Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a grim, almost apocalyptic urban scene. The "street we walk upon" is not just a physical space but a charged environment, "full of piss and fear." This visceral imagery suggests decay and pervasive dread, a place where the very ground seems unstable, ready to "bear it long" no more. The narrator’s declaration that the street "slants, it tilts, it's brought outside / Alive" imbues the setting with a disturbing sentience, as if the city itself is a living, suffering entity.
The chorus introduces a stark, almost ritualistic command: "Cover your face when you walk by / Drench your visions in darkness." This isn't just about physical concealment but a deliberate blotting out of perception, a rejection of what can be seen. The repeated, almost mantra-like "Cool, cool, cool, cough, cool, cool, cool" juxtaposes a forced composure with a visceral, physical ailment, hinting at a deep-seated sickness or corruption that must be suppressed. The act of spitting blood while coughing is a brutal, unflinching image of internal decay.
The most striking element is the paradoxical vision described: "We dine on visions with new eyes / We cut our visions with two eyes." This suggests a transformation or a forced adaptation to the grim reality. The "new eyes" imply a different way of seeing, perhaps one that embraces the darkness or finds sustenance in it, while "cut our visions with two eyes" could mean a sharp, focused, or even violent clarity gained from this new perspective. The repetition of "creep, creep, creep, creep" further emphasizes a furtive, perhaps desperate, movement through this corrupted landscape.
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