This may not be the best interpretation, but I see it as a song about a journalist.
"Adjectives on the typewriter
He moves his words like a prize fighter
The frenzied pace of the mind inside [the cell]"
--The journalist frantically and (he believes) masterfully manipulates the language, his prize work. The cell could just be the newspaper office, or his cubicle or den. Whatever. "to sell" also works -- gotta sell the paper.
"The man on the street might just as well be
The man on the street might just as well
The man on the street might just as well be"
--He believes he is so much more informed than John Doe. Whether this is true or not is up for grabs; perhaps he is not special and might as well be a man on the street!
"Outside, outside the world
Out there you don't hear the echos and calls"
--The world is ignorant, but our hero knows what's going on!
"But the steel eye,
Tight jaw"
--He's a real hero, really determined to tell the world, to:
"Say it all
Say it all"
"But the white paint,
Plastic saints
Say it all..."
--Not really sure yet... Plastic saints = his personality? "Say it all" is repeated; that's the journalist's creed, to say it all, to tell the whole story.
"Say it all,
Say somebody,
Has got to say it all"
--and that somebody is our hero, the journalist.
"I'm so nervous
I'm so tense
My heart can't forget about this self defense
The air is so hot
and my breath comes fast
I thumb the cool blade but I know this can't last"
--Not really sure -- but, if he is "saying it all" about a corrupt government, as has been speculated, he may have to fight the oppressive "ministries" of information or censors... he is getting high off his rebellion (the high is suggested by "can't last" and the thumbing of a "cool blade" -- very sensory-oriented details)
This may not be the best interpretation, but I see it as a song about a journalist.
"Adjectives on the typewriter He moves his words like a prize fighter The frenzied pace of the mind inside [the cell]" --The journalist frantically and (he believes) masterfully manipulates the language, his prize work. The cell could just be the newspaper office, or his cubicle or den. Whatever. "to sell" also works -- gotta sell the paper.
"The man on the street might just as well be The man on the street might just as well The man on the street might just as well be" --He believes he is so much more informed than John Doe. Whether this is true or not is up for grabs; perhaps he is not special and might as well be a man on the street!
"Outside, outside the world Out there you don't hear the echos and calls" --The world is ignorant, but our hero knows what's going on!
"But the steel eye, Tight jaw" --He's a real hero, really determined to tell the world, to: "Say it all Say it all"
"But the white paint, Plastic saints Say it all..." --Not really sure yet... Plastic saints = his personality? "Say it all" is repeated; that's the journalist's creed, to say it all, to tell the whole story.
"Say it all, Say somebody, Has got to say it all" --and that somebody is our hero, the journalist.
"I'm so nervous I'm so tense My heart can't forget about this self defense The air is so hot and my breath comes fast I thumb the cool blade but I know this can't last" --Not really sure -- but, if he is "saying it all" about a corrupt government, as has been speculated, he may have to fight the oppressive "ministries" of information or censors... he is getting high off his rebellion (the high is suggested by "can't last" and the thumbing of a "cool blade" -- very sensory-oriented details)
Anyway, no doubt a fantastic song.