Mayday
John. Lyrics

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YOU FUNCTION LIKE A TAPE MACHINE THAT DRIVES ME UP THE WALL.
SPIT YOUR MESSAGE OUT I'M TIRED OF LlSTENING.
WHEN YOU TRY TO ANSWER ME YOU SOON RUN OUT OF WORDS
SO OUR COMMUNICATION IS SUPERFICIAL.
MAYDAY OH MAYDAY CONFUSION ON THE LINE.
MAYDAY OH MAYDAY I'M STILL NOT GETTING THROUGH.
MAYDAY OH MAYDAY KEEP TRYING.
YOUR INTENTIONS MAY BE GOOD BUT PLEASE DON'T INTERFERE.

YOU DEMONSTRATE A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING.
AND AS THE EMPTY WORDS BOUNCE BACK FROM THE CORNERS OF THE ROOM
I WONDER IF YOU'VE NOTICED SOMETHING IS MISSING.
MAYDAY OH MAYDAY
YOll'RE JUST A SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY.

WHO'S PAID TO PUT ME IN A CATEGORY.
THIS CONVERSATION IS UPSETTING ME.

Overall Meaning

In John.'s song "Mayday," the lyrics depict a frustrated and strained communication between two individuals. The opening line "You function like a tape machine that drives me up the wall" suggests that the person being addressed is repetitive and irritating, similar to a malfunctioning tape machine. The singer is tired of listening to their messages that lack substance, hence the line "Spit your message out, I'm tired of listening."

As the conversation continues, it becomes evident that the person being addressed struggles to provide meaningful responses, leading to superficial communication. The repetition of "Mayday, oh Mayday" underscores the urgency and desperation to break through the confusion and lack of understanding. The singer expresses a desire for the person to stop interfering, as their good intentions only contribute to the lack of comprehension.

The chorus further highlights the frustration, as the singer is still not getting through despite their efforts. The line "You're just a symbol of authority, who's paid to put me in a category" suggests that the person being addressed represents a societal hierarchy or system that seeks to categorize and control the singer. The conversation becomes upsetting, and the singer subtly hints that something important is missing from the interaction.

Overall, "Mayday" captures the emotions of frustration, confusion, and longing for authentic communication in a world that often reduces dialogue to empty words and superficial interactions.

Line by Line Meaning

YOU FUNCTION LIKE A TAPE MACHINE THAT DRIVES ME UP THE WALL.
Your repetitive behavior annoys and frustrates me.

SPIT YOUR MESSAGE OUT I'M TIRED OF LISTENING.
Express your thoughts clearly and directly because I have grown tired of decoding your vague communication.

WHEN YOU TRY TO ANSWER ME YOU SOON RUN OUT OF WORDS
You struggle to articulate your thoughts and end up being unable to provide meaningful responses.

SO OUR COMMUNICATION IS SUPERFICIAL.
Due to your limited ability to convey your ideas, our conversations lack depth and substance.

MAYDAY OH MAYDAY CONFUSION ON THE LINE.
I am signaling distress and alerting others to the confusion that exists in our communication.

MAYDAY OH MAYDAY I'M STILL NOT GETTING THROUGH.
Despite my efforts, I am still unable to effectively communicate with you.

MAYDAY OH MAYDAY KEEP TRYING.
I implore you to persist in trying to improve our communication despite the challenges we face.

YOUR INTENTIONS MAY BE GOOD BUT PLEASE DON'T INTERFERE.
While you may have good intentions, I ask that you refrain from interfering or causing disruptions.

YOU DEMONSTRATE A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING.
Your inability to comprehend my perspective and emotions is apparent.

AND AS THE EMPTY WORDS BOUNCE BACK FROM THE CORNERS OF THE ROOM
The hollowness of your words becomes evident as they reverberate aimlessly in the empty space of the room.

I WONDER IF YOU'VE NOTICED SOMETHING IS MISSING.
I ponder whether you have recognized that something significant is absent from our interactions.

MAYDAY OH MAYDAY
Once again, I am signaling for help and expressing the urgency of the situation.

YOU'RE JUST A SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY.
You represent a position of power and control.

WHO'S PAID TO PUT ME IN A CATEGORY.
Your role is to categorize and label people, including myself, for the sake of maintaining order.

THIS CONVERSATION IS UPSETTING ME.
Our exchange of words is causing me distress and emotional turmoil.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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