Joseph Arthur (born September 28, 1971) is an American contemporary singer-… Read Full Bio ↴Joseph Arthur (born September 28, 1971) is an American contemporary singer-songwriter from Akron, Ohio. He is known for his melodic compositions combined with swirling choruses. He was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-'90s and signed to Gabriel's Real World label in 1996. Arthur's first album, Big City Secrets, was released in 1997 to critical acclaim.

In 2006, Arthur's song "In the Sun" was covered by Michael Stipe (of R.E.M.) and Coldplay singer Chris Martin. Released for a Hurricane Katrina Relief program, the EP includes six versions of the cover, one of which has Arthur himself singing with Stipe.

Arthur established his own record label, Lonely Astronaut Records, in 2006, and released two studio albums, Let's Just Be (2007) and Temporary People (2008) with backing band The Lonely Astronauts. Arthur subsequently returned to performing and recording as a solo artist, releasing The Graduation Ceremony in 2011 and the double album, Redemption City in 2012.

Arthur is also an acclaimed painter and designer. His artwork has graced the sleeves of his entire discography; the sleeve design for his 1999 album entitled Vacancy was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.

Humanity Fade
Joseph Arthur Lyrics

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We are connected to the main frame
Connected to the wire
Connected to the human brain
Of roses and fire

We are connected to cyber space
Connected to death
The only thing we never feel

Is the weight of our breath

Out here in the country
With the night coming on
Connected now to nothing
Like dogs in a storm

Apocalypse is coming
Here come the undead
Marching in chaos
Like the thoughts in your head

We are connected to the main frame
With our souls plugged in
Our spirits are now digital
We were electrical skin

We are figments of the Internet
It's hand reaching out
Bleeding through our eyes
In the heart of our drought
Rob from always on the run is so bad and copy paste is a sin
The desert here is empty
Our cure is disease
Our god is on a screen
The sky on its knees

The rain of pollution
The fog of ideas
There is no absolution
Just crocodile tears

Here comes the revolution
No army to beat
No big bomb exploding
Or cyanide to eat

Computer domination
A world without bounds
A soul in mutilation
Like the silence of sounds

Here come the revolution
Electronically made
The death of evolution
The humanity fade

Humanity fade
Humanity fade

Overall Meaning

The song "Humanity Fade" by Joseph Arthur discusses the effects of technology on humanity. The first stanza talks about how humans are connected to the mainframe, wire, and human brain in a metaphorical sense, suggesting that technology has become ingrained in our lives to the point where it's almost as if we're physically connected to it. The second stanza contrasts this connection with the emptiness and disconnection of the country, where the singer feels as though they're "connected now to nothing like dogs in a storm." The third stanza describes an impending apocalypse, with the undead marching "like the thoughts in your head," perhaps implying that the technology we've created is in some sense coming to life and taking over.

The next few stanzas continue to describe the ways in which technology has taken over humanity, with the singer suggesting that we've become "figments of the internet," with our spirits now digital and our bodies just "electrical skin." The lyrics also suggest that our dependence on technology has come at a cost, with the "desert here...empty" and our "cure...disease." Despite this bleak picture, the lyrics suggest that there might still be hope for revolution, with "no army to beat" and "no big bomb exploding." However, the final stanza suggests that this revolution may in fact be "electronically made," implying that technology has perhaps already won and that we're now fated for a "humanity fade."

Overall, the song's lyrics can be read as a cautionary tale about the dangers of technology and what we stand to lose if we continue down our current path. It touches on themes of disconnection, loss of agency, and the potential for apocalyptic outcomes if we let our technology go unchecked.

Line by Line Meaning

We are connected to the main frame
We are all connected to the ever-growing network of technology and the internet

Connected to the wire
We are connected to the constant flow of information and data being transmitted through electrical wires

Connected to the human brain Of roses and fire
We are connected to the intricacies of the human mind, with its unpredictable and passionate nature

We are connected to cyber space
We are also connected to the vast expanse of the virtual world, where boundaries and limitations are non-existent

Connected to death
Despite these connections, we often feel a disconnection with our own physical bodies and mortality

The only thing we never feel Is the weight of our breath
We can be so consumed by the digital world that we forget to take a moment to appreciate the simple act of breathing and being alive

Out here in the country With the night coming on Connected now to nothing Like dogs in a storm
Despite our many connections, we can still feel alone and isolated in the real world, much like lost dogs wandering through a storm

Apocalypse is coming Here come the undead Marching in chaos Like the thoughts in your head
The idea of an impending apocalypse and the chaotic thoughts that come with it can consume us and make us feel helpless

With our souls plugged in Our spirits are now digital We were electrical skin
Our connection to technology has become part of our identity and who we are as individuals. It has even replaced traditional ideas of spirituality and soul

We are figments of the Internet It's hand reaching out Bleeding through our eyes In the heart of our drought
Our dependence on and attachment to the internet has become so strong that it affects us emotionally and physically, to the point of feeling a sense of emptiness or drought

Rob from always on the run is so bad and copy paste is a sin The desert here is empty Our cure is disease Our god is on a screen The sky on its knees
Our reliance on shortcuts and quick fixes in the digital world has contributed to a sense of emptiness and spiritual crisis. Our constant use of technology has even alienated us from the natural world and its healing properties

The rain of pollution The fog of ideas There is no absolution Just crocodile tears
The constant bombardment of information and the negative effects of technology on the environment have created a sense of hopelessness and despair

Here comes the revolution No army to beat No big bomb exploding Or cyanide to eat
A revolution in the way we interact with technology and the digital world is on the horizon, but it won't be fought with traditional weapons or tactics

Computer domination A world without bounds A soul in mutilation Like the silence of sounds
If we continue on this path of excessive reliance on technology, we will lose touch with our humanity and what makes us unique as individuals

Here come the revolution Electronically made The death of evolution The humanity fade Humanity fade Humanity fade
This revolution may bring about the end of traditional human evolution and the fade of our humanity as we know it

Contributed by Madelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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