I wake up and look upon your painted eyelids
The world is your oyster
And the trashbags are your kids
The ceiling is invisible
There's a bird sinking through the sky
And every hour that passes
It's teachin' me how to cry
Because it's lonely here
In the ugly part of town
The buildings are all vacant
And the telephones are down
There's a police siren singing
Like a tiger with no skin
The sewer drain is glowing
And I don't know what state I'm in
And the liver is on fire
There's chemicals and debris
And all the roads are blocked off
It's just too hard to see
So cancel my appointments
And set up a whole new show
Because I'm in need of a good hot meal
And a life to call my own
Get me a plate of money
Get me a blanket and a chair
The limitations are limitless
They're floating through the air
Because it's real and it's true
The things I see in you
And there's nothing I wouldn't talk about
With the clearest dream that ever drifted by
The world is your oyster
And the trashbags are your kids
The ceiling is invisible
There's a bird sinking through the sky
And every hour that passes
It's teachin' me how to cry
Because it's lonely here
In the ugly part of town
The buildings are all vacant
And the telephones are down
There's a police siren singing
Like a tiger with no skin
The sewer drain is glowing
And I don't know what state I'm in
And the liver is on fire
There's chemicals and debris
And all the roads are blocked off
It's just too hard to see
So cancel my appointments
And set up a whole new show
Because I'm in need of a good hot meal
And a life to call my own
Get me a plate of money
Get me a blanket and a chair
The limitations are limitless
They're floating through the air
Because it's real and it's true
The things I see in you
And there's nothing I wouldn't talk about
With the clearest dream that ever drifted by
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I love this song. I love the way it just kind of fades out almost as if the last verse isn't finished yet.
The song seems to be about the slow decline of civilization the degradation of the earth and the death of mankind.
@placeboheadwound
Spot on. Just heard the song again. One of the best "classic" (i.e before Odelay) Beck songs.
I too, love the closing line about the clearest dream that ever drifted by that's heard as the song drifts out of consciousness.
I love the line "the world is your oyster and the trashbags are your kids."
That line reminds me of those parents you see who will not make any sacrifices for their kids. They are so selfish, they only care about themselves. While they do everything to make sure that they get the oyster, their kids get the trash.
I also like the "degredation of civilization" theory. As the generations go by, people get inherently less good on the inside. Our souls are becoming more void of meaning and reason for life. Our parents had pearls and we have trash.