Now Then

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a grim, almost grotesque picture of entrapment and despair, using stark, violent imagery to convey a sense of inescapable doom. The repeated "Now then" acts as a grim, almost taunting refrain, ushering in a series of brutal scenarios. The opening stanza immediately establishes a tone of self-loathing and confinement, likening the speaker to a "career inmate" facing a violent, literal "hanging" for being a "big fat lump." The second verse shifts to a bleak outlook on unwanted pregnancy and abandonment, detailing the "fucked" state of a child "before it's born" to a gone father. This creates a palpable sense of hopelessness, where even the unborn are subjected to the harsh realities and consequences of the present situation. The questions posed, "Whose child is that you carry inside your womb?" and "What will you do?" amplify the feeling of being trapped with no viable options. The most disturbing imagery appears in the third verse, which addresses an "insane sex drive" and suggests a horrific "cure" involving self-mutilation with "some old knife." This extreme depiction of desperation and self-punishment underscores the depth of the narrator's perceived suffering and the brutal, irreversible actions they contemplate or witness. The lyrics suggest a mind pushed to its absolute limit, where violence, both external and internal, is the only perceived escape. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their unflinching, almost surreal depiction of despair and self-destruction. The blunt, aggressive language and the shocking, visceral images create a powerful sense of unease and dread. The repetitive "Now then" serves as a constant, jarring reminder of the inescapable, grim reality the narrator is trapped within, making the overall tone one of profound, almost nihilistic resignation.