Cover art for Sisyphus by Andrew Bird
Jan. 30, 20191 viewer89K views

Sisyphus Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Sisyphus peered into the mist
A stone's throw from the precipice, paused
Did he jump or did he fall as he gazed into the maw of the morning mist?
Did he raise both fists and say, "To hell with this" and just let the rock roll?

[Chorus]
Let it roll, let it crash down low
There's a house down there but I lost it long ago
Let it roll, let it crash down low
See my house down there but I lost it long ago


[Instrumental Break]

[Post-Chorus]
Well, I let the rock roll on down to the town below
We had a house down there but I lost it long ago
Lost it long ago
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
I'm letting it roll away
It's got nothing to do with fate
And everything to do with you


[Verse 2]
I'd rather fail like a mortal than flail like a god, I'm a lightning rod
History forgets the moderates
For those who sit recalcitrant and taciturn
You know I'd rather turn and burn than scale this edifice, yeah
Where's my accomplice?
So take my hand, we'll do more than stand
Take my hand, we'll claim this land
Take my hand, and we'll let the rock roll
[Chorus]
Let it roll, let it crash down low
There's a house down there but I lost it long ago
Let it roll, let it crash down low
See my house down there but I lost it long ago
Lost it long ago

[Post-Chorus]
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
I'm letting it roll away
It's got nothing to do with fate
And everything to do with–


[Instrumental Break]

[Outro]
Sisyphus peered into the mist
A stone's throw from the precipice, paused

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Genius Annotation

Thie song ruminates on the parable of sisyphus who is condemned to spend his existence pushing a great boulder up a never ending incline. Bird applies a modern nihilistic sensibility to sisyphus' predicament imagining a sisyphus who simply lets go of his burden and accepts the consequences. I cant help but speculate whether the song is written to express the feeling shared by many talented artists and creators; that often reaching a lifelong goal can result in a sort of emptiness and melancholy. This is reminiscent of philosopher Albert Camus' interpretation of the tale urging that “one must imagine sisyphus happy as he pushes the boulder” this interpretation is meant to highlight the absurdity and meaninglessness of the struggle with which he was condemned. Each of us feel a sense of disappointment when we overcome obstacles which define us. We must accept the absurdity of our situations and revel in the incomprehensible circumstances which allowed us to exist at all. The destination on the top of the mountain. but we are here, and the boulder is here perhaps we should just keep pushing, the meaning is projected onto the obstacle. it is up to us to smile through the filth and the sweat.

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