Not So Dense
Deer Tick Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Have you ever felt too far gone to be a sinner
But you know yourself too well to ever be a saint?
Well it's okay 'cause the kids are making models of God out of paper mache
Why did you ever vow to take the decadent path?
'Cause you smile like a devil and shut up like a trap
Well it's okay 'cause you fixed your scruff so now you can be properly scragged

Despair and disease spread on dollar bills
Convenience, well it strips you bare of consciousness

Have you ever felt a moment of aphasia?
Have you ever met your match at the apex?
You ever fall down so hard that everything shakes
Have you ever been in the corner of the room
And it feels like the farthest corner of the world?
Did you find it hard just to be so sure?

Well there ain't no arrows on the moon
And there ain't no wishes on the stars
And there ain't no hero in your world
We got no reason to feel sure

Farmed in a factory gets devoured
And the manmade machinery gets empowered
And if you don't your milk young man




You know it will turn sour
And I watch sixty minutes go by hour after hour after hour!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Deer Tick's song "Not So Dense" are filled with introspection and self-doubt. The opening lines suggest a feeling of being too lost to even qualify as a sinner, too aware of one's faults to achieve sainthood. The first verse also touches upon societal pressure to adhere to certain moral standards or risk being judged. The following lines "the kids are making models of God out of paper mache" hint at the hollow nature of these rituals and the way that our societal constructs are often only surface-level constructs.


The second verse is a commentary on the state of our society as a whole. The lines "Despair and disease spread on dollar bills/Convenience, well it strips you bare of consciousness" suggest a critique of our capitalist system, in which exploiting the vulnerable and spreading disease is often prioritized over the wellbeing of the populace.


The chorus brings the focus back to the individual experience. The lines "Have you ever felt a moment of aphasia? / Have you ever met your match at the apex?" suggest a sense of disorientation and uncertainty in the face of life's challenges. The final lines of the chorus "We got no reason to feel sure" reinforce this theme of disillusionment and lack of direction.


The final verse is a commentary on the state of the natural world. The lines "Farmed in a factory gets devoured / And the manmade machinery gets empowered" reflect on the way humans have distorted and exploited the natural world to suit our own needs. The song ends with the repetition of the line "And I watch sixty minutes go by hour after hour after hour" which reflects a sense of disillusionment and a feeling of being trapped, unable to escape the cycles and patterns of modern life.


Line by Line Meaning

Have you ever felt too far gone to be a sinner
Have you ever been so deep in your misdeeds that you feel like there's no redemption for you?


But you know yourself too well to ever be a saint?
You're too aware of your own flaws to pretend that you're a perfect or innocent person.


Well it's okay 'cause the kids are making models of God out of paper mache
It's alright that you're struggling with these issues because even the next generation is still figuring out their own beliefs.


Why did you ever vow to take the decadent path?
What led you to choose a life of indulgence and excess?


'Cause you smile like a devil and shut up like a trap
Your charm is like that of a tempter, and you're good at keeping secrets.


Well it's okay 'cause you fixed your scruff so now you can be properly scragged
It's alright that you're facing the consequences of your actions, now that you've taken the time to look presentable.


Despair and disease spread on dollar bills
The greed and grime of capitalism can infect people like a sickness.


Convenience, well it strips you bare of consciousness
The easy way out can damage your sense of morality and personal responsibility.


Have you ever felt a moment of aphasia?
Have you ever been at a loss for words or been unable to express yourself?


Have you ever met your match at the apex?
Have you ever faced someone who was just as skilled or intelligent as you at the peak of your abilities?


You ever fall down so hard that everything shakes
Have you ever lost so badly or been hurt so deeply that it feels like the whole world is affected?


Have you ever been in the corner of the room
Have you ever been isolated or felt like an outsider?


And it feels like the farthest corner of the world?
It can be lonely and overwhelming to feel like you're so far removed from others or from the center of things.


Did you find it hard just to be so sure?
It can be difficult to have confidence or conviction when you're unsure of your place or your beliefs.


Well there ain't no arrows on the moon
There are no clear directions or paths in life, and sometimes things are just as confusing as trying to navigate the moon's barren landscape.


And there ain't no wishes on the stars
There are no guarantees or magic solutions to life's problems, no matter how much we might wish or hope for them.


And there ain't no hero in your world
There might not be anyone to save you or lead you out of your struggles, and you might have to find inner strength or resilience to overcome them.


We got no reason to feel sure
With all of these uncertainties and challenges, it can be hard to feel confident or certain about anything.


Farmed in a factory gets devoured
The mass-produced and artificial nature of our food can have negative consequences on our health and the environment.


And the manmade machinery gets empowered
Our reliance on technology and automation can have a big impact on how we live and work, and it can be both empowering and dehumanizing.


And if you don't your milk young man
If you don't take care of your responsibilities or your body, you'll suffer the consequences.


You know it will turn sour
Everything in life has a shelf life, and if we don't tend to it properly, it will inevitably rot and spoil.


And I watch sixty minutes go by hour after hour after hour!
Time can feel endless and mundane when we're stuck in a situation we don't want to be in or when we don't know how to move forward.




Lyrics © TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: JOHN JOSEPH MCCAULEY III

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Toilet4US

This band has helped me through some dark times.

HMG5588

By far one of the best song writers of our day. This guy is a modern day Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.

Nicholas Vanzwol

A friend of mine just got this record for me for Christmas, nailed it! So bomb 🔥

Morgan Shepard

Yeah. These guys are fucking golden. I come back two years later, and it still blows most everything else around today out the fucking ball park.

Equinoxx1337

I wish deer tick had more songs like this one.

Melanie Luciano

Better late then never. I'm so happy to finally discover a band I want to completely dive into again.

Nikolai Karzoff

i watch sixty minutes go by HOUR AFTER HOUR AFTER HOUR that part is so great

Mort

these guys are so underappreciated

apatternedhorizon

One of the best song discoveries I had in highschool.

mega89vision

loving this raw, indie sound.

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