However, the lyrics in the second half of the song suggests that “953” is a critique of religion and the idea of ‘sinful thoughts’. Greep makes the point that people cannot necessarily control their thoughts – an action can be ‘sinful’, but people can’t be judged for their thoughts, otherwise we’re all equally ‘evil’, making the “self-righteous” liars since they are no different to the ‘sinners’, i.e. “everyone joins in and it is condemned”. Therefore, if nobody is able to be perfect by these standards, then nobody is good enough for ‘god’ and religion is an evil in and of itself.
The title refers to the section about three quarters of the way into the song (starting at three minutes, thirty-seven seconds) where the same three notes are repeated nine times, five times, and then again three times. Here’s a demonstration by YouTuber LukeOnDemand on Reddit.
953
BLACK MIDI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Strange fantasy
This is not who you are
Not who you want to be
Not who I want you to be
You were once so kind
Please remove these thoughts
Remove them from your mind
To yourself and your family
If not, I'll have to make
So self-righteous
Do not lie
What a contradiction
An eye for an eye
But you are just too lazy
It is purely fantasy
And it takes so quick
Everyone joins in
And it is condemned
It is a sin, it is a sin
The lyrics to BLACK MIDI's song '953' suggest a plea for someone to stop indulging in a strange fantasy that is not a true reflection of their character, nor is it who they aspire to be. The mysterious persona implores the individual to revert to their once kind demeanor and to remove the thoughts that have infiltrated their mind, as they are a disgrace to both themselves and their family. The persona then reveals that if this continues, they will be forced to take action.
The second stanza expresses disappointment in the individual's self-righteous attitude and apparent dishonesty. The persona points out that they are a contradiction, wanting to take action but being too lazy to do so. The strange fantasy is described as a shared experience that attracts many people quickly, but ultimately it is condemned and seen as a sin. The lyrics, though vague, could potentially refer to a range of issues such as a harmful addiction or a radicalized ideology.
Line by Line Meaning
Please stop all of this
Stop engaging in this behavior
Strange fantasy
Imagining things that are unrealistic and improbable
This is not who you are
This behavior is not consistent with your true self
Not who you want to be
You do not aspire to this behavior
Not who I want you to be
This behavior is not acceptable to the artist
You were once so kind
You used to be a compassionate person
Please remove these thoughts
Stop thinking about this behavior
Remove them from your mind
Erase these thoughts from your memory
For they are a disgrace
This behavior brings shame
To yourself and your family
This behavior reflects poorly on you and your loved ones
If not, I'll have to make
If you do not stop, the singer will intervene
So self-righteous
Having an exaggerated sense of moral superiority
Do not lie
Be honest
What a contradiction
This behavior is inconsistent with what was previously expressed
An eye for an eye
Retaliating in kind, with vengeance
But you are just too lazy
You lack motivation to behave differently
It is purely fantasy
This imagined behavior is unrealistic
And it takes so quick
The idea spreads quickly
Everyone joins in
Others adopt the behavior
And it is condemned
This behavior is widely disapproved of
It is a sin, it is a sin
This behavior is morally wrong
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Morgan Simpson, Cameron Overeynder, Geordie Greep, Matthew Anthony Kwasniwski-Kelvin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind