Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
So tell me family now what do you think?
Watch it all go down the great big sink.
Watch how the scum it rises to the top.
Don't you wonder when it's all gonna stop?
Sometimes I wonder how we do sleep,
Serving the dodgy companies we keep.
All kicking and scrounging for the very first place,
Dictionary definition of a rat race.
Pay off those losers we elect to lead,
Stealing from the mouths that we're meant to feed.
Enslaving the very clothes upon my back,
I feel the sting but I hear no crack, no crack, I'm saying
Running through the fire, running through the flame,
Running through the hatred, pushing through the blame,
Running through the hopelessness and shame,
Revolution already underway.
Big Heavy Pirates man digging those holes,
Messing with something that they can't control.
Trespassing lands where they don't belong,
All I hear is screaming where there once were songs.
I got my brothers there fighting those wars,
Fighting over scraps and scraping their souls.
Under a blanket of a fire and pride
That can't keep us warm for the cold inside,
Inside, I'm saying
Running through the fire, running through the flame,
Running through the hatred, pushing through the blame,
Running through the hopelessness and shame,
Revolution already underway.
So tell me when you think we're gonna rise?
Wake from this slumber wipe the tears from our eyes?
Yes from this nightmare yes I must now wake,
Open my fist my destiny I take !
Good people sick and tired of being pushed around,
We call them kings but I see no crown.
Tell me when you think we'll just stand up,
Say enough is enough is enough,enough I'm saying
Running through the fire, running through the flame,
Running through the hatred, pushing through the blame,
Running through the hopelessness and shame,
Revolution already underway.
Take back your feet, take back your hands.
Take back your words, take back your lands.
Take back your heart, take back your pride.
Don't got to run, don't got to hide.
Revolution.
Watch it all go down the great big sink.
Watch how the scum it rises to the top.
Don't you wonder when it's all gonna stop?
Sometimes I wonder how we do sleep,
Serving the dodgy companies we keep.
All kicking and scrounging for the very first place,
Dictionary definition of a rat race.
Pay off those losers we elect to lead,
Stealing from the mouths that we're meant to feed.
Enslaving the very clothes upon my back,
I feel the sting but I hear no crack, no crack, I'm saying
Running through the fire, running through the flame,
Running through the hatred, pushing through the blame,
Running through the hopelessness and shame,
Revolution already underway.
Big Heavy Pirates man digging those holes,
Messing with something that they can't control.
Trespassing lands where they don't belong,
All I hear is screaming where there once were songs.
I got my brothers there fighting those wars,
Fighting over scraps and scraping their souls.
Under a blanket of a fire and pride
That can't keep us warm for the cold inside,
Inside, I'm saying
Running through the fire, running through the flame,
Running through the hatred, pushing through the blame,
Running through the hopelessness and shame,
Revolution already underway.
So tell me when you think we're gonna rise?
Wake from this slumber wipe the tears from our eyes?
Yes from this nightmare yes I must now wake,
Open my fist my destiny I take !
Good people sick and tired of being pushed around,
We call them kings but I see no crown.
Tell me when you think we'll just stand up,
Say enough is enough is enough,enough I'm saying
Running through the fire, running through the flame,
Running through the hatred, pushing through the blame,
Running through the hopelessness and shame,
Revolution already underway.
Take back your feet, take back your hands.
Take back your words, take back your lands.
Take back your heart, take back your pride.
Don't got to run, don't got to hide.
Revolution.
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Ministry
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Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Dreamwalker
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
No Surprises
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Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I think you're pretty spot on, jack! Similarly, it's about people revolting against corrupt society ("pay off those losers we elect to lead") and when he says "Tell me when you think we'll just stand up? Say enough is enough is enough" - he's saying, when will we stop sweeping it under the carpet, when we will we stand up for our rights as civilians, and stop these leaders from ruling us which way they please?
Powerful messages. One thing I love about JBT, is that they aren't afraid to speak their minds.