Song Meaning
This track paints a bleak picture of adult reality, where acceptance of harsh truths is paramount. The opening lines, "Often is what it is," set a tone of resigned fatalism, suggesting that some things, like bleached coral, are beyond our control and can't be explained to the uninitiated. It implies a world where only those who've experienced hardship, like "junkies," truly grasp its unvarnished nature. The narrator seems to acknowledge a shared struggle, noting, "You're eking out a living like every other asshole."
The core tension lies in the narrator's internal rhythm versus external expectations. The repeated refrain, "I just follow drums / I speak my peace in time / Or sometimes not / As I'm often off," reveals a deliberate, albeit inconsistent, approach to life. This suggests a personal cadence that doesn't always align with societal timelines or norms, leading to a sense of being out of sync.
The lyrics take a sharp, almost violent turn with the imagery of self-mutilation: "Full spite full stop why stop at nose / When you can hack and separate your skull from throat?" This extreme metaphor seems to articulate a desire to shed the self entirely, to dismember one's being out of a profound, perhaps self-destructive, defiance. It’s a visceral expression of wanting to escape the perceived futility of existence.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their unflinching honesty and the stark, unsettling imagery they employ. The closing line, "Call anyone enough and they'll answer," offers a cynical twist on connection, implying that desperation or a shared sense of being overwhelmed is the only true common ground. It’s a raw, unvarnished look at the adult world, where understanding comes from shared pain rather than shared joy.