Doesn’t It Make You Sick (Mortar & Brick)

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark picture of systemic neglect and societal indifference, opening with a sense of emotional and physical depletion. The narrator feels a profound lack of energy, a "low heat no heat at all," while grappling with an "unanswered" question that triggers a memory of the privileged, the "haves," who "lick" their way to taking what they want. This initial bitterness sets a tone of disgust, encapsulated in the repeated, visceral refrain: "Doesn't it make you sick." This disgust crystallizes around the struggle for basic necessities, specifically employment. The narrator recounts a desperate search for a job, seeing one "framed in a store" – a symbol of opportunity, perhaps, but also something displayed and out of reach. The attempt to seize it fails, the narrator being "too quick," suggesting a hasty, perhaps ill-prepared, or simply unlucky, pursuit that ends in disappointment. This personal setback is then amplified by a broader critique of governmental absurdity, where the advice for those in wheelchairs facing stairs is to "walk with it under your arm," a nonsensical and cruel suggestion that highlights a profound disconnect from reality and empathy. The lyrics then pivot to a more generalized, yet equally pointed, indictment of scapegoating and conflict. The narrator questions the identity and whereabouts of those who are "hated by jews," immediately linking them to the destructive act of "bombing your neighbor with mortar and brick." This imagery of physical destruction is mirrored in the later line about the "have nots deprived of their mortar and brick," suggesting a societal structure that denies basic stability and shelter to the marginalized. The bizarre comparison of "sauerkraut" and "Blackpool long after dark" to racist remarks seems to mock the arbitrary nature of prejudice and discrimination, highlighting how easily and nonsensically groups can be targeted. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their raw, unflinching portrayal of injustice and the resulting nausea. The repeated refrain acts as a constant, guttural reaction to the absurdities and cruelties described. The final, ironic twist, where an atheist would thank God, suggests a profound sense of bewilderment and a desperate search for meaning or blame in a world that appears fundamentally broken and uncaring. The writing forces the listener to confront uncomfortable truths about societal failures and the emotional toll they exact.