He certainly did earn that reputation.
Hotel hobbies padding dawns hollow corridors
A typewriter cackles out a stream of memories
Dryin' out a conscience, evictin' a nightmare
Openin' the doors for the dreams to come home
We live out lives in private shells
Ignore our senses and fool ourselves
To thinkin' that out there there's someone else cares
Someone to answer all our prayers, all our prayers
Are we too far gone, are we so irresponsible?
Have we lost our balls or do we just not care?
We're terminal cases that keep takin' medicine?
Pretendin' the end isn't quite that near
We make futile gestures, act to the cameras
With our made up faces and PR smiles
And when the angel comes down, down to deliver us
We'll find out after all, we're only men of straw
But everything is still the same
Passin' the time and passin' the blame
We carry on in the same old way
We'll find out we left it too late one day
To say, what we meant to say
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the water
Those problems seem to arise the ones you never really thought of
The feeling you get is similar to somethin' like drownin', hey
Out of your mind, you're out of your depth
You should have taken soundings
Clutchin' at straws
We're clutchin' at straws
We're clutchin' at straws
And if you ever come across us, don't give us your sympathy
You can buy us a drink and just shake our hands
And you'll recognize by the reflection in our eyes
That deep down inside, we're all one and the same
We're clutchin' at straws
We're still drownin'
Clutchin' at straws
We're still drownin', yeah
Clutchin' at straws, we're clutchin' at straws
Still drownin', clutchin' at straws
I'm still drownin'
We're clutchin' at straws
I'm still drownin'
We're clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
We're clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
We're clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
We're clutchin' at straws
I'm still drownin', drownin'
Clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
Clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
Clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
Clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
Still, still, still drownin'
A typewriter cackles out a stream of memories
Dryin' out a conscience, evictin' a nightmare
Openin' the doors for the dreams to come home
We live out lives in private shells
Ignore our senses and fool ourselves
To thinkin' that out there there's someone else cares
Someone to answer all our prayers, all our prayers
Are we too far gone, are we so irresponsible?
Have we lost our balls or do we just not care?
We're terminal cases that keep takin' medicine?
Pretendin' the end isn't quite that near
We make futile gestures, act to the cameras
With our made up faces and PR smiles
And when the angel comes down, down to deliver us
We'll find out after all, we're only men of straw
But everything is still the same
Passin' the time and passin' the blame
We carry on in the same old way
We'll find out we left it too late one day
To say, what we meant to say
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the water
Those problems seem to arise the ones you never really thought of
The feeling you get is similar to somethin' like drownin', hey
Out of your mind, you're out of your depth
You should have taken soundings
Clutchin' at straws
We're clutchin' at straws
We're clutchin' at straws
And if you ever come across us, don't give us your sympathy
You can buy us a drink and just shake our hands
And you'll recognize by the reflection in our eyes
That deep down inside, we're all one and the same
We're clutchin' at straws
We're still drownin'
Clutchin' at straws
We're still drownin', yeah
Clutchin' at straws, we're clutchin' at straws
Still drownin', clutchin' at straws
I'm still drownin'
We're clutchin' at straws
I'm still drownin'
We're clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
We're clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
We're clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
We're clutchin' at straws
I'm still drownin', drownin'
Clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
Clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
Clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
Clutchin' at straws
Still drownin'
Still, still, still drownin'
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The way this song speaks to me🥺🥺when I sing it I feel like I relate
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Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
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In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
I'm surprised that no one has ever commented on this song. It remains one of my favourite Fish era songs, and the sheer anger Fish brings to the lyric makes it the ideal choice to close out the best album by the group of that era.
In the liner notes to the remastered version of "Clutching at Straws" and on the band's web site (marillion.com/music/albums/cas.htm), you can read the band members' recollections about the turmoil that was going on in the band during the time the album was recorded. The band was exhausted and under a lot of pressure from its record label, and Fish was on the verge of quitting the band.
Given this context, the "The Last Straw" seems to summarize Fish's frustrations with life as a rock star ("We make futile gestures, act to the cameras/With our made up faces and PR smiles") and feelings of hopelessness. Nothing like ending a dark album on an incredibly bitter and pessimistic note!