Crosseyed

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a surreal, almost hallucinatory picture of internal conflict and external frustration. The opening lines present a violent, disorienting act against a "V.J. star," immediately establishing a tone of aggression and unease. This aggression seems tied to a perceived annoyance, as the narrator is kept awake by the "ghost" and his "politics," suggesting a deep-seated irritation with someone or something that intrudes on their peace. The core of the song appears to be a struggle with perception and connection, encapsulated by the chorus. The narrator admits to "terrible sight" and calls themselves "crosseyed," which directly links to the feeling that getting to know and love someone is "strange." This visual impairment becomes a metaphor for a distorted or difficult way of understanding others, making intimacy a disorienting experience. The urge to "lash out" is presented as a release, a way to make something "come out," but it's also tied to a "stigmatism" that blurs understanding "from page to page." The second verse escalates the surrealism with a "cannonball" fired from a "cave" that destroys a "shopping mall," where the "original question" was found to be "not a question at all." This bizarre imagery suggests a catastrophic misunderstanding or a destructive act born from a fundamental misinterpretation of reality or intent. The idea of an "original question" being on sale and causing such devastation implies that foundational truths or inquiries have been commodified and corrupted, leading to widespread ruin. The bridge introduces clock imagery, personifying the "singing little hand" and the "big hand." The little hand seems to grasp the "weight of it all," while the big hand laments its "lack of height" and desires to enact drastic change, like tearing "gas the owners" and altering the environment. This contrast between understanding and impotent rage, or between passive observation and a desire for radical, even violent, transformation, further deepens the sense of internal division and external dissatisfaction.