Full on Idle

Song Meaning

These lyrics plunge into a defiant, fragmented world, immediately signaling a history of struggle and a present state of perceived inaction. The repeated phrase, "We were full on idle," stands out, suggesting an external judgment on a group that seems anything but passive. There's a palpable tension between past rebellion and current perception. The lines "Fought the Father, the Pope / Finally sent away" paint a picture of significant, even epic, resistance against established authority. Yet, this history is met with the dismissive "A lot of them say" that the group was merely "full on idle," creating a central conflict between lived experience and external narrative. The lyrical craft amplifies this unease through jarring commands and imagery. "Obey / Your colorist / Bleach it all away" feels like a cynical directive to conform, to erase one's identity. This quickly escalates to the unsettling "Obey / Your violence," which seems to sanction destructive impulses, perhaps even suggesting they are an inevitable part of the self. The aggressive "Break! Every brunette in the way" further complicates any notion of passive idleness, hinting at a darker, more active frustration. The effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their refusal to offer easy answers. The stark, often confrontational language, combined with fragmented, almost surreal images like "glass surf" and "tide all white," creates a sense of simmering frustration and disillusionment. The abrupt, almost menacing closing lines, "What I'd like to do / With your violin / And it's bow," leave the listener with a potent, unresolved feeling of unexpressed aggression or a desire to dismantle something beautiful.