A A
The Neighbourhood Watch Lyrics
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Like a cigarette to my lungs
And when I go home
All the emptiness fills me up
I don't know much about heart burn, do you?
I don't know much about emotion, do you?
I'm on my way home
Brother, are you okay at home?
I dug my head into the dirt
And i cried
So nasty ideias
Infecting my mind
I'm on my way home
Are you okay at home?
I don't know much about heart burn, do you?
I'm on my way home
Brother, are you okay at home?
The Neighbourhood Watch's song A A is a hauntingly beautiful depiction of homesickness and emotional emptiness. The opening lines, "The future burns slow like a cigarette to my lungs," suggest a sense of ennui and boredom that the singer feels as they move towards an uncertain future. As they return home, they are filled with a sense of emptiness that they cannot articulate or comprehend. The lines "All the emptiness fills me up / I don't know much about heart burn, do you? / I don't know much about emotion, do you?" hint at their inability to reconcile with their emotions, making them feel numb and detached.
The song's refrain, "I'm on my way home / Brother, are you okay at home?" suggests a deep longing for a sense of belonging and connection. The singer feels like they're wandering aimlessly, and their thoughts are plagued with "nasty ideas infecting my mind." They seek solace in their brother, hoping that they too are alright at home. The lyrics are intentionally ambiguous, allowing for various interpretations.
Line by Line Meaning
The future burns slow
The passing of time towards an uncertain future is a slow and agonizing process.
Like a cigarette to my lungs
The process of waiting for the future is harmful and painful internally, just like smoke that damages lungs.
And when I go home
Returning to a familiar and safe space.
All the emptiness fills me up
Despite being in a familiar place, the person feels a sense of emptiness that consumes them.
I don't know much about heart burn, do you?
The person is trying to convey that they do not have a deep understanding of emotional pain, hence the rhetorical question to the listener.
I'm on my way home
The person is currently in transit towards their place of comfort.
Brother, are you okay at home?
The singer is checking on their brother's well-being and safety at home.
I dug my head into the dirt
The person feels a sense of shame or guilt, hence the imagery of digging their head into the ground.
And i cried
The person is emotional and distressed, expressed through crying.
So nasty ideas
Unpleasant or harmful thoughts that plague the person's mind.
Infecting my mind
The negative thoughts are spreading and consuming the person's mind.
Are you okay at home?
The singer repeats their concern for their brother's safety at home, showing genuine care and affection.
Writer(s): Ethan Meridian Surman, Thomas Owen Mallard Elgie, Tristan Freedom Surman, Tyler William Moretti, Wyeth Luke Robertson
Contributed by John F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.