Air
Hair (Original Soundtrack Recording) Lyrics
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Hello carbon monoxide
The air, the air is everywhere
Breathe deep, while you sleep, breathe deep
Bless you alcohol bloodstream,
Save me nicotine lungsteen
Incense, incense is in the air
Cataclysmic, cataplasm
Fall out atomic orgasm
Vapor and fume at the stone of my tomb
Breathe like a solemn perfume
Eating at the stone of my tomb
Welcome sulfur dioxide,
Hello carbon monoxide
The air, the air is everywhere
Breathe deep, while you sleep, breathe deep
The song "Air" by the Hair (Original Soundtrack Recording) is a powerful and ironic commentary on the polluted air quality in modern society. The opening lines "Welcome sulfur dioxide, Hello carbon monoxide" paint a picture of a dystopian world where air quality is so poor that the very air we breathe is filled with harmful pollutants. The ironic twist of greeting these pollutants underscores the severity of this issue and highlights the need to address it.
The lyrics continue with an equally ironic commentary on addictive substances, such as alcohol, nicotine, and incense, which are often used to cope with the stresses of modern life but ultimately contribute to further pollution of the air we breathe. The line "Incense, incense is in the air" is particularly poignant in this regard, as it acknowledges the role of spiritual and cultural practices in polluting the environment.
The final lines of the song take a more ominous tone, referencing the catastrophic consequences of nuclear warfare and the ways in which pollution and death are intrinsically linked. The line "Vapor and fume at the stone of my tomb, Breathe like a solemn perfume" suggests that even in death, the impact of pollution is felt, as our bodies and remains become permeated by the toxins we have been exposed to throughout our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome sulfur dioxide,
Hello to the toxic gas produced by burning coal, oil and gas
Hello carbon monoxide
Hello to the colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly when inhaled
The air, the air is everywhere
The mixture of gases that surrounds us and is essential to our survival
Breathe deep, while you sleep, breathe deep
Take in as much air as possible while you're asleep and unaware
Bless you alcohol bloodstream,
Acknowledging the presence of alcohol in the bloodstream due to drinking
Save me nicotine lungsteen
Asking nicotine to save from the addiction it fuels in the lungs
Incense, incense is in the air
Fragrant smoke from incense is afloat in the atmosphere
Breathe deep, while you sleep, breathe deep
Take in as much air as possible while you're asleep and unaware
Cataclysmic, cataplasm
Referring to the Greek words for violent change and a paste for healing
Fall out atomic orgasm
Describing the explosive and destructive nature of a nuclear explosion
Vapor and fume at the stone of my tomb
The gaseous remnants of my body as it decomposes in a grave
Breathe like a solemn perfume
Inhaling deeply the scent of death and decay as I rest in my tomb
Eating at the stone of my tomb
Further describing the slow process of decay and decomposition
Welcome sulfur dioxide,
Hello to the toxic gas produced by burning coal, oil and gas
Hello carbon monoxide
Hello to the colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly when inhaled
The air, the air is everywhere
The mixture of gases that surrounds us and is essential to our survival
Breathe deep, while you sleep, breathe deep
Take in as much air as possible while you're asleep and unaware
Contributed by Riley I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@P00katube
Still listening to this song in 2023, especially with the smoke from the wildfires from Canada moving to the Northeastern USA
@fantastic-brainrot
Omg same 😂😂
@mariekatherine5238
I remember singing this as a fourth grader in a school Spring Concert in 1971.
@Joseph-ax999
I love this song!!
@mca1218
Still the best version...de-de-deep!!
@IAmNoeyes
Original cast is best cast.
@tomcedergren2032
If only people had listened and heard
@michaelfranklin4276
Earth day 1970. This version of this song and Donovan's Celia of the Seals are the birth of Green Peace in my memory.
@lizzieball3795
And the founder of Greenpeace says that climate change is a big hoax. He he is on twitter.
@jimrebr
The Air song has been playing in my brain all week, because the brown air from all the Wildfires on the West Coast is so horrible…