Talk Shows on Mute
Incubus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pack on powder
Wash em out with buzzing lights
Pay an au-
Dience to care
Impress me personality
Still intransfixed
Enjoy you from
The chemical
Comfort of america
Come one come all
Into 1984
Ya 3 2 1
Lights! camera! transaction!
Quick your time
Is almost up
Make all forget that they're the moth
Edging in
Toward the flame burn into obscurity
Still intransfixed
The electric sheep are dreamin up your fate
We judge you fom
The card castle
Comfort of america
Come one come all
Into 1984
Ya 3 2 1
Lights! camera! yeah!
Come one come all
Into 1984
Ya 3 2 1
Lights! camera! transaction!
Lights! camera! transaction!
Oh
Come one come all
Into 1984
Ya 3 2 1
Lights! camera! transaction!
Ho
Your foundation
Is canyoning
Fault lines should be worn with pride
I hate to say it
Your so much more
Your so much more
Endearing with
The sound turned off
The lyrics of Incubus's song "Talk Shows on Mute" describe the modern entertainment industry and how it manipulates people's attention for profit. The lines "take a bow, pack on powder, wash 'em out with buzzing lights" suggest the artificiality of the performers and their reliance on drugs and technology to create a facade of perfection. The next line "pay an audience to care" is especially poignant, as it insinuates that the only reason people are interested is that they're being paid. The phrase "impress me personality" furthers this idea, implying that the audience cares more about the surface-level entertainment rather than the actual humans behind it all.
The next refrain, "still intransfixed", suggests that despite the high-intensity, high-tech facade that the entertainment industry presents, people are still hypnotized by their tactics. The line "the electric sheep are dreaming of your face" further emphasizes this by alluding to the idea of people being brainwashed by media. The second stanza continues this theme, urging the performers to "edge in toward the flame burn into obscurity". The entertainment industry demands nothing but perfection, but in the end, performers will eventually be replaced by the next perfect talent.
The final lines of the song, "your foundation is canyoning, fault lines should be worn with pride, I hate to say it, you're so much more endearing with the sound turned off" hints at the idea of performers becoming more like machines than humans. They are only valued for their looks and talents, and often their humanity is disregarded. The song emphasizes the importance of genuine connections, human introspection and reminds us that there is intrinsic beauty in people's natural faults.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a bow
It's time to show off your skills and talents.
Pack on powder
Put on makeup to look good under the stage lights.
Wash em out with buzzing lights
Distract the audience with flashy lights to make them forget about reality.
Pay an au-
Pay attention to the audience's reactions, regardless of what you want.
Dience to care
Mold yourself to suit the audience's taste and preferences.
Impress me personality
Present a fake persona that will impress your audience.
Still intransfixed
The audience is still focused on the performer, as per planned.
The electric sheep are dreaming of your face
The masses are hypnotized by the performer's image and music.
Enjoy you from
You are being enjoyed
The chemical
In a manner not natural
Comfort of america
In the context of a country reliant on mass media inducement
Come one come all
Everyone is welcome to be entertained and hypnotized.
Into 1984
A reference to George Orwell's novel, specifically concerning propaganda and mind control.
Ya 3 2 1
A countdown to the start of the 'show'.
Lights! camera! transaction!
Suggesting that the aim of this 'show' is not entertainment, but the making of money.
Quick your time
Performers have to act quickly and effectively on stage.
Is almost up
Their time is coming to an end, so they must give their all.
Make all forget that they're the moth
Persuade the audience to forget their vulnerability and be captivated by the performance.
Edging in
Gradually moving towards
Toward the flame burn into obscurity
Those who get too close to the performance are doomed to fade into insignificance.
We judge you from
We evaluate your performance from
The card castle
A metaphor for a precarious structure, which may crumble any moment.
Come one come all
Anyone who is willing, come and be deceived.
Ho
An expression of joy or exhilaration.
Your foundation
Your starting point, your origin story.
Is canyoning
A reference to the formation of canyons through erosion, exemplifying an unstable or vulnerable starting place.
Fault lines should be worn with pride
Flaws in one's foundation should be embraced and displayed as a part of one's artistry.
I hate to say it
An indication of reluctance to express a difficult truth.
Your so much more
Despite its flaws, the performance is significant and meaningful.
Endearing with
Winning over the audience through
The sound turned off
Even without the sound, the performer's body language and stage presence are impressive.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: BEN KENNEY, BRANDON BOYD, BRANDON CHARLES BOYD, CHRISTOPHER KILMORE, CHRISTOPHER E KILMORE, JOSE PASILLAS II, JOSE ANTHONY II PASILLAS, MICHAEL EINZIGER, MICHAEL AARON EINZIGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hugotroncoso6209
Take a bow
Pack on powder
Wash 'em out with buzzing lights
Pay an audience to care
'Impress me' personality
Still and transfixed
The electric sheep are dreaming of your face
Enjoy you from the chemical
Comfort of America
Come one, come all
Into nineteen-eighty four
Yeah, three, two, one...
Lights! camera! transaction!
Quick, your time is almost up
Make all forget that they're the moth
Edging in towards the flame
Burn into obscurity
Still and transfixed
The electric sheep are dreaming up your fate
And judge you from the card castle
Comfort of America
Come one, come all
Into nineteen-eighty four
Yeah, three, two, one...
Lights! camera! Yeah!
Come one, come all
Into nineteen-eighty four
Yeah, three, two, one...
Lights! camera! Transaction!
Lights! camera! Transaction!
Yeah yeah yeah!
Come one, come all
Into nineteen-eighty four
Yeah, three, two, one...
Lights! camera! Transaction!
Ohhh...
Your foundation is canyoning
Fault lines should be worn with pride
I hate to say
So much more
You're so much more
Enduring with the sound turned off
@caedis3242
It was 1998, a little unknown band (to me) named incubus was opening for KoRn. A bare chested Brandon Boyd came out on stage with his dreds and bongo'd / digerydoo'd his way into my heart. I've seen them a total of 12 times since and always will come back. <3
@chaseyelliott5484
Oh my gosh that’s so amazing! I wish I was alive when their earlier albums came out. I’m 16 and I saw them live in probably 2017 or so and it was absolutely amazing.
@nayannbg6314
Fucker you saw them from the very early days and I am kind of jealous
@nwttp
I was never even a big fan, but my friend had tickets to their concert, maybe 2009. In the top two concerts I've ever been to.
@Lolatusername
My teacher made us listen to this while reading George Orwell's novel. Great song.
@gunterine
did you have to analyse the song?
@huntermanning6246
Your teacher was ahead of the times.
@SerBronn
its too cool. I don't believe it. hehehe. But if it's true, noice.
@0356danmcc
Great teacher
@yesmusicon
great teacher