Going Through The Motions
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast Lyrics
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BUFFY:
Every single night
The same arrangement
I go out and fight the fight
Still, I always feel the strange estrangement
Nothing here is real
I've been making shows of trading blows
Just hoping no one knows
That I've been going through the motions
Walking through the part
Nothing seems to penetrate my heart
I was always brave and kind of righteous
Now I find I'm wavering
Crawl out of your grave
You find this fight just doesn't mean a thing
VAMPIRE:
She ain't got that swing
BUFFY:
Thanks for noticing
DEMON AND VAMPIRES:
She does pretty well with fiends from hell
But lately, we can tell
That she's just going through the motions (Going through the motions)
Faking it somehow
DEMON:
She's not even half the girl she - ow.
BUFFY:
Will I stay this way forever?
Sleepwalk through my life's endeavor?
HANDSOME YOUNG VICTIM MAN:
How can I repay - -
BUFFY:
- Whatever.
I don't want to be
Going through the motions
Losing all my drive
I can't even see
If this is really me
And I just want to be
Alive!
The song "Overture/Going Through The Motions" resonates with anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by responsibilities and worries that they have lost themselves in their daily grind. Buffy expresses her feelings of being stuck in a repetitive job that she has lost passion for over the years. The world seems to lack substance, and the emotions once present seem fake now. Buffy wonders if she will always feel this way, just moving in autopilot mode, or if she will find herself again. The verse "Nothing here is real, nothing here is right" amplifies the dilemma of feeling disconnected in one's own life. The main refrain, "Going through the motions, walking through the part, nothing seems to penetrate my heart," is the very definition of exhaustion with one's own existence.
The vampires and demons catching on to her inner struggle, call out to her, "But lately, we can tell that she's just going through the motions, faking it somehow." Even Buffy's bravery and righteousness seem to be wavering. The song shows that Buffy's troubles are not just about fighting creatures from hell, but about staying energized and interested in life. The song peaks with Buffy's frustration as she says, "I don't want to be going through the motions, losing all my drive." In the end, Buffy just wants to feel alive again, and the song leaves viewers reflecting on how they too can find meaning and joy in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Every single night
Each and every night without fail
The same arrangement
My surroundings and routine are always the same
I go out and fight the fight
I step out to face the challenge
Still, I always feel the strange estrangement
Yet, I always feel disconnected from the world
Nothing here is real
Nothing I face here is genuine
Nothing here is right
And nothing here is proper
I've been making shows of trading blows
I've been putting on a display of exchanging attacks
Just hoping no one knows
In hopes that no one can tell
That I've been going through the motions
That I've been just going through the motions of fighting
Walking through the part
I'm just going through the motions of being a fighter
Nothing seems to penetrate my heart
But none of it seems to have any real impact on me
I was always brave and kind of righteous
I used to be brave and had a strong moral compass
Now I find I'm wavering
But now I'm not so sure
Crawl out of your grave
Get back up and fight
You find this fight just doesn't mean a thing
But you may find this fight is pointless
She ain't got that swing
She doesn't have the skills she used to
Thanks for noticing
Thank you for being observant
She does pretty well with fiends from hell
I perform quite decently against demons from hell
But lately, we can tell
But lately, it's becoming more apparent
That she's just going through the motions (Going through the motions)
That I'm just faking it
Faking it somehow
I'm managing to pretend
She's not even half the girl she - ow.
I'm not even a fraction of the girl I used to be
Will I stay this way forever?
Am I going to be like this for the rest of my life?
Sleepwalk through my life's endeavor?
Am I going to go through the motions for the rest of my life?
How can I repay - -
What can I do to make this better - -
- Whatever.
- Never mind.
I don't want to be
I don't want to continue being
Going through the motions
Faking it
Losing all my drive
Losing my motivation
I can't even see
I can't even tell anymore
If this is really me
If this is who I truly am
And I just want to be
All I want is to
Alive!
Be alive!
Contributed by Aiden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.