Darwin's Children
Edwin McCain Lyrics


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Seven million years of progress handed down on silver wings
Of gossamer and protein still we haven't learned a thing
Are we caught up in our anger, locked up in our rage
In the opera of selection on this our earthly stage

And Charlie's spinning laughing, laughing in his grave
Laughing at the prophecy, the prophecy he gave
Can we spread our wings like angels, can we break out of the grind
Are we destined to be Darwin's children this time

The ribbons of our cigarettes vanish in the air
In the glow of our great teacher we sit and blankly stare
And the sky could open up and what would we have to say
Something cute about burning out, better than fading away

And Charlie's spinning laughing, laughing in his grave
Laughing at the prophecy, the prophecy he gave
Can we spread our wings like angels, can we break out of the grind
Are we destined to be Darwin's children this time

On the wings of invention now we hurdle toward our fate
As sure as the sunset burns
Collective resignation, evolutionary fate
When will we ever learn

And Charlie's spinning laughing, laughing in his grave
Laughing at the prophecy, the prophecy he gave




Can we spread our wings like angels, can we break out of the grind
Are we destined to be Darwin's children this time

Overall Meaning

Edwin McCain's song "Darwin's Children" delves into the concept of humanity's progress and development throughout the years. The first stanza touches upon the irony that despite seven million years of evolution, humanity has not progressed much beyond its primal instincts. The use of "silver wings of gossamer and protein" alludes to the idea that the human body is capable of immense innovation, yet our actions do not entirely reflect that potential. The lines "are we caught up in our anger, locked up in our rage in the opera of selection on this our earthly stage" highlight the internal conflicts and negative emotions that humanity must overcome to progress further.


The song then refers to Charles Darwin, the famous naturalist and biologist, who is "spinning laughing, laughing in his grave" because of the self-serving prophecy he gave of humanity. The belief in natural selection and evolution as a seamless process is questioned by McCain, who wonders if humans will ever break out of the cycle of frustration, anger, and conflict, and elevate to a higher level of consciousness.


In the final stanza, the song speaks of the advancements we have made in the fields of technology and science, which only lend greater momentum towards a collective fate. However, McCain still questions whether humanity's reliance and trust in these advancements are enough to make us break free from Darwin's prophecy about our ultimate destiny.


Line by Line Meaning

Seven million years of progress handed down on silver wings
Despite millions of years of evolution, we still haven't progressed much.


Of gossamer and protein still we haven't learned a thing
We have not learned from the basic building blocks of life.


Are we caught up in our anger, locked up in our rage
Are we too blinded by our emotions to move forward?


In the opera of selection on this our earthly stage
The natural selection process on earth is like a grand opera.


And Charlie's spinning laughing, laughing in his grave
Charles Darwin would find it amusing how little we have learned.


Laughing at the prophecy, the prophecy he gave
Darwin's prediction of evolution still holds true today.


Can we spread our wings like angels, can we break out of the grind
Can we rise above our current state and evolve into something better?


Are we destined to be Darwin's children this time
Will we continue to evolve and become better versions of ourselves?


On the wings of invention now we hurdle toward our fate
Our progress is now driven by technological advancements.


As sure as the sunset burns
Our fate is just as inevitable as the sunset.


Collective resignation, evolutionary fate
We are collectively resigned to our fate of evolution.


When will we ever learn
When will we finally learn from our mistakes and move forward?




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDWIN COLE MC CAIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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