Think About It

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark picture of despair and its aftermath, opening with a scene of abandonment and isolation. Someone leaves another "lying in her misery" after taking her "pills and her magazines," while a "he" is "locked up in his room" with "colored pinwheels" as sirens wail. This sets a somber, almost detached tone, highlighting a profound lack of connection and care in the face of deep personal struggles. The central tension seems to revolve around the consequences of choices, or perhaps the lack thereof, and the passive observation of others' suffering. The repeated chorus, "Think about it once / Take your time, don't fuss / What you got to lose? / Everybody choose," acts as a detached, almost taunting refrain. It suggests a world where individuals are expected to make their own way, even when faced with extreme hardship, and where onlookers are urged to consider the situation without getting too involved. A particularly striking image is the "county coroner" shaking his head over a "suicide" note, juxtaposed with the phrase "the toil of love / Had brought them to their knees." This suggests that even the professionals dealing with the ultimate consequence of despair are weary, and that the very thing meant to sustain people – love – has instead led to their ruin. The contrast between the clinical, grim reality of death and the abstract, emotional cause of "love" is jarring and underscores the tragic weight of the situations described. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their unflinching, almost clinical portrayal of bleakness. The detached narrative voice and the repetitive, almost dismissive chorus create a sense of profound alienation. It forces the listener to confront difficult themes of neglect, self-destruction, and the indifferent passage of time, leaving a lingering, unsettling feeling about the choices we make and the ones made for us.