Send Away the Tigers (Acoustic)

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark picture of pervasive hopelessness, where "things have gone wrong too many times." The narrator urges a desperate search for escape, suggesting a "slow boat to China" as a means to get away from overwhelming problems. This isn't about a specific place, but a feeling of being trapped and needing to flee. The central tension arises from the persistent threat of "tigers" and their "claws," which seem to represent external dangers or internal anxieties that inflict pain. The narrator pleads for these threats to be "sent away," revealing a deep sense of loneliness and desperation. This plea is amplified by the unsettling image of "the zoos been overrun in Baghdad," a potent, if abstract, symbol of chaos and loss of control. The craft here hinges on the recurring, visceral image of "tiger's claws still in my back," a wound that won't heal. This physical manifestation of distress contrasts sharply with the abstract desire for "perfection" and the acknowledgment of "god-awful truth." The narrator's self-assessment, "I was born to underachieve," adds a layer of resigned self-awareness to the struggle against these encroaching dangers. Ultimately, the effectiveness lies in the raw, almost primal, expression of being overwhelmed. The lyrics don't offer easy answers but articulate a profound need for relief from relentless, dangerous pressures. The repeated plea to "send away the tigers" resonates because it captures a universal feeling of wanting to banish the things that threaten our peace and safety.