Possession
Citizen Fish Lyrics


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How much do you want? How much do you need?
How wide is the gap between possession and greed?

Anyone in particular thinks in terms of how much more he needs to earn
To afford the dubious luxury of being able to boast that he could do it free
But it all takes a very long time indeed to reach the achievements set
By the time he possesses all the things
That he wants he'll have forgotten what he set out to get

How much is enough? Do you need a bit more?
How wide is the gap between now and before?

There's not much difference in the way he lives
And the empty satisfaction that possession gives

Storing it all for a sense of success
When he's got time to look back if there is any time left
Cos it all takes a very long time indeed to amass all the needs to be met
Unless you consider that all that you really need
Is something to eat
Is something to breathe
Something to there when you leane
Is something to drink




Is something to say
Something that says "I went this way"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Citizen Fish's "Possession" challenges the listener to reflect on their relationship with material possessions and the never-ending pursuit of more. The song starts with the question of how much do you want and need, followed by the comparison between possession and greed. The first verse talks about the cycle of never feeling satisfied, always thinking about how much more one needs to afford some luxury, but by the time one possesses all the things they thought they needed, they would have forgotten the purpose of their pursuit.


The second verse presents a similar idea but emphasizes the emptiness of possession and the lack of satisfaction that it provides. The line "there's not much difference in the way he lives and the empty satisfaction that possession gives" implies that possession is not equivalent to happiness or fulfillment. The last two lines of the verse suggest that what one truly needs might be simple things like food, air, and water, and the desire for something to leave behind as a mark of one's existence.


Overall, the song speaks to the idea that there is a gap between our wants and needs, and that material possessions do not necessarily bring fulfillment. The lyrics encourage the listener to reflect on their relationship with material things and to question whether the pursuit of possession is only leading to greed and emptiness.


Line by Line Meaning

How much do you want? How much do you need?
Asking ourselves how much materialistic possessions we truly require.


How wide is the gap between possession and greed?
Wondering how our desire for possessions transforms into unchecked avarice.


Anyone in particular thinks in terms of how much more he needs to earn
Individuals focus on how much money they need to amass to afford needless luxuries.


To afford the dubious luxury of being able to boast that he could do it free
People consider bragging about purchasing expensive goods for free, while sacrificing time and happiness to acquire them.


But it all takes a very long time indeed to reach the achievements set
It takes an incredible amount of time to acquire all the possessions we believe indicate success.


By the time he possesses all the things
When we finally secure all the materialistic possessions we crave,


That he wants he'll have forgotten what he set out to get
We may have forgotten why we even desired these possessions in the first place.


How much is enough? Do you need a bit more?
Questioning how much wealth and possessions one actually needs.


How wide is the gap between now and before?
Reflecting upon how our priorities have shifted from our earlier aspirations.


There's not much difference in the way he lives
Once acquiring all possessions and wealth, it may not improve one's life much.


And the empty satisfaction that possession gives
Materialistic possessions may leave us feeling unsatisfied and empty inside.


Storing it all for a sense of success
We gather these possessions to signal a successful life to others.


When he's got time to look back if there is any time left
Maybe towards the end of life, we may look back on our possessions and question their true value.


Cos it all takes a very long time indeed to amass all the needs to be met
It takes a lifetime to collect all the possessions we believe we need to be successful.


Unless you consider that all that you really need
Perhaps we need to reassess what we genuinely require to be content in life.


Is something to eat
We need food to nourish our bodies.


Is something to breathe
We need air to breathe and survive.


Something to there when you leane
We need emotional support from loved ones in life.


Is something to drink
We need water to quench our thirst and stay hydrated.


Is something to say
We need the freedom to express ourselves in life.


Something that says 'I went this way'
Our legacy is what we leave behind in life, not what we amass while living.




Contributed by Elijah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Tony Davies

what an album.never will i forget the first time my dj mate played it on a 2k system in our small flat.we nearly went through the floor into the shop below

D Nowsk

This album changed my life, blew my mind. Thanks for possting it!

Up The Punx Vinyls

You're welcome!

Raymond Planchette

This album sounds every bit as vital today as it did when I first heard it over twenty years ago.

Russ Grimlid

Classic!
Small Scale Wars best track!

Andreas Riemann

That´s a real masterpiece by Dick and his mates!

BCThunderthud

I think I taped this off my roommate when it came out, so I haven't listened to it since I carried a Walkman, but I still remember all these songs. Great album I'd basically forgotten all about.

Drew Juan Cano

Loved this album from the moment I first heard it. Saw them shortly after that in an old church in Salt Lake City.

smokeymellows

The best record I own in every regard

Graveyard Sale

Finally a vinyl rip, thank you!

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