Burning
Fugazi Lyrics
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Something goes in when nothing comes out
And someone's acting on this information
But, nothing's registered from this location
From this site that I sense that I am
In asking, "What is burning in my eyes?"
I wanted a language of my own
My lips were sucked empty and I mouthed the lines of this crowd
That surrounds me, punctured and parceled
I fold my hand to this site that I sense that I am
Asking, "What is this burning in my eyes?"
The lyrics of "Burning" by Fugazi are filled with metaphors and abstractions, which makes it difficult to pinpoint a specific meaning. However, the overall theme of the song seems to be about feeling disconnected and lost in a world where everything seems predetermined. The lines "There's something acting on this body, something goes in when nothing comes out" could be interpreted as feeling like you're being controlled by something or someone else, and that you're not in control of your own life. The singer then wonders why he's feeling this way, asking "what is burning in my eyes?" He can't seem to find an answer, and instead of expressing himself in his own words, he feels like he's just mimicking those around him.
The lyrics suggest a sense of frustration and desperation at not being able to find one's own voice in a world that seems to be suffocating with noise and conformity. The singer is trying to get in touch with his own feelings and experiences, but he's unable to do so because he's surrounded by people who are just like him - all "punctured and parceled" in the same crowd. In this sense, the song could be seen as a commentary on the difficulty of living an authentic life in a conformist society.
Line by Line Meaning
There's something acting on this body
Something is having an effect on my physical being
Something goes in when nothing comes out
There seems to be an input with no corresponding output
And someone's acting on this information
There appears to be an entity responsible for processing this data
But, nothing's registered from this location
However, there is no record of activity from this source
From this site that I sense that I am
From the position that I perceive myself to occupy
In asking, 'What is burning in my eyes?'
I am curious about the cause of the discomfort in my visual organs
I wanted a language of my own
I desired a unique form of expression
My lips were sucked empty and I mouthed the lines of this crowd
However, I found myself reciting the same phrases as everyone else around me
That surrounds me, punctured and parceled
The environment encompassing me feels fragmented and damaged
I fold my hand to this site that I sense that I am
I acknowledge and accept the spatial location where I perceive myself to exist
Asking, 'What is this burning in my eyes?'
I remain perplexed as to the source of the irritation in my ocular region
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MANDY MOORE, MICHAEL VIOLA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind