Harmful was originally a trio, founded in 1992 by members Aren Emirze, Chris Aidonopoulos and Nico Heimann. Their 2007 album 7 was produced by former Faith No More bassist and record producer Billy Gould who subsequently joined the band as a fourth member.
Album discography:
* 1995: Harmful (BluNoise)
* 1997: Apoplexy.136 (BluNoise)
* 2000: Counterbalance (Firestarter/BMG)
* 2001: Wromantic (Firestarter/BMG)
* 2003: Sanguine (Steamhammer/SPV)
* 2005: Sis Masis (Nois-o-Lution)
* 2007: 7 (Nois-o-Lution)
* 2010: Cause (PIAS)
Break Point
Harmful Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Be here now
A wave just takes me… I'm bound
When I turn the lights to dim
I don't know where to begin
All the good never comes within
It's hard to find a straight line
With all the fools on your side
With your squeezed out mind
The lows and highs
When I turn the lights to dim
I don't know where to begin
All the good never comes within
It's hard to find a straight line
With all the fools on your side
Compromise from 9 to 5
Sign our name in a book of lies
Compromise from 9 to 5
Precious time from 9 to 5
Be here now
I'm tired somehow
When I turn the lights to dim
I don't know where to begin
All the good never comes within
It's hard to find a straight line
With all the fools on your side
Compromise from 9 to 5
Sign our name in a book of lies
Human sector
The lyrics to "Break Point" by Harmful convey the frustration and disillusionment felt by someone who feels trapped in the monotony and compromise of the 9 to 5 workday. The repetitiveness of the daily grind is evident in the repeated refrain "9 to 5", while the singer longs to be present and engaged in the moment, hence the phrase "be here now". The metaphor of a wave taking the singer suggests a lack of control or direction in their life, and the sense of being bound to their circumstances.
When the singer "turns the lights to dim", they seem to be seeking some kind of escape or release, but they are unsure of where to begin. The line "all the good never comes within" could be interpreted as a commentary on the pervasive negativity and cynicism that can arise from an unfulfilling job. The mention of "fools on your side" implies that the singer sees themselves as surrounded by people who are not like-minded or supportive of their desires for change or growth.
The repeated phrase "compromise from 9 to 5" drives home the idea that the singer feels like they are giving up something precious in exchange for a paycheck and a seat at the societal table. The line "sign our name in a book of lies" speaks to the sense of dishonesty or inauthenticity that can come from being forced to adhere to societal norms and expectations. Ultimately, the singer seems to be searching for a way out of this stifling existence, one that would allow them to be fully present and engaged, rather than just going through the motions.
Line by Line Meaning
9 to 5 the world keeps turning I'm down
The mundanity of a typical workday is draining and depressing.
Be here now, A wave just takes me… I'm bound
Staying present in the moment is necessary, even when life feels overwhelming.
When I turn the lights to dim, I don't know where to begin, All the good never comes within
In times of introspection, it's difficult to know how to improve or find any positivity within oneself.
It's hard to find a straight line, With all the fools on your side
Navigating life's challenges is made even more difficult by the influence of those who don't have our best interests at heart.
9 to 5 you can do it by no surprise, With your squeezed out mind, The lows and highs
The predictability and monotony of a traditional job can lead to a lack of creativity and emotion, both good and bad.
Compromise from 9 to 5, Sign our name in a book of lies, Precious time from 9 to 5
The compromises and sacrifices made for a job can feel like signing up for a fake, unfulfilling life, wasting valuable time in the process.
Be here now, I'm tired somehow
Despite best intentions, fatigue and exhaustion can make it difficult to stay present in the moment.
Contributed by Emma L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Weaver Cattle Company
Well no shit Sherlock 🤣
Living only a few miles from the West Virginia Ordnance Superfund site, I'm quite familiar with dioxins.
West Virginia Ordnance was a 8,320-acre site used by the Department of Defense from 1942 to 1945 to produce TNT (trinitrotoluene). Soils around the operation's industrial area, process facilities, and industrial wastewater disposal system were contaminated with TNT, its by-products, and asbestos.
The dioxins are still present in this contaminated area to this day and just goes to show you how long they can remain in the soil which means they will continue to leech into the water table longer than you can possibly imagine 😉
Honestly, Norfolk Southern should be made to buyout all the affected land so the residents can move elsewhere because staying in East Palestine will be a death sentence for many generations to come!
Bradley's Irwin
As someone who lives in the NE Ohio area, the fallout from this train derailment has been very frustrating. The people in those communities have received a pitiful amount of support and they deserve so much more regardless of their political leanings. I hope the state and federal government decide to actually work together to help these people receive guaranteed medical treatment at no cost to them and relocation assistance.
JP
@cMichaelDoobs it depends on the kind of BANKERS they are.. 💵💵💯💯😄😄😄😄😄😄
JP
@Jack Eagleeye nah.. They VOTED for the corrupt system to be their masters and cannot complain about the shit show.. 💯💯😄😄
Boney Tony
@RyeBreadFilmz what did your friend Biden say?
Chris Schultz
Once again, color me shocked that the company who did it didn't find anything. Then the EPA saying "you good bro".
Chases May
@JP did you? I’m confused, are you implying this could have been changed by voting harder? Lol, systemic corruption and govt capture is an ‘everywhere’ type of problem
JP
Who gave power to the government and Corporations?? GODS?? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
tomgnyc
Reminds me of the EPA after 9/11.
SunflowerRunner
I worked hazmat response for years. You can't 100% clean a spill of this magnitude. These people honestly need to be paid triple their original property values plus a year or two's wages so they can get a start somewhere else, otherwise we'll be sending a lot of people to early graves.
We really need to start grappling with what it means to have these sorts of products in our society, because we really can't keep nuking cities and towns. Eventually manifest destiny hits a wall.
SunflowerRunner
@highdesertbiker I wish I could give you a clear answer, but a lot depends on where you get your water from and the geology of the area. I would guess that if you're 10+ miles, you're safe from anything leeching through the soil to get to where you live unless the soil near you is deep and very sandy, and any air effects would have long since dissipated. My main concern for someone 10-20 miles out would be your water source.
But honestly, I'm not doing an environmental assessment on the ground, and can't tell you specifically what your exposure risk is.