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The Orchids
Psychic TV Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

When all the numbers swim together
And all the shadows settle
When doors forced open shut again
A flytrap and a petal

My eyes burn and claws rush to fill them
And in the morning after the night
I fall in love with the light
It is so clear i realize
That here at last i have my eyes

When all the figures sound retreat
The soft skin starts to shrivel
When dreams made real become less sweet
The orchid and the metal

My sex turns and claws rush to spill them
But in the morning after the night
I fall in love with the light
It is so pure i can't arise
Without the fear of secret lies

When all the characters full size
And every moon is level
When all the spirits burn in lies
As center grief by steel

My eyes burn and claws rush to fill them
But in the morning after the night
I fall in love with the light
It is so clear i realize
And now at last i have my eyes

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Psychic TV's song The Orchids present a poignant and introspective meditation on the human experience of oscillating between moments of clarity and moments of confusion or disillusionment. Throughout the song, the lyricist describes a series of encounters with different images - the flytrap and petal, the orchid and metal, and center grief by steel, among others - that evoke feelings of both fascination and unease. In each instance, the lyricist seems to be searching for some sort of truth or insight that will help them make sense of their experiences, but finds themselves at a loss.


The repetition of the lines "My eyes burn and claws rush to fill them" and "But in the morning after the night I fall in love with the light" suggest a cycle of intense emotional reactions followed by moments of clarity and calm, which in turn lead to a renewed sense of curiosity and wonder. This cycle is ultimately presented as a necessary part of the human experience, as it allows us to confront and process the complexities of the world around us.


Line by Line Meaning

When all the numbers swim together
When everything seems confusing and jumbled


And all the shadows settle
And the chaos begins to dissipate


When doors forced open shut again
When opportunities are missed or lost


A flytrap and a petal
Something beautiful and fragile, but with a hidden danger


My eyes burn and claws rush to fill them
Feeling overwhelmed and reactive


And in the morning after the night
After some time has passed


I fall in love with the light
Finding clarity and understanding


It is so clear i realize
The newfound understanding is profound


That here at last i have my eyes
I can finally see things as they truly are


When all the figures sound retreat
When everyone is withdrawing or leaving


The soft skin starts to shrivel
Everything begins to deteriorate


When dreams made real become less sweet
When reality doesn't live up to the expectations of dreams


The orchid and the metal
Beauty and strength, but with potential danger


My sex turns and claws rush to spill them
Feeling aroused and aggressive


It is so pure i can't arise
The clarity is overwhelming


Without the fear of secret lies
Without any hidden agendas or manipulations


When all the characters full size
When everyone is being themselves


And every moon is level
And everything is stable


When all the spirits burn in lies
When everyone is dishonest or deceptive


As center grief by steel
As intense pain caused by something strong and unrelenting




Contributed by Makayla T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Luis Ramirez Guzman

People who trips like us should live for ever
People who trips like us should never die
We are not only the witness of such an event

We are the translators who wisper to the universe
all what the experience of it, in us has left

With vowels of pain, sentences of joy

tails of redemption, songs of delusion
dances of confusion, we shout to the night
People who trip like us should live for ever
People who trip like us should never die



All comments from YouTube:

dungeon gamer

This song brings warmth to my heart; makes me sigh. How great is that?

Michael Row

Co-written by the amazing Alex Fergusson, who was the musical heart of early PTV

Virginia viola

RIP Genesis..I had absolutely NO idea just how much you and Sleazy have been the basis of my whole life, until you died and I looked you up. Everything that I love, everything that I am, and have become, everything that has propelled me forward has been coming from beneath, I’ve just caught the wave, and I’ve ridden that wave since the sixties, when I was just a little girl. Genesis indeed.

koilikethefish

really great, wish they would have strung 10 to 12 songs like this together at some point

Clunko

Their Pagan Day album is probably closest to a lot of songs like this put together in one place.

Not Mary Beth

this song is so beautiful, i love it so much!

Bre Rogers

Not Mary Beth me 2! Dig

quantumfighter

one of the best songs ever! keep on fighting for us n keep this one up there - amongst the stars - where it belongs

Luis Ramirez Guzman

People who trips like us should live for ever
People who trips like us should never die
We are not only the witness of such an event

We are the translators who wisper to the universe
all what the experience of it, in us has left

With vowels of pain, sentences of joy

tails of redemption, songs of delusion
dances of confusion, we shout to the night
People who trip like us should live for ever
People who trip like us should never die

Kelly Hartman

Listen to this now, one of the most beautiful songs of all time, and pray for GPO.

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