Construction
Ghostlimb Lyrics
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anything is possible
had you not seen it all from birth
and bled it of its strangeness
it would appear for what it is
a fetishized novelty
a fevered dream
having neither analogue
the order in the air you see
is only what you put there
(it's not constrained by any latitude )
like a string in a maze
so you don't lose your way
and although I want it to
reason can't always be
that eagle clutching a paralytic snake
Context:
Construction
Rational objectivity and reason are important cantilevers in society. Cultural constructs are built over centuries, influenced by things as disparate as religion, ritual, fear, ideas of providence, etc. In an illogical world, these things give people some type of comforted footing. Although I invariably side with reason, the placating web of convention does not provide answers as an end-all, and at many times is contrary to rationality; thus it should be examined with the same critical eye
The opening lines of the song "Construction" by Ghostlimb suggest that anything is possible in the world we live in. However, the song warns that our perception of reality is often distorted by the constructs and conventions of society. The lyrics suggest that if we were to view things objectively, without the influence of cultural constructs, we would see things for what they truly are. However, the constructs we have created for ourselves have made it difficult for us to see the world clearly. The line "had you not seen it all from birth" suggests that our upbringing and cultural environment shape our perception of reality.
The song then goes on to say that the order we see in the world is only what we put there. This suggests that the constructs of society are not inherent in the world but rather imposed by humans. The line "it's not constrained by any latitude" implies that these constructs are not bound by any specific rules or boundaries, but rather are subject to change and manipulation.
The final lines of the song reference the image of an eagle clutching a paralytic snake, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the struggle between reason and convention. The song acknowledges that reason cannot always be the driving force in our lives, and that we may sometimes succumb to the comfort of convention, even if it is not rational.
Line by Line Meaning
The truth of the matter is
Let's face facts
anything is possible
The world is full of surprises
had you not seen it all from birth
If you haven't experienced much
and bled it of its strangeness
And made the unfamiliar familiar
it would appear for what it is
You'd see it for what it is
a fetishized novelty
An obsession with the new
a fevered dream
Incredibly unrealistic
having neither analogue
Unlike anything that came before it
nor precedent
And with no established example
the order in the air you see
The way you see things working
is only what you put there
Is based on your own perceptions
(it's not constrained by any latitude )
(It's not limited by geography)
like a string in a maze
Like a guide to help you navigate
so you don't lose your way
So you don't get lost
and although I want it to
And while it would be nice
reason can't always be
Logic isn't always applicable
that eagle clutching a paralytic snake
To something that doesn't make sense
Contributed by Henry F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.