...Its A Moral Issue

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of complex relationships and a disorienting sense of place, all framed by a peculiar "moral issue." The narrator directly addresses "Keith," expressing frustration yet also a strange dependence, suggesting Keith holds a position of moral authority or at least perceived superiority. This dynamic is immediately undercut by the accusation of being a "parasite" and the somber detail of an "American friend" who caused Keith pain and has since died. The narrator seems to be grappling with conflicting loyalties and the unsettling consequences of past actions, even those of others. This disquiet deepens with the introduction of "Gary," who is described as unreliable, "made of sand," and manipulated, placed in a "time machine" with predetermined instructions. This imagery suggests a feeling of being controlled or set up, perhaps by external forces or a flawed system. The narrator’s own connection to a specific location, "Colindale," now a "Police College," and their proximity to it at birth, adds another layer of personal history being overwritten or recontextualized. It feels like a commentary on how personal histories and identities can be reshaped by institutional changes or the decisions of others. The core of the song seems to reside in this tension between personal connection and external control, between perceived moral high ground and parasitic existence. The narrator’s own sense of agency feels diminished, caught between the actions of "Keith," the manipulated "Gary," and the institutional reshaping of places like Colindale. The "moral issue" remains abstract, but its impact is felt in the emotional turbulence and the questioning of reality and relationships presented.