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The Useless Ladder
Kayo Dot Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The shamelessly desirous broken heart inside the otherwise empty cabinet of doom
Weeps what it's modesty beating without.

The youngest grave will hold a crowd before
The people stuck on the train have a reason to doubt.

The shamelessly desirous broken heart inside the
Otherwise empty cabinet of doom
Weakens our modern prophetic distractions.

Pretty paths to perfidy and crooked roads to valor
And people stuck on their rooftops with a Government ladder.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "The Useless Ladder" by Kayo Dot are complex and open to multiple interpretations. At its core, it seems to be about the struggle between desire and modesty, the inevitable mortality of humans, and the futility of modern distractions. The opening lines, "The shamelessly desirous broken heart inside the otherwise empty cabinet of doom/Weeps what it's modesty beating without" suggest that even in the darkest times, there is a desire for human connection and love. The image of the "empty cabinet of doom" also implies a sense of foreboding or impending danger.


The following lines, "The youngest grave will hold a crowd before/The people stuck on the train have a reason to doubt" may represent the idea that death is certain for everyone, and that even those who seem to be stuck in life (such as those stuck on a train) may have a greater understanding of life's fragility. The repetition of the opening lines later in the song reinforces the idea that desire and love are powerful human emotions that cannot be easily suppressed.


Line by Line Meaning

The shamelessly desirous broken heart inside the otherwise empty cabinet of doom
Despite the overall emptiness and hopelessness of the situation, a heart remains that is filled with unashamed desire.


Weeps what it's modesty beating without.
This heart is crying without reservation, expressing emotions that it has held back for too long.


The youngest grave will hold a crowd before
Death is inevitable for everyone, and even the youngest person will eventually be surrounded by a group of mourners at their funeral.


The people stuck on the train have a reason to doubt.
Those who are confined or trapped, whether physically or metaphorically, have reason to question their situation and the motives of those in control.


The shamelessly desirous broken heart inside the otherwise empty cabinet of doom
Despite the overall emptiness and hopelessness of the situation, a heart remains that is filled with unashamed desire.


Weakens our modern prophetic distractions.
This intense, raw emotion is powerful enough to disrupt and expose the false promises and distractions that modern society uses to avoid facing uncomfortable truths.


Pretty paths to perfidy and crooked roads to valor
The path to dishonesty or betrayal can sometimes be tempting and seductive, while the path to true bravery or nobility can be difficult and challenging.


And people stuck on their rooftops with a Government ladder.
Some people find themselves helpless, trapped and at the mercy of the powers that be, waiting for someone else to provide them with a way out of their predicament.




Contributed by Cameron T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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