Nausea
Beck Lyrics
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Well I'm a sea-sick sailor on a ship of noise
I got my maps all backwards and my instincts poisoned
In a truth-blown gutter full of wasted years
Like blown-out speakers ringin' in my ears
Oh, it's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
I'm a straight-line walker with a black-out room
I push a shopping cart over in an Aztec ruin
With my minion fingers working for some god
Who could see his own reflection in a parking lot
Oh, it's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
It's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
(Let's go! Yeah! Hey! Woo-hoo! Say huh! Yahoo! Right on! Woooo! Come on!)
Now I'm a priest teenager on a tower of dust
I'm a dead generator in a cloud of exhaust
In a long-living desert with skulls for my pets
I rate the days, one to ten, with lead cigarettes
Oh, it's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
Nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
In "Nausea" by Beck, the singer expresses feelings of disillusionment and disorientation. He compares himself to a sea-sick sailor on a ship of noise, indicating that he feels lost and overwhelmed by the chaotic and loud world around him. This is compounded by having "maps all backwards" and "instincts poisoned" which implies a sense of being completely disorientated and confused. The line "In a truth-blown gutter full of wasted years" suggests that Beck feels like his life is adrift and meaningless. The use of "blown-out speakers ringin' in my ears" emphasizes the overwhelming nature of the world that is causing him to feel ill and dizzy.
The chorus emphasizes the feelings of nausea and being "gone" which can be interpreted as feeling disconnected from reality. He repeats the word "nausea" to emphasize how overpowering this feeling is. There is no clear indication of what is causing the nausea, which could be interpreted as a feeling of existential angst, disillusionment with society or a lack of purpose.
The second verse emphasizes the lack of direction in Beck's life as he is a "straight-line walker with a black-out room." The reference to pushing a shopping cart in an Aztec ruin is an obscure image but could be interpreted as being lost in a sense of history/culture. The reference to his "minion fingers" working for some god is opaque but suggests that he feels like he is being controlled or manipulated by an outside force. The god that could "see his own reflection in a parking lot" could be interpreted as being materialistic or superficial.
In the final verse, Beck describes himself as a "priest teenager on a tower of dust" which could be interpreted as a sense of disillusionment with religion. He continues with the image of a "dead generator in a cloud of exhaust" which emphasizes the idea of being stuck in a cycle of meaningless activity. Finally, he says that he rates "the days, one to ten, with lead cigarettes" which implies a sense of self-destructive behavior.
Overall, "Nausea" explores themes of disillusionment, disorientation, and feeling disconnected from society. The lyrics are vivid and use powerful imagery to emphasize these themes.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm a sea-sick sailor on a ship of noise
I feel disoriented like a sailor who's seasick while surrounded by a chaotic and noisy environment.
I got my maps all backwards and my instincts poisoned
I feel lost and disoriented, as if my internal compass is malfunctioning and my judgment is clouded.
In a truth-blown gutter full of wasted years
I'm stuck in a place where harsh realities have eroded my spirit and left me feeling hopeless, with years wasted away.
Like blown-out speakers ringin' in my ears
The harshness of my current environment has caused my mind to feel overwhelmed and overloaded, leaving me with a ringing sensation.
I'm a straight-line walker with a black-out room
I'm trying to maintain a sense of direction and focus while everything around me feels dark and uncertain.
I push a shopping cart over in an Aztec ruin
I feel out of place, pushing a symbol of modern consumerism through an ancient setting.
With my minion fingers working for some god
I feel like a low-level worker serving an authority figure who isn't necessarily worthy of the devotion or effort.
Who could see his own reflection in a parking lot
The god I'm serving is superficial and self-obsessed, seeing their own image in mundane places like a parking lot.
Now I'm a priest teenager on a tower of dust
I feel both powerless and inexperienced, like a young priest surveying a towering, dusty environment.
I'm a dead generator in a cloud of exhaust
I feel depleted and unable to contribute meaningfully while surrounded by a suffocating environment of pollution and waste.
In a long-living desert with skulls for my pets
I'm in a barren, unforgiving place where death and decay are prominent, and I'm trying to find comfort in strange and unsettling ways.
I rate the days, one to ten, with lead cigarettes
I measure time with toxic, self-destructive habits, indicating a sense of hopelessness and despair.
Oh, it's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
These experiences have left me feeling physically and emotionally sick, and there's a sense of inevitability about moving on from them.
Nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
The repetition of this phrase underscores the sense of being trapped in an uncomfortable, oppressive mindset or lifestyle, and feeling like there's no way out.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BECK HANSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ted Kaczynski Gaming
Well I'm a sea-sick sailor on a ship of noise
I got my maps all backwards and my instincts poisoned
In a truth-blown gutter full of wasted years
Like blown-out speakers ringin' in my ears
Oh, it's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
It's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
I'm a straight-line walker with a black-out room
I push a shopping cart over in an Aztec ruin
With my minion fingers working for some god
Who could see his own reflection in a parking lot
Oh, it's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
It's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
Now I'm a priest teenager on a tower of dust
I'm a dead generator in a cloud of exhaust
In a long-living desert with skulls for my pets
I rate the days, one to ten, with lead cigarettes
Oh, it's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
Nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
SanQuake
1, 2, 3, 4
I'm a seasick sailor
On a ship of noise
I got my maps all backwards
And my instincts poisoned
In a truth blown gutter
Full of wasted years
Like blown-out speakers
Ringin' in my ears
Oh it's nausea, oh nausea
And we're gone
It's nausea, oh nausea
And we're gone
Now I'm a straight-line walker
In a black-out room
I push a shopping cart over
In an Aztec ruin
With my minion fingers
Working for some God
Who could see his own reflection
In a parking lot
Oh it's nausea, oh nausea
And we're gone
No it's nausea, oh nausea
And we're gone
Now I'm a priest teenager
On a tower of dust
I'm a dead generator
In a cloud of exhaust
I eat alone in the desert
With skulls for my pets
I rate the days, one to ten
With lead cigarettes
It's nausea, oh nausea
And we're gone
It's nausea, oh nausea
And we're gone
David Brown
This video was Not
filmed by bears.
Beck began using them some years
back, he loves their
perspective on matters concerning humans.
Beck decided to go
'human' here, I really like it.
But I gotta be honest,
the bears man they
truly are genius.
Peace from the homeland we've never seen
Tony Bletas
How the hell does this guy compose such perfection with an obvious incessant frequency? Beck is a once in several lifetimes a phenomenon.
Ted Kaczynski Gaming
Well I'm a sea-sick sailor on a ship of noise
I got my maps all backwards and my instincts poisoned
In a truth-blown gutter full of wasted years
Like blown-out speakers ringin' in my ears
Oh, it's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
It's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
I'm a straight-line walker with a black-out room
I push a shopping cart over in an Aztec ruin
With my minion fingers working for some god
Who could see his own reflection in a parking lot
Oh, it's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
It's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
Now I'm a priest teenager on a tower of dust
I'm a dead generator in a cloud of exhaust
In a long-living desert with skulls for my pets
I rate the days, one to ten, with lead cigarettes
Oh, it's nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
Nausea, oh nausea, and we're gone
Chad Blomme
underrated tune. Nihilistic lyricism laced through and through with that funk.On the one hand Beck is celebrated, on the other hand I rarely read actual insightful analysis on the true nature of his achievements. He did it. Carved a place into the eternal stone where the interested will forever congregate. Beck's work will burn in that eternal flame
Sylvia Young
Amen! 🔥🌂🏆🥇🎼🎙💿
Kara
This song is so badass. People are missing out if they haven't experienced this.
Laurie
It's a keeper!! Have you heard Mixed Bizzness? Beck's phenomenal.
Lexx Ball
Its so there fault, I promise it is ... Bad bad man.
nernenu
Beck is my hero.
nernenu
Him, and Prince.
Kara
Haha I’ve heard every song he’s ever recorded