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Tom Sawyer
Mindless Self Indulgence Lyrics


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The Modern with the warrior
The mean with the stride
The Tom with the sawyer
And the mean, mean, mean, mean pride.

And though his mind is not for rent,
Don't put him down as arrogant.
His reserve, a quiet defence,
Riding out the day's events.

The river

What you say about his company
Is what you say about society.
Catch the mist mist, catch the myth-myth
Catch the mystery, catch the drift-drift.

The world is the world is,
Love and life are deep,
Maybe as his eyes are wide.

The Tom with the sawyer
With the eye on the you,
the space he invades
He gets by by by by

No his mind is not for rent
To any God or government.
Always hopeful, yet discontent,
He knows changes aren't permanent,

But change is.

And what you say about his company
Is what you say about society.
Catch the witness, catch the wit-wit,
Catch the spirit, catch the spit-spit.

The world is the world is,
Love and life are deep,
Maybe as his skies are wide.

Exit the warrior,
The Tom with the sawyer,
The eye on the you,
Energy trade
Right on to,
The friction of the day.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mindless Self Indulgence's song "Tom Sawyer" are a reinterpretation of Rush's original 1981 song of the same name. However, the lyrics by MSI are more sarcastic and mocking of the original lyrics, which were meant to praise individualism and non-conformism.


The opening lines "The Modern with the warrior / The mean with the stride / The Tom with the Sawyer / And the mean, mean, mean, mean pride" seem to mock the idea of individuals being warriors against conformity and society. The next lines "And though his mind is not for rent, / Don't put him down as arrogant. / His reserve, a quiet defense, / Riding out the day's events" highlight that these individuals are not really non-conformists but rather they are stubborn and unwilling to listen to others. The line "The world is the world is, / Love and life are deep, / Maybe as his eyes are wide" is another sarcastic take on the original lyrics, as if to say that these are clichés that mean nothing.


The chorus "And what you say about his company / Is what you say about society. / Catch the witness, catch the wit-wit, / Catch the spirit, catch the spit-spit" implies that criticizing and mocking these individuals is not just about them but also about the society that produces them. The closing lines "Exit the warrior, / The Tom with the Sawyer, / The eye on the you, / Energy trade / Right on to, / The friction of the day" seem to suggest that these individuals are not really changing anything but just going along with the status quo.


Overall, the lyrics of "Tom Sawyer" by Mindless Self Indulgence seem to be a satirical take on the original song by Rush and the idea of non-conformism and individualism.


Line by Line Meaning

The Modern with the warrior
The present times are characterized by ruthless competition and aggression.


The mean with the stride
The cruel and heartless thrive while the weak and kind are left behind.


The Tom with the sawyer
Tom Sawyer, a fictional character in a book by Mark Twain, represents individualism and non-conformity.


And the mean, mean, mean, mean pride.
A callous and self-centered attitude is prevalent and celebrated.


And though his mind is not for rent,
Tom Sawyer's independent streak cannot be bought, sold or suppressed.


Don't put him down as arrogant.
He is not haughty, but rather confident in his beliefs and actions.


His reserve, a quiet defence,
His reticence is a shield against conformity and oppression.


Riding out the day's events.
He navigates life's challenges through perseverance and adaptability.


The river
The flowing waters symbolize the ever-changing course of life.


What you say about his company
Your opinion of his friends reflects your view of society.


Is what you say about society.
The behavior of individuals mirrors the values and norms of the larger community.


Catch the mist mist, catch the myth-myth
Perpetuated falsehoods and illusions deserve scrutiny and exposure.


Catch the mystery, catch the drift-drift.
Unfathomable truths and hidden meanings require perceptiveness and intuition.


The world is the world is,
The world is as it is, regardless of interpretation or perspective.


Love and life are deep,
Love and life are profound and multifaceted experiences.


Maybe as his eyes are wide.
Perhaps his openness and curiosity enable him to appreciate the complexity of existence.


With the eye on the you,
He focuses on others, recognizing their humanity and worth.


the space he invades
His mere existence challenges and disrupts societal norms and expectations.


He gets by by by by
He survives by maintaining his individuality and resisting conformity at all costs.


To any God or government.
He refuses to bow down to religious or political authority, asserting his own values and beliefs.


Always hopeful, yet discontent,
He remains optimistic despite the struggles he faces, yet never completely satisfied with the status quo.


He knows changes aren't permanent,
He recognizes that everything is temporary and in a constant state of flux.


But change is.
Despite the fleeting nature of transformation, it is nevertheless an integral part of existence.


Catch the witness, catch the wit-wit,
Be aware of those who bear witness to injustice, and those who use humor to subvert authority.


Catch the spirit, catch the spit-spit.
Embrace the energy and vitality of dissent and rebellion, even in the face of hostility.


Exit the warrior,
The fighter and defender of individualism departs.


The Tom with the sawyer,
The non-conformist and free thinker is departing as well.


The eye on the you,
Leaving behind a legacy of recognizing and respecting others' unique perspectives and identities.


Energy trade
The exchange and transformation of energy and ideas between people.


Right on to,
Continuing to push forward, determined to resist conformity and complacency.


The friction of the day.
The conflict and tension that arise from a society that values conformity over individuality and creativity.




Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP
Written by: DUBOIS PYE, ALEX ZIVOJINOVICH, GARY LEE WEINRIB, NEIL ELWOOD PEART

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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