A Certain Shade of Green
Incubus Lyrics


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A certain shade of green
Tell me, is that what you need?
All signs around say, "Move ahead"
Could someone please explain to me
You're ever present lack of speed?
Are your muscles bound by ropes
Or do crutches cloud your day?
My sources say, "The road is clear
And street signs point the way"

Are you gonna stand around 'til 2012 a.d?
What are you waitin' for
A certain shade of green?
I think I grew a gray watchin' you procrastinate
What are you waitin' for
A certain shade of green?

Would a written invitation
Signed, "Choose now or lose it all"
Sedate your hesitation
Or inflame and make you stall?
You've been raised in limitation
But that glove never fit quite right
The time has passed for hand-me-downs
Choose a new, please evolve
Take flight

Are you gonna stand around 'til 2012 a.d?
What are you waitin' for
A certain shade of green?
I think I grew a gray watchin' you procrastinate
(Talk that thing)

Green?
What are you waitin'?
What are you waitin'?
What are you waitin' for?
What are you waitin'?
What are you waitin'?
What are you waitin' for?

What are you waitin' for?
What are you waitin'?
What are you waitin'?
What are you waitin' for?
What are you waitin' for?
Waitin' for?

I think I grew a gray watchin' you procrastinate
Are you gonna stand around till 2012 a.d?
What are you waitin' for
A certain shade of green?




I think I grew a gray watchin' you procrastinate
What are you waitin' for?

Overall Meaning

The song "A Certain Shade of Green" by Incubus is about the frustration of an individual who is dealing with someone who is consistently taking their time and not moving forward in life. The lyrics suggest that the person is stuck in a rut and needs someone to push them in the right direction. The use of color references (e.g. green, gray) might signify the emotions and mental state of the individual - green perhaps denoting inexperience, growth, or freshness; while gray denotes a sense of gloom and depression. The lyrics ask the subject what they are waiting for and question whether they will still be waiting around until 2012.


The lines "My sources say, 'The road is clear/And street signs point the way'" suggest that there is nothing holding the individual back from achieving their goals and that they have all the resources and opportunities they need to succeed if they would only take the initiative. The lyrics entreat the individual to break free from their limitations and embrace change, to choose a new path and continue to evolve.


Line by Line Meaning

A certain shade of green
Are you looking for a particular kind of change?


Tell me, is that what you need?
Is that what you truly want?


All signs around say, "Move ahead"
The road ahead is clear and you should move without hesitation


Could someone please explain to me
I am perplexed and looking for answers


You're ever present lack of speed?
Why are you always slow to act?


Are your muscles bound by ropes
Are you being held back by external forces?


Or do crutches cloud your day?
Are your own limitations preventing progress?


My sources say, "The road is clear
The signs point towards success


And street signs point the way"
All the indications suggest that you should move forward


Would a written invitation
Would clear instructions and guidance help you to act?


Signed, "Choose now or lose it all"
Will the possibility of losing everything motivate you to choose a course of action?


Sedate your hesitation
Overcome your indecisiveness


Or inflame and make you stall?
Or will it have the opposite effect and make you procrastinate?


You've been raised in limitation
You have been conditioned to believe in your own limitations


But that glove never fit quite right
But those beliefs never felt completely true to you


The time has passed for hand-me-downs
It's time to discard those limiting beliefs


Choose a new, please evolve
Choose a new way of thinking and growing


Take flight
Make progress and soar on to new heights


Are you gonna stand around 'til 2012 a.d?
Are you going to keep delaying action indefinitely?


What are you waiting for
What is holding you back?


I think I grew a gray watchin' you procrastinate
I have become old and tired from watching you delay


(Talk that thing)
Speak the truth and take action


Green?
Are you looking for growth and change?


What are you waitin'?
What is holding you back?


What are you waitin' for?
What is preventing you from moving forward?


Waitin' for?
Why are you hesitating?


What are you waitin' for?
What is holding you back?




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BRANDON BOYD, BRANDON CHARLES BOYD, MICHAEL EINZIGER, MICHAEL AARON EINZIGER, MARK S JORDAN, ALEX KATUNICH, GAVIN KOPPEL, ROGER MC BRIDE, RANDY MULLER, JOSE PASILLAS II

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@AceHorizon3202

Lyrics (Fixed Version) :
A certain shade of green
Tell me is that what you need?
All signs around
They say move ahead
Could someone please explain to me
Your ever present lack of speed

Are your muscles bound by ropes
Or do crutches cloud your day
My sources say the road is clear
And street signs point the way

You gonna stand around 'til 2012 AD?
What are you waiting for?
A certain shade of green
I think I grew a gray watching you procrastinate
What are you waiting for?
A certain shade of green!

Would a written invitation
Signed choose now or lose it all?
Sedate your hesitation
Or inflame and make you stall

You've been raised in limitation
But that glove never fit quite right
The time has passed for hand me downs
Choose a new
Please evolve
Take flight

You gonna stand around 'til 2012 AD?
What are you waiting for?
A certain shade of green!
I think I grew a gray watching you procrastinate

Green...
What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
A written invitation?
A public declaration?
A private consolation?
Remember when you...

I think I grew a gray watching you... procrastinate!

You gonna stand around 'til 2012 AD?
What are you waiting for?
A certain shade of green!
I think I grew a gray watching you procrastinate

What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for...



All comments from YouTube:

@Csnich96

This song and album are genuinely incredible. I really wish they’d have kept this intensity and aggression for at least a few more years

@zachary5237

blew my mind 🥂

@bsquinney

I get it, I know where your coming from. I always looked at Incubus as that next 20 yr generation progression of RUSH. S.C.I.E.N.C.E was progressive experiment but they still rocked it subsequent albums, mixed in with a lot of melodic mind bends, (Warning anyone?) which still made them one of all time fav bands.

@fat3swarning

I agree with you 100%. I always preferred the harder side of these guys myself

@theone4629

Fuck yeah and me bro just incredible wasn’t it 🤘

@moreno3006

Thumbs up if you think S.C.I.E.N.C.E is the best album.

@mjnation7876

S.C.I.E.N.C.E is 2nd, Morning View is 1st

@ChristopherZ31

+MJNation HA!! So wrong.

@robertmellen8346

+ramenman Fungus Amongus was a close tie.

@mjnation7876

Christopher Z
HA!! So right.

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