Panopticon
Atsuko Chiba Lyrics


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Stray away from the old
Repeat, repay what you stole
Stray away
Retrieve and remake

What sentinals found
Dire deeds left on the ground
And what you took from your father's throat
Above the door where the falcon boasts




Six more clepsydrae
We hunt the shadow and never count by nine

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Atsuko Chiba’s song Panopticon are open to interpretation, but it appears to be a song about breaking away from the past and the cycle of repetition. The line “stray away from the old” seems to urge the listener to move beyond the familiar and seek new experiences. The following lines “repeat, repay what you stole” suggest that in order to truly move on, it is necessary to acknowledge and make amends for past mistakes. The final lines of the verse “stray away, retrieve and remake” reinforce the idea of forging a new path and creating something new from the remnants of the past.


The chorus of the song takes a darker turn, with talk of “sentinels” and “dire deeds left on the ground.” The line “what you took from your father’s throat” suggests a familial betrayal, perhaps of a symbolic or metaphorical nature. The falcon’s door and the clepsydrae (water clocks) add to the sense of mystery and intrigue in the song. The final line “we hunt the shadow and never count by nine” suggests that the singer and their companions are on a mission, but not one that can be easily defined or understood.


Line by Line Meaning

Stray away from the old
Abandon old ways and habits


Repeat, repay what you stole
Make amends and return what was taken


Stray away
Keep moving forward and evolving


Retrieve and remake
Reclaim what is lost and rebuild anew


What sentinals found
What the guards discovered and reported


Dire deeds left on the ground
Horrible actions committed and left behind


And what you took from your father's throat
What you stole from your own family


Above the door where the falcon boasts
Displayed for all to see, like a falcon perched above a door


Six more clepsydrae
Six additional water clocks


We hunt the shadow and never count by nine
We pursue our goals in the shadows and defy convention




Writer(s): Anthony Piazza

Contributed by John D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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