In 1994 he founded Brad Mehldau Trio, with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy; in 2005, Jeff Ballard replaced Rossy. Brad Mehldau started playing piano at the age of six, and has released more than ten albums.
Paranoid Android I
Brad Mehldau Lyrics
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From all the unborn chicken voices in my head
What's this? (I may be paranoid, but not an android)
What's this? (I may be paranoid, but not an android)
When I am king, you will be first against the wall
With your opinion which is of no consequence at all
What's this? (I may be paranoid, but no android)
Ambition makes you look pretty ugly
Kicking, squealing, Gucci little piggy
You don't remember
You don't remember
Why don't you remember my name?
Off with his head, man
Off with his head, man
Why don't you remember my name? I guess he does
Rain down, rain down
Come on rain down on me
From a great height
From a great height, height
Rain down, rain down
Come on rain down on me
From a great height
From a great height, height
Rain down, rain down
Come on rain down on me
That's it sir
You're leaving
The crackle of pigskin
The dust and the screaming
The yuppies networking
The panic, the vomit
The panic, the vomit
God loves his children,
God loves his children, yeah!
The lyrics of Brad Mehldau's song "Paranoid Android" draw on the themes of anxiety, power, and the breakdown of communication. The song opens with the plea to "stop the noise" that is created by the "unborn chicken voices" in the singer's head, which suggests a state of paranoia and the need for rest. The repetition of the line "I may be paranoid, but not an android" highlights the singer's sense of self-awareness, while also exploring the anxiety of questioning one's own sense of identity.
The first verse ends with a vague threat of violence, as the singer asserts that when he becomes king, his opponent will be "first against the wall." This is followed by an attack on those who hold opinions that are of "no consequence at all," which also suggests a frustration with the power dynamic in society. The second verse highlights the ugliness of ambition, as well as the singer's disdain for those who "don't remember" his name, leading to the repeated call for "off with his head."
The final section of the song sees a shift in tone, as the singer observes the chaos of the world around him with a detached sense of irony. The repeated phrase "rain down on me" becomes a kind of mantra, suggesting the singer's desire for a kind of baptismal renewal. The final lines of the song - "God loves his children" - offer a kind of spiritual reprieve from the anxieties explored throughout the rest of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Lease could you stop the noise, I'm trying to get some rest
As I lay here trying to sleep, my thoughts are consumed by the chaos in my head, making it impossible to relax
From all the unborn chicken voices in my head
The various ideas and thoughts in my mind are like the meaningless sounds of unborn chickens
What's this? (I may be paranoid, but not an android)
Although I may have irrational fears and concerns, I am human and not an emotionless robot
When I am king, you will be first against the wall
When I have power, I will take action against those who are irrelevant and meaningless to me
With your opinion which is of no consequence at all
Your thoughts and beliefs are worthless to me, and will soon be forgotten
Ambition makes you look pretty ugly
The pursuit of success can drive a person to ugliness and desperation
Kicking, squealing, Gucci little piggy
Like a spoiled child, you thrash about wildly in your wealth, completely oblivious to the struggles of others
You don't remember
You have forgotten something important
You don't remember
You have forgotten something important
Why don't you remember my name?
Why have you forgotten the identity of the person who once meant something to you?
Off with his head, man
This person should be punished severely for their forgetfulness
Off with his head, man
This person should be punished severely for their forgetfulness
Rain down, rain down
I am calling for a cleansing rain to wash away the negativity and bad experiences of life
Come on rain down on me
I want to feel the cleansing power of the rain myself, to be made pure and new
From a great height
The rain should come from a great height, symbolizing its divine origin
From a great height, height
Again emphasizing the symbolic and otherworldly nature of the rain
That's it sir
This marks the end of a situation, and possibly the beginning of something new
You're leaving
You are moving on, leaving behind what has been before
The crackle of pigskin
A metaphor for the excitement of life and the world around us, full of noise and energy
The dust and the screaming
The gritty, intense realities of existence, filled with struggles, pain, and passion
The yuppies networking
The superficial, materialistic aspects of modern life, where people are too often measured in terms of wealth and status
The panic, the vomit
The harsh realities of life, which can be both physically and mentally sickening
The panic, the vomit
The harsh realities of life, which can be both physically and mentally sickening
God loves his children, God loves his children, yeah!
Despite all the negatives and hardships of life, there is still hope and love in the world, shown to us by a higher power
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind