Cursive is an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, USA, formed in 1995. Mu… Read Full Bio ↴Cursive is an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, USA, formed in 1995. Musically described as emo and post-hardcore, the band has released eight studio albums and a mix of singles and EPs since 1997, released on record labels 15 Passenger and Saddle Creek.

Band members:
Tim Kasher – lead vocals, guitars, organ
Matt Maginn – bass, backing vocals
Clint Schnase – drums, percussion
Ted Stevens – guitars, backing vocals
Patrick Newbery – miscellaneous instruments

1997 - Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes
1998 - The Storms of Early Summer
2000 - Domestica
2003 - The Ugly Organ
2006 - Happy Hollow
2009 - Mama, I'm Swollen
2012 - I Am Gemini
2018 - Vitriola
2019 - Get Fixed

Caveman
Cursive Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I want to live life duty free
Let my instincts take the lead
I want to take what I can get
Don't want to choose don't want to beg
I want down from this family tree
I don't need no upward mobility

I want to unlearn what I've learned

Want to unearn what I've earned
Want to burn my bridges down
Find a place I can't be found
This is my manifesto destiny
Tear down this awkward mobility

Because I'm tired of standing upright
The taller we become the more dollars we can grab from that highest branch
And then step on your back given the chance
But not me I'm a bipedal backpedaler just as sure-footed as I can

I'm no high society man
No suit and tie, no Dapper Dan
I'm no happy family man
I'm no husband, ain't no dad
I'm a goddamn caveman
This upward mobility is more than I can understand

I won't stand, no, I won't stand for it
I won't stand, no, I won't stand for it
I won't stand, no, I won't stand for it

I'd rather be all hands and knees
Yeah, I'd rather be swinging in the trees

With the monkeys and the junkies and bums and sloths and jailbird canaries
Yeah that's me I'm a bipedal backpedaler from sea to shining sea

Overall Meaning

The song Caveman by Cursive expresses a desire to reject the constraints of modern society and return to a more primal and instinctual way of living. The lyrics convey the desire to abandon the pursuit of upward mobility and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. The repetition of the phrase "I won't stand for it" emphasizes the refusal to be part of a system that values material success over personal fulfillment. The singer rejects traditional roles of husband and father, instead opting for a life of freedom and instinctual behavior. The imagery of living "all hands and knees" and "swinging in the trees" depict a return to a more primitive and animalistic way of life.

The song can be interpreted as a critique of capitalism and the pressure to constantly strive for success and upward mobility. The singer rejects this pressure and instead chooses to live on their own terms, free from the expectations of others. The repetition of the phrase "upward mobility" emphasizes the pressure to constantly climb the social ladder and achieve more success, despite the toll it may take on one's personal life and sense of fulfillment.

Line by Line Meaning

I want to live life duty free
I want to live without any external obligations or responsibilities

Let my instincts take the lead
I want to follow my intuition and natural inclinations

I want to take what I can get
I want to seize all opportunities and not limit myself

Don't want to choose don't want to beg
I don't want to make choices or be dependent on others

I want down from this family tree
I want to break free from my family's expectations and legacy

I don't need no upward mobility
I don't desire social or economic advancement

I want to unlearn what I've learned
I want to discard my previous knowledge and experiences

Want to unearn what I've earned
I want to reject the rewards and consequences of my past actions

Want to burn my bridges down
I want to sever all ties and connections with the past

Find a place I can't be found
I want to disappear from society and live in isolation

This is my manifesto destiny
This is my firm belief and predetermined fate

Tear down this awkward mobility
Eliminate this uncomfortable and precarious upward movement

Because I'm tired of standing upright
I'm exhausted from conforming to the expectations of society

The taller we become the more dollars we can grab from that highest branch
The more successful we are, the more money we can accumulate

And then step on your back given the chance
I refuse to step on others to achieve success

But not me I'm a bipedal backpedaler just as sure-footed as I can
I'm not like others and want to move backward to a simpler, more natural way of living

I'm no high society man
I don't belong to or aspire to join high society

No suit and tie, no Dapper Dan
I don't dress or act in a polished or refined way

I'm no happy family man
I don't want to conform to societal expectations of starting a family

I'm no husband, ain't no dad
I reject traditional and conventional roles of husband and father

I'm a goddamn caveman
I want to live a raw and basic lifestyle, in touch with my primitive nature

This upward mobility is more than I can understand
I can't comprehend or tolerate the pressure to constantly move upwards in society

I won't stand, no, I won't stand for it
I won't tolerate or accept the current state of societal expectations

I'd rather be all hands and knees
I would prefer to live on all fours

Yeah, I'd rather be swinging in the trees
I would prefer to live like a primate in the natural world

With the monkeys and the junkies and bums and sloths and jailbird canaries
I relate more to animals and societal outcasts than to high society people

Yeah that's me I'm a bipedal backpedaler from sea to shining sea
I'm a backwards-moving creature, wandering aimlessly across the land

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Matthew Ryan Maginn, Ted James Stevens, Tim Kasher

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS