They've recorded two albums and one EP under the Electric President moniker, all available under the German imprint Morr Music, with a third to be released in early 2010 on Fake Four Inc. They've had songs on television and in various short films. They both came from DIY ideas of making music, and as such record all their music in a tool shed and a bedroom with a handful of recording gear. Apparently, this gives them cred.
They hope to one day be incredibly rich from their music so they can buy an airplane and set it on fire without ever using it. To burn that sucker simply because they can, and to stand by and drink expensive wine and laugh manically until it explodes.
Ten Thousand Lines
Electric President Lyrics
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With lots of progress; cold and heartless.
And nothing lives, just twitches and moves.
It's all synthetic, but it's all we've got.
Thousands of wires spread through the halls.
Thousands of eyes live in our walls.
And now they can see just what we've done (oh no)
No sun. Just radiation here. Get it by the lungful.
No time. No way to count the years.
Except by the creaking sounds in your bones.
They've got your name. They've got your number.
They've got your hopes, your dreams, your future.
They've got your loved ones by the throat.
And soon enough they'll let you know.
And I've learned enough to keep my mouth shut.
I've learned enough to watch my back.
And I've learned enough to become wallpaper.
And blend in with the cracks.
(We've though too much; said nothing.
We've heard it all; there's nothing new.
We've seen the way to our undoing.
And the way to yours as well.)
Ten thousand lines run from our minds.
And ten thousand plans spread from our hands.
And now we can see just what we've done (oh no)
And now we can see what we've become (oh no)
And now we can see just where we stand.
The opening lines of Electric President's "Ten Thousand Lines" paint a bleak picture of our future as seen from the walls of a bedroom, where progress has been made at the cost of warmth and compassion. The lyrics suggest a world that is entirely synthetic, where nothing truly lives, but rather twitches and moves like a robot. This synthetic world is brought to life by thousands of wires and eyes that spread through the walls, which have the ability to see what we have become. The singer feels powerless against the forces that seem to control him and those he cares about, reminiscing about a time when he was able to think and speak freely. Now, he has learned enough to keep his mouth shut, watch his back, and become a mere observer rather than an active participant in shaping the world.
The second verse continues the theme of powerlessness, as the singer acknowledges that the forces at play have everything they need to control us – our names, our numbers, our hopes, dreams, and futures. They even have our loved ones by the throat, and it seems like only a matter of time before they come for us too. The last lines are particularly poignant, as the singer admits to having "become wallpaper" and "blended in with the cracks" – a metaphorical representation of giving up and accepting the status quo. The final lines suggest that it's not just the singer's mind and hands that are responsible for the state of the world, but that the rest of humanity shares in this responsibility. We have collectively created 10,000 lines and plans that now serve as a reflection of who we are and where we stand.
Line by Line Meaning
We paint the future from this bedroom.
We imagine what the future looks like from this small space.
With lots of progress; cold and heartless.
The progress we make lacks warmth and empathy.
And nothing lives, just twitches and moves.
There's no real life, just robotic movements.
It's all synthetic, but it's all we've got.
Our world is artificial, but we have no other option.
Thousands of wires spread through the halls.
Countless wires are found throughout the building.
Thousands of eyes live in our walls.
The walls have hidden cameras watching our every move.
And now they can see just what we've done (oh no)
The eyes that watch us have access to our actions.
Now they can see what we've become.
Those watching can observe the dehumanization that's occurred.
No sun. Just radiation here. Get it by the lungful.
There's no natural light, just harmful radiation filling the airspace.
No time. No way to count the years.
We have no means of tracking time in this space.
Except by the creaking sounds in your bones.
Our only sense of time passing is through the physical effects on us.
They've got your name. They've got your number.
The system has our identity and personal information.
They've got your hopes, your dreams, your future.
Our aspirations and goals are known to those in control.
They've got your loved ones by the throat.
The safety of our loved ones is in the hands of others.
And soon enough they'll let you know.
We'll be told when the system decides to act on our information.
And I've learned enough to keep my mouth shut.
I know to avoid speaking out against the status quo.
I've learned enough to watch my back.
I'm always aware of potential threats.
And I've learned enough to become wallpaper.
I've assimilated enough to blend in unnoticed.
And blend in with the cracks.
I fit in perfectly with the broken, worn-down environment.
Ten thousand lines run from our minds.
We have countless thoughts and plans in our heads.
And ten thousand plans spread from our hands.
We have numerous actions and strategies in motion.
And now we can see just what we've done (oh no)
We're finally realizing the consequences of our actions.
And now we can see what we've become (oh no)
The dehumanization of our society is transparent.
And now we can see just where we stand.
We're aware of our current situation and position in life.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ALEXANDER P KANE, BENJAMIN P COOPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind