Bedhead was a slowcore band from Dallas, Texas active in the 1990s (1991-19… Read Full Bio ↴Bedhead was a slowcore band from Dallas, Texas active in the 1990s (1991-1998). Their first album, WhatFunLifeWas, is often cited on critics' lists as one of the best indie albums of the 1990s. Bedhead's music was generally subdued, with a polyphonic sound based on the interlocking of single-line melodies played by three electric guitars and one electric bass guitar (often played with a capo), nearly always using clean (undistorted) tones. The group's vocals were often delivered in such a low key manner that they were quite difficult to decipher. This unusual sound was dubbed by some critics as "slo-core," referring to the slow tempos of many of the band's songs, a label to which band members objected in interviews. In reality, many of the group's songs do not remain slow and quiet throughout, instead beginning very slowly and quietly and gradually building in intensity and volume.

What's Missing
Bedhead Lyrics

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If I can't pay attention
I can't think about
all the things that lead me to doubt
how much I am in the things that I do
what's new to me and what I already knew
but I can't see or hear
and I need to know if I'm missing something

But I don't need this in my life right now
is the last thing to say to me when I don't know how
to get beyond thinking of things
that are unimportant like this
I had no worries when I had no doubts
courage was something I could live without
but that's impossible
when there's something missing

I don't need to tell you
take it easy on me
when that's something I need

When I had no worries I had no doubts
at this point that's something I've forgotten about
like what's missing

But I would happily give it away
to know why I never give anything up

Overall Meaning

The song "What's Missing" by Bedhead speaks to the human struggle of self-doubt and the search for meaning. The singer is grappling with their own insecurities and feeling lost in the turmoil of their thoughts. They can't seem to focus on the present moment or their actions and are consumed with feelings of uncertainty, questioning if they are missing out on something important. The singer acknowledges that they don't need these doubts in their life, but they can't seem to let go of them.

The lyrics convey a sense of yearning for simplicity and a life without worry. The singer suggests that when they had no worries, they also had no doubts, and that courage was not necessary. However, now that doubts have crept in, the singer is unable to let go of them and are left feeling torn between wanting to let go and wanting to understand what's missing.

Overall, the song explores the human need for clarity and purpose, and how difficult it can be to achieve these things in a world full of distractions and self-doubt.

Line by Line Meaning

If I can't pay attention
If I can't focus my mind

I can't think about
I can't contemplate

all the things that lead me to doubt
all the things that make me uncertain

how much I am in the things that I do
how invested I am in my actions

what's new to me and what I already knew
what I have recently learned and what I already knew before

but I can't see or hear
but I am unaware

and I need to know if I'm missing something
and I require knowledge if there is anything absent or overlooked

But I don't need this in my life right now
But this is not important in my current life situation

is the last thing to say to me when I don't know how
that's the last advice I need when I am uncertain

to get beyond thinking of things
to move past musing about things

that are unimportant like this
that are trivial, like this