Telescope
Cage the Elephant Lyrics

In a far and distant galaxy
From a distance, beyond the reach of ordinary thoughts

Inside my telescope, I see
I'm observing this from a distance, through a kind of lens

Pair of eyes peer back at me
I see someone watching me from afar

He walks and talks and looks like me
The person I see is similar to myself in appearance and behavior

Sits around inside his house
This person is confined to a single place

From room to room, he moves about
Despite being confined, he moves around as if seeking something new

Fills his life with pointless things
The person seeks distractions or meaningless activities to fill his time

And wonders how it all turns out
He becomes introspective and ponders his existence

It's safe to say that I don't think you understand
The person listening does not fully grasp what's being said

There's nowhere left to turn
Every possible option has been exhausted

The walls keep breakin'
The barriers holding everything together are failing

Time is like a leaf in the wind
Time is out of our control and subject to external forces

Either it's time well spent or time I've wasted
Reflecting on how time has been used and whether it was productive

Afraid of what the truth might bring
The person is scared of learning the truth about himself or his life

He locks his doors and never leaves
He chooses to avoid the world outside and stay locked in his own world

Desperately searching for signs
He has a sense that something important is missing

Too terrified to find a thing
However, he is too afraid to identify what that missing thing is

He battens all the hatches down
The person makes an effort to close himself off

And wonders why he hears no sounds
He's unable to process why he feels empty and isolated

Frantically searching his dreams
He's seeking answers or clarity even in his unconscious state

He wonders what it's all about
He's questioning his purpose or the meaning of his life

Here in my mind, losin' my friends
My thoughts are causing me to lose touch with the people I care about

Fall on my face, do it again
I feel like I'm failing or struggling, but I continue to try regardless

You say, "How do you do?"
An attempt at conversation, a greeting

Man, how 'bout you? Man, how 'bout you?
Returning the question or perhaps wondering if the person asking can relate

To be free, to be sold
The desire to be independent or the fear of being controlled or manipulated by outside forces

To be killed, to be safe
The extremes of danger and safety, both of which can bring some kind of freedom

In my head, I'm alone
Even when surrounded by others, there's a sense of isolation

I'm not dead, I'm ashamed
The person is alive, but feels embarrassed or guilty about something

Just like you, I've been trying to escape
The person singing has gone or is going through a similar experience to the listener

In my bones, I feel cold
A sense of emptiness or loneliness in their core

I give thanks to the Lord
Despite struggles, the person is grateful or acknowledges a higher power

Industry, in the street
Referring to the wider world and other people who are busy or working

Let me go, let me be
Someone is requesting space or time to themselves

I don't need to be here
The person feels that their current surroundings or situation are not beneficial

I'm alone, can't you see? Can't you see?
A repeated plea for someone to understand or acknowledge their isolation

These walls keep breakin'
The barrier between the person and others is still falling apart

Don't waste it
An urging to live life fully and not squander time