Honestly, I think the lyrics are about war veterans (older ones, like the war in Vietnam or WWII.)
The first four lines of the song sound like war veterans who're remembering themselves
(I had visions)
witnessing or committing crimes
(I was in them)
without saying anything or caring about it, and now they're looking in the mirror,
(to see a little bit clearer)
finally realizing and regretting their mistakes.
(the rottenness and evil in me)
The next five lines talk about war veterans remembering putting up and taking down the flag every day in the name of America
(fingertips have memories)
and how they'll never forget what it feels like.
(mine can't forget the curves of your body)
Now, they're trying to get benefits from their former status in the military
(and when I feel a bit naughty)
to see if people would help them out (because many veterans were left with nothing when they had come back from war),
(I run it up the flagpole)
but no one would show them kindness, even though they claim to be Americans.
(and see who salutes, but no one ever does)
The chorus is about them feeling physically fine,
(I'm not sick)
but not mentally.
(but I'm not well)
They are in deep crud with everything (family, friends, bills, etc.)
(and I'm so hot)
and they start to hate their lives.
('cause I'm in hell)
The next four lines are about them traveling the world,
(Been around the world)
only to find third-world countries where the people know next-to-nothing
(and found that only stupid people are breeding)
and it's overpopulated,
(the cretins cloning and feeding)
and the soldier wonders why he's wasting his time on people who are uneducated if he's not even getting paid enough to own (what he considers) the simplest things.
(and I don't even own a TV)
The next four lines talk about the veteran having problems with himself due to such a change after coming back from the war that he needs to be put in the hospital. This could be due to either the government or due to family, seeing as how many military wives leave their husbands after war.
(put me in the hospital for nerves)
The veteran then gets committed
(and then they had to commit me)
because everyone else feels he's going crazy except for him. Again, this could either be family or the government.
(You told them all I was crazy)
He gets angry because he had been injured in the war, and the only thing people seem to care about is the fact that they think the war made him crazy.
(They cut off my legs, now I'm an amputee, god damn you!)
This next chorus is pretty much the same, except another line implies that the veteran is being sarcastic about the amount of thanks and benefits he gets after coming home from the war.
(and it's a sin to live so well)
The next eight lines are about the veteran wanting a normal life,
(I want to publish 'zines)
-'zines being short for "magazines"-
wanting to rebel,
(and rage against machines)
and wanting to live life as it once was. Him mentioning that getting his tongue pierced doesn't hurt implies that he has had his tongue pierced once before, and he missed it.
(I want to pierce my tongue / it doesn't hurt, it feels fine)
He then goes on to say that he wants to think about the small things about life that don't really matter, the things that people think about while daydreaming,
(the trivial sublime)
and he wants to live like that forever
(I'd like to turn off time)
even though he knows it's bad for him
(and kill my mind)
because he felt the military was worse.
(You kill my mind)
The next four lines describe him freaking out because he's so paranoid
(Paranoia, paranoia)
because he's getting called back to war
(everybody's coming to get me)
and he wants everyone to just forget they knew him
(just say you never met me)
because he wants to desert and pretend he never was in the military.
(I'm going underground with the moles, digging holes)
The next four lines describe the veteran wanting to follow his own conscience
(hear the voices in my head)
But because of all the years of being manipulated by the military, the veteran barely remembers what having his own conscience is like.
(I swear to god it sounds like they're snoring)
The veteran is now reacting to how others are downplaying their travels and adventures as well as their crimes and sorrows of war by telling them that their stories are unreal, unimportant, and boring.
(But if you're bored, then you're boring)
The veteran thinks again on the irony of the fact that we say we support our military, but in the end, they get treated like shit.
(The agony and the irony, they're killing me)
This is an awesome explanation, and I really want to believe it, but that just seems so out there. Amazing story though; +1. I'd love to have a band member confirm this.
This is an awesome explanation, and I really want to believe it, but that just seems so out there. Amazing story though; +1. I'd love to have a band member confirm this.
Honestly, I think the lyrics are about war veterans (older ones, like the war in Vietnam or WWII.) The first four lines of the song sound like war veterans who're remembering themselves (I had visions) witnessing or committing crimes (I was in them) without saying anything or caring about it, and now they're looking in the mirror, (to see a little bit clearer) finally realizing and regretting their mistakes. (the rottenness and evil in me)
The next five lines talk about war veterans remembering putting up and taking down the flag every day in the name of America (fingertips have memories) and how they'll never forget what it feels like. (mine can't forget the curves of your body) Now, they're trying to get benefits from their former status in the military (and when I feel a bit naughty) to see if people would help them out (because many veterans were left with nothing when they had come back from war), (I run it up the flagpole) but no one would show them kindness, even though they claim to be Americans. (and see who salutes, but no one ever does)
The chorus is about them feeling physically fine, (I'm not sick) but not mentally. (but I'm not well) They are in deep crud with everything (family, friends, bills, etc.) (and I'm so hot) and they start to hate their lives. ('cause I'm in hell)
The next four lines are about them traveling the world, (Been around the world) only to find third-world countries where the people know next-to-nothing (and found that only stupid people are breeding) and it's overpopulated, (the cretins cloning and feeding) and the soldier wonders why he's wasting his time on people who are uneducated if he's not even getting paid enough to own (what he considers) the simplest things. (and I don't even own a TV)
The next four lines talk about the veteran having problems with himself due to such a change after coming back from the war that he needs to be put in the hospital. This could be due to either the government or due to family, seeing as how many military wives leave their husbands after war. (put me in the hospital for nerves) The veteran then gets committed (and then they had to commit me) because everyone else feels he's going crazy except for him. Again, this could either be family or the government. (You told them all I was crazy) He gets angry because he had been injured in the war, and the only thing people seem to care about is the fact that they think the war made him crazy. (They cut off my legs, now I'm an amputee, god damn you!)
This next chorus is pretty much the same, except another line implies that the veteran is being sarcastic about the amount of thanks and benefits he gets after coming home from the war. (and it's a sin to live so well)
The next eight lines are about the veteran wanting a normal life, (I want to publish 'zines) -'zines being short for "magazines"- wanting to rebel, (and rage against machines) and wanting to live life as it once was. Him mentioning that getting his tongue pierced doesn't hurt implies that he has had his tongue pierced once before, and he missed it. (I want to pierce my tongue / it doesn't hurt, it feels fine) He then goes on to say that he wants to think about the small things about life that don't really matter, the things that people think about while daydreaming, (the trivial sublime) and he wants to live like that forever (I'd like to turn off time) even though he knows it's bad for him (and kill my mind) because he felt the military was worse. (You kill my mind)
The next four lines describe him freaking out because he's so paranoid (Paranoia, paranoia) because he's getting called back to war (everybody's coming to get me) and he wants everyone to just forget they knew him (just say you never met me) because he wants to desert and pretend he never was in the military. (I'm going underground with the moles, digging holes)
The next four lines describe the veteran wanting to follow his own conscience (hear the voices in my head) But because of all the years of being manipulated by the military, the veteran barely remembers what having his own conscience is like. (I swear to god it sounds like they're snoring) The veteran is now reacting to how others are downplaying their travels and adventures as well as their crimes and sorrows of war by telling them that their stories are unreal, unimportant, and boring. (But if you're bored, then you're boring) The veteran thinks again on the irony of the fact that we say we support our military, but in the end, they get treated like shit. (The agony and the irony, they're killing me)
-Chorus-
I like this one.
I like this one.
This is an awesome explanation, and I really want to believe it, but that just seems so out there. Amazing story though; +1. I'd love to have a band member confirm this.
This is an awesome explanation, and I really want to believe it, but that just seems so out there. Amazing story though; +1. I'd love to have a band member confirm this.