Helpless
Boingo Lyrics
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While I stare at the wall
I ask myself over again...
How did I end up
In this little hell?
How - did it ever begin?
Helpless to turn back the clock
That ticks on
With its cruel shiny face
It laughs while it watches
My every disgrace - I was
Born a sap - all the
Nurses laughed when they
Saw me the first time
They giggled and they said
"This poor little monster'd be
Better off dead."
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpess
Helplessly trapped in a body
I'm sure -
Should have never been mine.
I bet that my real one's
Doing just fine - and I
Don't belong here, I
Don't belong here - I
Should be quite rich
With a big shiny car
A house with twelve rooms
I deserve to go far.
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpess
Helplessly falling in love
But does love
Really last through the night?
To love - To honor -
To kick and to bite! and I
Don't belong here, I
Don't belong here
It's all a mistake
I was destined for greatness
A leader, a prophet -
They're just too blind to notice.
Where did this whole silly story begin?
It seems that my mind has gone -
Blank.
I think that I've messed up a chapter or two.
Perhaps it is best if I'm frank!
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpess -
Helplessly lost like that
Poor chap who came
For an innocent dance.
He left with his brain smeared
All over his pants! cause he
Didn't belong here, he
Didn't belong here
He never should've left
That warm cage in a zoo!
His face was so ugly
What else could I do?
Can you - really blame me, I
Had to smash it.
He left me no choice,
He was just like the others.
I just had to kill him.
With my poor, dear, old
Mother.
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpess
Helplessly fucked in the ass
By a legion of forty ex-cons
That's what it feels like
When you walk all over me.
Don't belong here, I
Don't belong here
Your eyes burn right through me.
They fill me with fear.
I could've been at home
Watching football, and drinking beer.
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpess, so Helpless.
The song "Helpless" by Boingo is an introspective and melancholy track that explores the feelings of being trapped and helpless, both physically and emotionally. The first verse sets the stage as the singer recounts countless long nights spent staring at the wall, asking themselves how they ended up in this little hell. They feel helpless and unable to turn back the clock as time ticks on with its cruel shiny face. These lyrics express a sense of hopelessness and despair that is only intensified by the chorus, which repeats the word "helpless" over and over.
The second verse continues with the theme of being trapped and powerless, as the singer laments being born with a body they are sure shouldn't have been theirs. They feel out of place and undeserving of their current circumstances, longing for a life of luxury and success. The song takes a darker turn with the final verse, where the singer speaks of a violent encounter with someone who didn't belong, concluding with the line "I could've been at home watching football and drinking beer."
Overall, the song speaks to a universal human experience of feeling stuck and powerless, questioning the events and choices that led to this place. The repetition of the word "helpless" in the chorus emphasizes this feeling of frustration and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Countless long nights
I've been experiencing many sleepless nights
While I stare at the wall
I am just staring at the wall during these nights
I ask myself over again...
I keep questioning myself over and over again
How did I end up
I am wondering how things got this way
In this little hell?
I am referring to my current situation as being in a small but miserable place
How - did it ever begin?
I am questioning how everything started and what led to this point
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpess
This is the chorus line that emphasizes my feeling of being helpless
Helpless to turn back the clock
I cannot change what has already happened and wish I could go back in time
That ticks on
Time passes by constantly and inevitably
With its cruel shiny face
I feel like time is mocking me and laughing at me
It laughs while it watches
I feel like the passing time is enjoying my misery
My every disgrace - I was
I feel humiliated by everything that has happened to me
Born a sap - all the
I am referring to myself as a weak and foolish person
Nurses laughed when they
I feel like everyone is laughing at me, even people who are supposed to take care of me
Saw me the first time
This happened when I was born, and it left a traumatic impression on me
They giggled and they said
The nurses made fun of me and said hurtful things
"This poor little monster'd be
They saw me as an undesirable and unworthy creature
Better off dead."
They preferred for me to be dead instead of being alive
Helplessly trapped in a body
I feel like I am trapped in a body that is not mine
I'm sure -
I am convinced that this is not my true body
Should have never been mine.
I feel like there was a mistake and I got someone else's body
I bet that my real one's
I speculate that my true body is somewhere else
Doing just fine -
I imagine that my real body is doing well without me
And I
I am referring to myself
Don't belong here, I
I feel like I do not fit in this world or in this body
Should be quite rich
I think I deserve to be wealthy
With a big shiny car
I desire to have a luxurious car that would make me feel important
A house with twelve rooms
I wish to have a big mansion that would make me feel superior to others
I deserve to go far.
I feel like I am entitled to achieve great success
Helplessly falling in love
I am hopeless and weak in front of love
But does love
I am uncertain about love and its effects
Really last through the night?
I am asking if love has the ability to resist the challenges that come during the night
To love - To honor -
I am mentioning some of the qualities that people seek in love and marriage
To kick and to bite! and I
I am emphasizing the violent nature of some romantic relationships, even though it does not apply to me
It's all a mistake
I feel like everything that happened to me is a result of a mistake
I was destined for greatness
I believe that I have a special purpose or destiny that is yet to be fulfilled
A leader, a prophet -
I see myself as a significant figure that has the ability to inspire others and make an impact on the world
They're just too blind to notice.
I feel like everyone else is failing to see my true potential and overlooks my greatness
Where did this whole silly story begin?
I am asking myself and others about the origin of this series of unfortunate events that happened to me
It seems that my mind has gone -
I feel like my mind has lost its coherence and control
Blank.
I have nothing in my mind or memory that would explain what happened to me
I think that I've messed up a chapter or two.
I am trying to find an explanation for myself, even if it means to find faults in my own actions
Perhaps it is best if I'm frank!
I am willing to be truthful and sincere about my situation, even if it is painful
Helplessly lost like that
I am expressing my feelings of confusion and hopelessness
Poor chap who came
I am referring to a person who entered my life and suffered the consequences of it
For an innocent dance.
The person came for a harmless and fun activity, but ended up in a tragic and violent situation
He left with his brain smeared
The person got brutally murdered and his head smashed
All over his pants! cause he
I am being sarcastic and blaming the victim for what happened to him
Didn't belong here, he
I am assuming that the victim was not worthy of living and did not fit in this world
Never should've left
I am suggesting that the victim should have stayed away from me and avoided his fate
That warm cage in a zoo!
The reference to a zoo implies that the victim was treated like an animal and deserved the punishment
His face was so ugly
I am mocking and insulting the victim's physical appearance
What else could I do?
I am implying that my actions were justified and that I had no other choice
Can you - really blame me, I
I am asking the listener if they could understand and justify my actions
Had to smash it.
I am admitting and bragging about my violence and brutality
He left me no choice,
I am justifying my actions and blaming the victim for his own death
He was just like the others.
I am generalizing and stereotyping the victim and other people, implying that they all deserved similar fate
I just had to kill him.
I am confessing to murder and showing no regrets or remorse
With my poor, dear, old
I am mentioning my mother, perhaps to shift some of the blame to her or to show that I am damaged
Mother.
I am referring to my mother, but the context or meaning of this line is left open to interpretation
Helplessly fucked in the ass
I am expressing my feelings of being violated, taken advantage of, and abused
By a legion of forty ex-cons
I am exaggerating and using hyperbolic language to amplify my distress and pain
That's what it feels like
I am stating that this is just a metaphorical or subjective way to express my suffering
When you walk all over me.
I am referring to someone or something that is oppressing me and making me feel helpless
Don't belong here, I
I am expressing again my feeling of not fitting in and not belonging to this world
Your eyes burn right through me.
I am referring to someone's gaze or presence that is causing me discomfort, anxiety, or fear
They fill me with fear.
I am stating that this gaze or presence is having a psychological or emotional effect on me
I could've been at home
I am thinking about an alternate reality or a different life that I could have had but don't have
Watching football, and drinking beer.
I am thinking about a simple and mundane activity that could have brought me comfort or happiness
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpess, so Helpless.
This is the chorus line that reiterates my feeling of being utterly helpless and powerless
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANNY ELFMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chris Nemec
Lyrics:
Countless long nights
While I stare at the wall
I ask myself over again...
How did I end up
In this little hell?
How - did it ever begin?
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpess
Helpless to turn back the clock
That ticks on
With its cruel shiny face
It laughs while it watches
My every disgrace - I was
Born a sap - all the
Nurses laughed when they
Saw me the first time
They giggled and they said
"This poor little monster'd be
Better off dead."
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpless
Helplessly trapped in a body
I'm sure -
Should have never been mine.
I bet that my real one's
Doing just fine - and I
Don't belong here, I
Don't belong here - I
Should be quite rich
With a big shiny car
A house with twelve rooms
I deserve to go far.
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpless
Helplessly falling in love
But does love
Really last through the night?
To love - To honor -
To kick and to bite! and I
Don't belong here, I
Don't belong here
It's all a mistake
I was destined for greatness
A leader, a prophet -
They're just too blind to notice.
Where did this whole silly story begin?
It seems that my mind has gone -
Blank.
I think that I've messed up a chapter or two.
Perhaps it is best if I'm frank!
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpless -
Helplessly lost like that
Poor chap who came
For an innocent dance.
He left with his brain smeared
All over his pants! cause he
Didn't belong here, he
Didn't belong here
He never should've left
That warm cage in a zoo!
His face was so ugly
What else could I do?
Can you - really blame me, I
Had to smash it.
He left me no choice,
He was just like the others.
I just had to kill him.
With my poor, dear, old
Mother.
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpless
Helplessly fucked in the ass
By a legion of forty ex-cons
That's what it feels like
When you walk all over me.
Don't belong here, I
Don't belong here
Your eyes burn right through me.
They fill me with fear.
I could've been at home
Watching football, and drinking beer.
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpless, so helpless.
Brian E
Fight me if you want, but this is Danny Elfman at his best. Whether he's doing work for Tim Burton or for Oingo Boingo in its final years, he stepped up and put in the work.
I'll always have respect for Danny Elfman. He's one of the best.
Chris Nemec
Lyrics:
Countless long nights
While I stare at the wall
I ask myself over again...
How did I end up
In this little hell?
How - did it ever begin?
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpess
Helpless to turn back the clock
That ticks on
With its cruel shiny face
It laughs while it watches
My every disgrace - I was
Born a sap - all the
Nurses laughed when they
Saw me the first time
They giggled and they said
"This poor little monster'd be
Better off dead."
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpless
Helplessly trapped in a body
I'm sure -
Should have never been mine.
I bet that my real one's
Doing just fine - and I
Don't belong here, I
Don't belong here - I
Should be quite rich
With a big shiny car
A house with twelve rooms
I deserve to go far.
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpless
Helplessly falling in love
But does love
Really last through the night?
To love - To honor -
To kick and to bite! and I
Don't belong here, I
Don't belong here
It's all a mistake
I was destined for greatness
A leader, a prophet -
They're just too blind to notice.
Where did this whole silly story begin?
It seems that my mind has gone -
Blank.
I think that I've messed up a chapter or two.
Perhaps it is best if I'm frank!
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpless -
Helplessly lost like that
Poor chap who came
For an innocent dance.
He left with his brain smeared
All over his pants! cause he
Didn't belong here, he
Didn't belong here
He never should've left
That warm cage in a zoo!
His face was so ugly
What else could I do?
Can you - really blame me, I
Had to smash it.
He left me no choice,
He was just like the others.
I just had to kill him.
With my poor, dear, old
Mother.
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpless
Helplessly fucked in the ass
By a legion of forty ex-cons
That's what it feels like
When you walk all over me.
Don't belong here, I
Don't belong here
Your eyes burn right through me.
They fill me with fear.
I could've been at home
Watching football, and drinking beer.
Oh, oh, oh oh oh helpless, so helpless.
Chris Howard
I wish this had been on the album when I bought it. Funny story about where I got this final studio album from... I was in the Navy on deployment somewhere, probably the Persian Gulf, and I saw it in the ship's store. It was, most likely, the only copy the store got. It took me a few listens to fully appreciate it, but it was an amazing album.
LonelyWhale
Jack Skellington rly popped off
help girl im trapped in the test tube
@Strange Wayfaring Stranger no shit
Strange Wayfaring Stranger
Danny Elfman was in this band way before that lol
David Westerlund
I bought the Boingo CD in Sweden and this was included as a bonus track (and it's great!)
fezenstein
it was my favorite on this record. and the farewell tour version was classic.!
Jobantus
Not sure that its well known, but this song featured on the Australian release of the Boingo album as a bonus track on the CD.
Ryan Simons
@Robin Hughes only on the tape! I bought both CD and tape day off release. Only on cassette and the CD single for Insanity.