Every time I think I could pick a favorite MM song, they shock the hell out of me. This song is just...brilliant. Rough and somber and beautiful.
I think that tackledspoon put it best--the song is about life. It reminds me (as many Modest Mouse songs do, now that I mention it) of the culture of Fahrenheit 451, which was a reflection on a culture that consumes and moves forward at a speed that leaves little time for cultivation of the important things in life. I think, out of every telling symbol in the song, this is the clearest:
"Oh, if you could compact your conscience. Oh, and you might."
Here, he's sort of saying, 'Well, you know, you would compartmentalize your conscience if you could, if it would make things run smoother. You would abbreviate religion and love until it was bite-size.' (Think the John Lennon//Jesus comment, he wasn't saying "We're better than God", he was saying "You worship a band more than you worship a figure you believe to be your savior. Don't you find that appalling?") We live in a culture that never slows down, in a world where to waste five minutes of someone's time with an idea of something whole is worse than shooting them dead.
"Oh, if you could bottle and sell it you might've done. Oh, and you might."
This is more of that same thing, that 'You'd sell your soul if you could.'
"Oh, if you could compact your conscience and sell it--save it for another time. You know you might have to use it."
I just love this line. He's saying, 'Don't be so quick to give up on what makes you human. You're going to need that when this whole gilded cage world of ours falls apart,' and I just love how he portrays that.
I find this to be immensely important to understanding one of the many meanings of the song: "You should be ashamed to be so proud of what you've done."
He's saying, 'Why are you proud of these things you've done in your life? The way you've used people because you're selfish, or greedy, or just trying to fit into a world that's moving on without you, moving towards its own inevitable destruction."
I just love Brock's socio-political commentary. It has always been so astoundingly astute.
Every time I think I could pick a favorite MM song, they shock the hell out of me. This song is just...brilliant. Rough and somber and beautiful.
I think that tackledspoon put it best--the song is about life. It reminds me (as many Modest Mouse songs do, now that I mention it) of the culture of Fahrenheit 451, which was a reflection on a culture that consumes and moves forward at a speed that leaves little time for cultivation of the important things in life. I think, out of every telling symbol in the song, this is the clearest:
"Oh, if you could compact your conscience. Oh, and you might." Here, he's sort of saying, 'Well, you know, you would compartmentalize your conscience if you could, if it would make things run smoother. You would abbreviate religion and love until it was bite-size.' (Think the John Lennon//Jesus comment, he wasn't saying "We're better than God", he was saying "You worship a band more than you worship a figure you believe to be your savior. Don't you find that appalling?") We live in a culture that never slows down, in a world where to waste five minutes of someone's time with an idea of something whole is worse than shooting them dead.
"Oh, if you could bottle and sell it you might've done. Oh, and you might." This is more of that same thing, that 'You'd sell your soul if you could.'
"Oh, if you could compact your conscience and sell it--save it for another time. You know you might have to use it." I just love this line. He's saying, 'Don't be so quick to give up on what makes you human. You're going to need that when this whole gilded cage world of ours falls apart,' and I just love how he portrays that.
I find this to be immensely important to understanding one of the many meanings of the song: "You should be ashamed to be so proud of what you've done." He's saying, 'Why are you proud of these things you've done in your life? The way you've used people because you're selfish, or greedy, or just trying to fit into a world that's moving on without you, moving towards its own inevitable destruction."
I just love Brock's socio-political commentary. It has always been so astoundingly astute.
i concur. your take on this is commendable. thanks for sharing.
i concur. your take on this is commendable. thanks for sharing.