IV
Heathens Lyrics

It's twenty past four in the morning
The singer is awake and contemplating deep thoughts in the middle of the night

I lay awake in my bed
The singer is not asleep and is thinking deeply

I look to the skies
The singer is thinking about the world beyond themselves

With bloodshot eyes
The artist is tired and/or emotional

Vision this world in my head
The artist imagines a different world than the one they live in

And I can't feel my legs
The singer may feel physically or emotionally numb

Why pray to the stars
The singer questions the value of prayer or religion

When there's death, pain and scars
The world is full of suffering

We might be better off dead
The artist considers that life may not be worth living

I take a breath
The artist is trying to calm down and clear their mind

I feel the pain deep in my chest
The singer is emotionally hurting

And I release the smoke
The artist is smoking a cigarette or other substance to cope

As I try to release the stress
The singer is trying to let go of their anxieties

Sit back and rest
The singer wants to relax and take a break from the world

I spend most of my days depressed
The singer suffers from depression regularly

About the choices that we've made
The artist is frustrated with societal decisions and systems

Whoever would have guessed
The artist is surprised by how things have turned out

Ain't nothing has changed
Despite progress, the world has not improved in significant ways

Since the birth of the sun
Since the beginning of time

We are just a bunch of monkeys
Humans are just another form of animal

With money and guns
Humans have developed destructive and oppressive technologies

And this world that we live in
The artist is reflecting on the state of the world

Is out of our hands
People have lost control of societal and environmental issues

We are only here because
Human existence is a result of historical events

Our ancestors stole these lands
Colonization and conquest led to the displacement of groups of people

And there is no gods plan
The singer does not believe in a divine plan or destiny

I hope you can understand
The singer is sharing their perspective

God was just a character
The artist believes that God is a human invention

Created by man
Humans created the idea of God

To help us all get along
The singer sees religion as a way to promote peace and cooperation

And follow demands
Religion creates rules and behaviors that people follow

Your creator wouldn't want you
The artist is addressing those who believe in a creator

To spill blood in the sand
The artist is against violence and conflict

So think about it
The artist is encouraging reflection

Why can't we all live as one
The singer wants people of all beliefs to coexist peacefully

Muslim, Christian or Jew
The artist recognizes different religions

All under a single sun
All people share the same world and environment

And who gets to decide
The singer is questioning authority

What we think is wrong or right
The singer sees morality as subjective

Probably the father's of the ones
Those in power often determine what is considered right or wrong

That made us all fight
People in power often use division and conflict to maintain control

Times are changing
The world is evolving

They aren't the same as before
The singer notices societal shifts

Atomic weapons put an end
The advent of powerful weapons altered the course of warfare

To large scale war
Wars became more destructive and deadly

The scientific revolution
The progress of science and technology have changed the world

Opened the door
Scientific progress created new opportunities and challenges

And now big brothers watching you
Surveillance technology enables governments to monitor their citizens

Like never before
Technology has made surveillance more pervasive

And they just take more and more
Those in power use their influence to accumulate wealth and resources

And world production increased
Global economies have grown

But still people go hungry
Despite progress, poverty and hunger still exist in the world

Down in Asia's south east
The artist is pointing out a specific region

Cause greed is the fuel
The desire for wealth and power drives societal ills

In the belly of the beast
Societal structures and systems perpetuate greed and oppression

The only way you are released
Death is the only escape from suffering in life

Is when you are deceased
Death is the only way out of earthly suffering

Scary to say the least
The artist is frightened by their own thoughts

When you don't have control
The singer feels powerless

And you know you are dependent
The artist is reliant on others or external forces

On getting your payroll
The singer relies on their job for income

And as a whole the system is corrupt
The singer sees societal systems as flawed and biased

And the voting poll
Voting and democracy are flawed and problematic

It means nothing at all
The artist sees voting as ineffective

These politicians don't have a soul
The artist is disillusioned with politicians

I'm on a roll
The singer is passionate and inspired

And I'll be damned if you can stop me now
The singer is persistent and determined

All I want to do is
The artist has a goal or purpose

Spread some knowledge Through the crowd
The artist wants to share their ideas and perspective with others

And let it all out
The artist wants to express their feelings and viewpoint

How about you show me how
The singer challenges others to share their own ideas

Divided we are quiet but
People are less vocal when they are divided

Together we are loud
Strength in numbers and unity can amplify voices