Practice, Practice, Practice

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a group of musicians, perhaps performers or courtiers, trapped in a humiliating "masquerade" that's "more than I can bear." They feel their reputation is crumbling under the weight of this charade, a situation they can't escape because their employer, referred to as "the prince," threatens to "sack" them if they refuse to comply. This creates a palpable sense of dread and resignation among the performers. The central tension arises from the relentless, soul-crushing routine imposed by the prince: "practice, practice, practice." This isn't framed as diligent preparation for something grand, but rather as a monotonous, oppressive force. The repetition of "practice" underscores the drudgery, while the prince's implied aggression – "he's not happy 'til he has attacked us" – suggests this practice is a form of control or even punishment, rather than skill development. The musicians are forced to endure this, facing "a life of target." The lyrics cleverly use animalistic imagery to highlight the performers' dehumanized state. They are "not a band of animals," yet the prince is associated with predatory creatures like a "bear" (whose name, ironically, is Bear) and a "lion" (who claims the "lion's share"). This contrast suggests the performers feel reduced to beasts of burden, forced to endure the whims of a cruel master. The prince's own motivation seems tied to a past relationship, as he's "thinking of her and the way that it was," implying his oppressive routine is a projection of his own unresolved issues. This creates a powerful emotional effect by showing how external pressures and personal grievances can manifest as a suffocating, repetitive existence for those caught in the middle. The "practice" becomes a metaphor for any inescapable, demoralizing task imposed by an authority figure, leaving the performers feeling like targets in a game they never agreed to play.