Pattern Against User
At the Drive-In Lyrics
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Handcuffed to the park bench
Hypodermic people poking fun at the living
Please take the weight out of this
It takes the weight out of living
Are we just infants
That are ripe for the training
The opposition
Please lift the weight out of this
It takes the weight out of living
Let these walkers trip on endless proof
Pattern against user, dilated
Bastard waiting for nothing
Circus carny guarding
The gates of heaven
Pact stuck in limbo abduction
Wormed our way through distant earth
Wormed our way through distant earth
This intuition
Limps with the cane of suspicion
Folding space in the crease of this page
It takes the weight out of this
It takes the weight out of
Trickling the ticking of this grandfather clock
The opposition
Can't feel the tentacle reach suction cup the numb arms of the elderly
Pattern against user- dilated
Bastard waiting for nothing
Circus carny guarding
The gates of heaven
Pact stuck in limbo abduction
Wormed our way through distant earth
Wormed our way through distant earth
And if this clock keeps ticking away
Will time be hesitated
Of all the minutes that were taken away
Will your watch be waiting
Sand falls through
Time portals
These landfills, immortal
And if this clock keeps beating down
Let the branded time keep playing
Of all the minutes that were taken away
Will your watch be waiting
Pattern against user, dilated
Bastard waiting for nothing
Circus carny guarding
The gates of heaven
Pact stuck in limbo abduction
Wormed our way through distant earth
Wormed our way through distant earth
Wormed our way through distant earth
Wormed our way through distant earth
In "Pattern Against User," At the Drive-In presents a chaotic and introspective look at society's struggles with conformity and losing individuality. The song opens with a proposition, representing the status quo that individuals are handcuffed to, and the hypodermic people poking fun at the living, or the societal pressure to conform. The line "Please take the weight out of this, It takes the weight out of living" represents the desire to be able to live freely without the constraints of societal norms.
The chorus, "Pattern against user, dilated, bastard waiting for nothing, circus carny guarding the gates of heaven, pact stuck in limbo abduction, wormed our way through distant earth," refers to society as the pattern and the individual as the user fighting against it, but ultimately feeling "dilated," fragmented and lost. The "circus carny guarding the gates of heaven," represents those in power who hold the key to freedom, but ultimately keep individuals trapped and powerless.
The bridge delves deeper into the struggle of individuals to keep their individuality and not conform, represented through "limping with the cane of suspicion," and "folding space in the crease of this page." The final chorus lines "and if this clock keeps beating down, let the branded time keep playing," allude to the inevitability of the pressures of society and time weighing down on individuals, but the hope that they can still maintain their individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
The proposition
The suggestion or proposal
Handcuffed to the park bench
Metaphorically restrained and unable to move from a stagnant position
Hypodermic people poking fun at the living
People who are insensitive and make fun of others, especially the vulnerable and disadvantaged
Please take the weight out of this
Remove the burden or pressure from this situation
It takes the weight out of living
Reducing the stress or challenges of life
Are we just infants / That are ripe for the training
Are we like children who are easily shaped and influenced by others
The opposition / Can't feel the tentacle reach suction cup the numb arms of the elderly
Those who oppose cannot see or understand the harm being done to the vulnerable and defenseless
Let these walkers trip on endless proof
Let those who are blindly following be exposed to the truth and be forced to confront it
Pattern against user, dilated
A systematic method designed to oppose and defeat those who are being targeted
Bastard waiting for nothing
A person who is alone and adrift, with no purpose and no one to rely on
Circus carny guarding / The gates of heaven
A figure who is entertaining but ultimately holding back or preventing others from achieving true success or fulfillment
Pact stuck in limbo abduction / Wormed our way through distant earth / Wormed our way through distant earth
A deal or agreement that is stalled or stuck in some kind of limbo, while the parties involved keep searching for solutions to achieve their desired outcomes
This intuition / Limps with the cane of suspicion
This inner sense or understanding is hampered by doubt and mistrust
Folding space in the crease of this page
Manipulating or altering one's environment or situation to achieve a desired outcome
Trickling the ticking of this grandfather clock
Trying to slow down or control the passage of time
And if this clock keeps ticking away / Will time be hesitated
If time continues to pass, will it slow down or pause for us
Of all the minutes that were taken away / Will your watch be waiting
Once time has passed, will it have been worth it, and will we have anything to show for it
Sand falls through / Time portals / These landfills, immortal
Time passes without discrimination or reflection, and the things we leave behind are permanent fixtures of history
Let the branded time keep playing
Allow time to continue passing, with all its consequences and implications
Wormed our way through distant earth / Wormed our way through distant earth
Continuing to navigate and manipulate one's surroundings, even when it seems impossible or difficult
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Cedric Bixler, Jim Ward, Omar Rodriguez, Pablo Hinojos, Tony Hajjar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind