2012   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:Exactly as triphip said. That is the meaning of the song. Everything else is misleading and is an insult to the artist's message.

  Flag ahviamusicomon October 08, 2011   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  Song Meaning:Alot of you guys are still missing the point. Drugs, driving, jealousy are all just reatarted. The song being about procrastination is right, but it's not really about personal procrastination. It's about us as an entire race, the human race. I am pretty sure he is referring to capatalism/money/greed and all the evils in society. How we are polluting the earth, and know it, but doing nothing about it. He's talking about changing our entire society, living peaceful and with the same goals, where are humans are truely created equal in social status, race, gender whatever... Here is an example from the song:
  "You've been raised in limitations
  But that glove never fit quite right
  The time has passed for hand-me-downs
  Choose a new; please evolve; take flight"
  
  Here is referring to the environment most all of us are raised into. Most of us don't have much of a choice. A muslim is born muslim, a christian is born christian, and money grubbing selfish ass parent teaches their child the same values. So "that glove never fit quite right" meaning these values are wrong, are old traditions that need to change, evolve, because people are using them for excuses to not change and the world is being damaged, and so are our souls. The next few lines are self-evident.
  
  
  
  

  Flag triphip2on August 31, 2011   Link

  • 1 Reply Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
    0

    Thank you for clearing that up. I can't believe some of the shit people are posting... I just joined the site tonight looking for "6 underground" lyrics by sneaker pimps. I saw the comments and could not bare seeing the meaning being tainted so badly. Indeed the song on its own can be open to interpretation but then I saw the original video clip and that made it very clear. Tool, Incubus, System of a down, and countless others were/are ready to move the fuck on and I'm forever grateful to have access to such powerful, quality music. A lot has happened this year and I'm not sure where mankind is heading but it feels like something big will happen soon. Not because of the whole 2012 debate (although that may well influence the beginning of a new beginning...) but because of the waking of some nations and people. Peace

    Flag ahviamusicomon October 08, 2011  
• 0
  General Comment:just fyi, artist have been making metaphoric songs to apply to multiple ppl with multiple meanings since the beginning of music. allot of ppl can relate to this song with different interpretations, thats why its a classic..

  Flag mixmasterpittyon March 22, 2011   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• +2
  General Comment:I always felt it's a song urging progression for one to move on to try and achieve happiness or ones goals/dreams. "What are you waiting for? A certain shade of green?" as someone waiting for everything to be perfect before starting work but something is always off so they continuously procrastinate for various reasons.. Song urges that the time to go and achieve your goals and get your desires is now. "2012 ad" could be are you going to do nothing until the year comes? or simply are you going to procrastinate and do nothing until you die?
  
  Some other good interpretations here though.

  Flag zakbrownon February 22, 2011   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• -1
  General Comment:Dude its not about weed! 2012AD. aliens bitches and the end of the world! Ponder that!!!

  Flag ShantiViruson December 23, 2010   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  Song Meaning:my meaning is although you had some great one the green does mean go and you'll are take to long procastinating and when you do that you certainly do choose last i love brandon he so cute love him voice is so amazing and beautiful.

  Flag dp9241loveron December 23, 2010   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!