Song Meaning

The lyrics to "Following Yesterday" immediately plunge into a stark landscape of fading faith and hesitant action. A mysterious "figure" emerges as a singular source of comfort, yet the scene quickly shifts to a visceral collapse. This sets up a desperate plea for someone to take away both fortune and affliction. The central emotional tension lies in the profound isolation and the yearning for a complete surrender of self. The repeated assertion that the "figure is your only friend" underscores a deep loneliness, while the desire for someone "to swallow your fortune and steal your disease" speaks to a profound weariness, wishing for an absolute erasure or transfer of all burdens, good and bad. The craft here relies heavily on repetition, creating a cyclical, almost hypnotic effect. The recurring imagery of the figure's indecision with a cigarette and the sudden, painful fall suggests a loop of struggle and vulnerability. The subtle shift from "Faith, faceless and proud" to "Faith, facing the crowd" introduces a layer of public scrutiny to this intensely private unraveling, hinting that even as things fade, there's an awareness of external perception. The lyrics' power culminates in the enigmatic self-identification: "I am Sam the rubber man and following yesterday." This phrase suggests a person who is adaptable or resilient, yet perhaps lacking firm substance, perpetually tethered to the past. This final, haunting declaration crystallizes the feeling of being unable to move forward, making the earlier pleas for release all the more poignant and the pervasive sense of isolation deeply felt.