Van Helsing Boombox
Man Man Lyrics
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the scenery around to eat me alive
I want to sleep for weeks like a dog at her feet
even though I know it won't work out in the long run
so I burn down the wall, breathe my good shadow
those arms I once knew, hold me like gold
I learn how to speak a forgotten language
I fall in the sea but forget how to swim
When anything that's anything becomes nothing that's everything
and nothing is the only thing you ever seem to have
but only time will tell if I'll allow
the scenery around to eat me alive
I want to sleep for weeks like a dog at her feet
even though I know it won't work out in the long run
so I burn down the bone, breathe my good shadow
those arms I once knew, hold me like gold
I learn how to speak a defeated language
I fall in the street as I howl at the moon
When anything that's anything becomes nothing that's everything
and nothing is the only thing you ever seem to have
The lyrics in Man Man’s “Van Helsing Boombox” portray a sense of vulnerability and acceptance of life’s unpredictable nature. The phrase “only time will tell” suggests that there are factors in life beyond one’s control, and the singer acknowledges that they might not be able to control how the “scenery around” them affects them. They confess their desire to escape their problems by sleeping “for weeks like a dog at her feet,” even though they know that such an escape is temporary and ultimately unproductive.
The lines “so I burn down the wall, breathe my good shadow” are intriguing because they imply that the singer might be willing to take drastic measures to cope with their problems. But the subsequent lines suggest that they find comfort and safety in being held by someone who was once important to them, as they learn how to speak a “forgotten language” and metaphorically “fall in the sea but forget how to swim.” In the second half of the song, the singer seems to be reflecting on the impermanence of life and how quickly things can change. The lines “When anything that’s anything becomes nothing that’s everything / and nothing is the only thing you ever seem to have” suggest a deep sadness about the fleeting nature of existence but also a kind of acceptance that allows them to appreciate what they have in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
only time will tell if I'll allow
I'm unsure if I'll be able to resist the pull of my surroundings
the scenery around to eat me alive
I fear that my environment will swallow me whole
I want to sleep for weeks like a dog at her feet
I long to escape and rest deeply like a pet by its owner's feet
even though I know it won't work out in the long run
Despite knowing it's not a permanent solution to my problems
so I burn down the wall, breathe my good shadow
I tear down my defenses and embrace my true self
those arms I once knew, hold me like gold
The person I once loved holds a valuable place in my heart
I learn how to speak a forgotten language
I am rediscovering parts of myself that have been neglected
I fall in the sea but forget how to swim
I feel lost and helpless, unable to navigate treacherous waters
When anything that's anything becomes nothing that's everything
When significant things lose their meaning, insignificant things can become paramount
and nothing is the only thing you ever seem to have
I am left with a profound emptiness that never seems to leave
I want to sleep for weeks like a dog at her feet
Repeating my desire to escape and rest deeply like a pet by its owner's feet
even though I know it won't work out in the long run
And acknowledging that this escape is only a temporary fix
so I burn down the bone, breathe my good shadow
I am shedding my old self and embracing my true self
those arms I once knew, hold me like gold
Again, referencing the person I once loved and valued deeply
I learn how to speak a defeated language
I am feeling beaten down and struggling to communicate effectively
I fall in the street as I howl at the moon
I am in a state of despair and agony, shouting out to the universe for answers
When anything that's anything becomes nothing that's everything
Once again referencing the idea that important things lose meaning while insignificant things gain it
and nothing is the only thing you ever seem to have
And that this hollowness is all that remains
Contributed by Elizabeth L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.