The band consists of Matt Shultz (vocals), Brad Shultz (guitar), Nick Bockrath (guitar), Daniel Tichenor (bass, vocals), Jared Champion (drums) and Matthan Minster (keyboard, vocals, guitar).
Their breakthrough single was Ain't No Rest For The Wicked, which peaked at #83 on the Billboard Hot 100, #32 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. This song was also featured as the intro song for the 2009 video game "Borderlands."
Right Before My Eyes
Cage the Elephant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Phony, false and frail
An empty ocean lost our way with no direction home
Golden needles names we take in vein
Find it harder to remain
And nothings sacred still waiting on that explanation
Right before my eyes
The whole world lost control
Before my eyes uh-huh
I fell through the floor
I couldn't take this anymore
I can't take this anymore
It breaks my mind uh-huh
Hold your dirty hand over the flames
Getting pleasure from the pain
Softly screaming the pistol that you raise has spoken
Golden needles names we take in vein
Find it harder to remain
Well nothings sacred still waiting on that explanation
Right before my eyes
I saw the whole world lose control
The whole world lost control
Before my eyes uh-huh
I fell through the floor
I couldn't take this anymore
I can't take this anymore
It breaks my mind uh-huh
Everything I thought I knew fell to the side
Time went on and on I couldn't see past my on eyes
Past my eyes
Past my eyes
Past my eyes
Right before my eyes
I saw the whole world lose control
The whole world lost control
Before my eyes uh-huh
I fell through the floor
I couldn't take this anymore
I can't take this anymore
It breaks my mind uh-huh
The lyrics of Cage the Elephant's song "Right Before My Eyes" convey a sense of disillusionment and confusion with the world. The opening lines describe a world that is unstable and collapsing, with "trails...derailing" and everything being "phony, false and frail." The repetitive mention of "golden needles names we take in vein" suggest the ways in which people seek refuge and escape from reality, but ultimately find it harder to maintain a sense of stability or control. The chorus further emphasizes this sense of chaos and confusion, with the singer witnessing the "whole world lose control" and feeling unable to cope with the situation. The final lines of the song suggest a sense of isolation and personal turmoil, with the singer feeling unable to trust their own perceptions ("everything I thought I knew fell to the side").
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the state of the world and the ways in which modern society can lead to feelings of helplessness and despair. The lyrics suggest a world in which people are struggling to maintain a sense of identity and purpose, and are turning to harmful coping mechanisms to try to make sense of the chaos. The overall impression is one of frustration and uncertainty, with the singer struggling to find meaning in a world that seems to be falling apart.
Line by Line Meaning
Timber shakes these trails they all derail
Everything is precarious, breaking down and falling apart
Phony, false and frail
The world is shallow, deceptive and weak
An empty ocean lost our way with no direction home
We are lost in the vast emptiness of modern life with no hope of finding our way home
Golden needles names we take in vein
We are drawn to things that ultimately harm us, like the lure of addictive drugs
Find it harder to remain
Living is difficult and it's hard to keep going
And nothings sacred still waiting on that explanation
There is no clear answer or explanation for the way things are and that is unsettling
Right before my eyes
The singer is witnessing everything happening firsthand
I saw the whole world lose control
The chaos and instability of the world is palpable
Before my eyes uh-huh
The artist is emphasizing their first-hand experience
I fell through the floor
Metaphor for feeling like they have lost their footing and plunged into chaos
I couldn't take this anymore
The singer has hit a breaking point
It breaks my mind uh-huh
The stress and turmoil has caused them to break mentally
Hold your dirty hand over the flames
The singer is addressing someone who is actively seeking pain
Getting pleasure from the pain
This person is deriving enjoyment from their own suffering
Softly screaming the pistol that you raise has spoken
Implied gun violence, and the fact that this person is armed and dangerous
Everything I thought I knew fell to the side
The artist's worldview is being challenged and destabilized
Time went on and on I couldn't see past my on eyes
The artist is feeling stuck and unable to move forward
Past my eyes
Further emphasizing the singer's limited perspective
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRAD SHULTZ, DANIEL TICHENOR, JARED CHAMPION, LINCOLN PARISH, MATT SHULTZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leannkennedy6568
This song deeply affected my thoughts about life, people, and the world we live in .
@hacevedo5600
FUCKING BEAUTIFUL 😢😢❤❤, My older brother hugo Acevedo showed me cage the elephant and after like 2 years maybe 2 I can't remember he died from and over dose, he threw up and it went into his lungs died slowly and went into a vegetated state he was like that for a few years, he passed I think 5 years ago i can't really remember gotta keep adding years as they go by, but everytime I hear cage the elephant it takes me back to when he was still around, thank you guys for making such beautiful music, just wish I could have shared your new stuff with him, but yeah thank you again for this beautiful music, long live cage the elephant
@KPD8D_
Why does this not have enough to views, these guys are legends.
@brentpietrok4758
Finally some movement. Hopefully we will see a new album and tour next year?
@jondierks667
I really enjoyed this song alot. Been in this weird headspace and hearing this song made me wiggle my feet and forget about all the problems in the world. Thankyou for that. One day!
@lucytheDiablo
No way man back on YouTube after 2 years im so happy to see that
@freezedriedzombi8242
My favorite song 🩷💚:] Happy thanksgiving yall
@marvelous.m4rcy
Please let Thank You Happy Birthday get the attention it deserves
@ChrisWasHere81
Love this song
@brandonescalante6374
great song great album but does anyone know why it's called thank you happy birthday? that's so random