Nature Boy
Judith Edelman Lyrics
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Living by the numbers in a business magazine
The other boys don't see what is breaking free
But you don't have to keep it down for me
Rage against the jungle ever teeming in your head
The more you try to beat it back the wilder it gets
Flowers in the street are breaking through concrete
Seeding revolution at your feet
Tearing out your hair over the storm that's blowing in
Nature boy, nature boy
Can't tame nature, can't tame nature, boy
Terrified of dreams, you take a pill to stay awake
But they will have their way with you no matter what you take
Feverish and green, innocent, obscene
Sleeping, waking, living in-between
Chorus
He's dreaming in green
He's dreaming in green
Chorus x 2
The song Nature Boy by Judith Edelman speaks to the frustration that can come from living a life that feels restrictive and unfulfilling. The opening lines suggest a workplace that in many ways dehumanizes and reduces its workers to numbers in a magazine. The singer of the song sees something that others don't, but finds it difficult to express or act upon. There is a sense of powerful, natural energy whirling inside that can't be stilled, though one tries to quiet it. This is symbolized in the lyric "flowers in the street are breaking through concrete, seeding revolution at your feet." The natural world, which is free and reckless, exerts a dangerous pull on the singer. He is "tearing out his hair over the storm that's blowing in," indicating that the force of it is difficult to contain.
The second half of the song focuses on the ways that we try to control or suppress our natural desires, such as dreams. The line "Terrified of dreams, you take a pill to stay awake" suggests a numbing of oneself to avoid the unpredictable nature of the dream world. There is also an emphasis on the duality of nature, with the lyric "Feverish and green, innocent, obscene, sleeping, waking, living in-between." This line suggests that nature cannot be forced into a binary; it is at once pure and raw, and also disturbing and threatening. In the end, the song seems to be saying that we are all nature boys and girls; we are part of the natural world, and that "you can't tame nature, boy." We can only try to find our place within it and accept its power over us.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it just another day at work in the machine
Are you just going about your daily routine like a machine?
Living by the numbers in a business magazine
Are you living your life by the standards set by a business magazine?
The other boys don't see what is breaking free
Your peers might not notice the things you're struggling to keep in check
But you don't have to keep it down for me
You don't have to hide your struggles from me
Rage against the jungle ever teeming in your head
You feel overwhelmed by the chaos and constant noise in your mind
The more you try to beat it back the wilder it gets
The harder you try to control your thoughts, the more out of control they become
Flowers in the street are breaking through concrete
Signs of resistance and change are appearing in unlikely places
Seeding revolution at your feet
A movement for change is beginning at your doorstep
Dangerous to be in your own skin
You feel uncomfortable and unsafe in your own body
Tearing out your hair over the storm that's blowing in
You're frantically trying to control a situation that is beyond your control
Nature boy, nature boy
You are a natural being, not meant to be confined or controlled
Can't tame nature, can't tame nature, boy
You cannot suppress or control your own natural impulses and desires
Terrified of dreams, you take a pill to stay awake
You're afraid of your own dreams and take medication to avoid them
But they will have their way with you no matter what you take
You cannot escape your dreams, no matter how hard you try
Feverish and green, innocent, obscene
Your dreams hold both purity and impurity
Sleeping, waking, living in-between
You're caught in between two states of consciousness, never fully aware or asleep
Chorus
Reinforcing the message that you cannot be tamed, no matter how hard you try
He's dreaming in green
Continuing the theme of the purity and impurity of dreams
Chorus x 2
The chorus repeats, driving home the message of the song
Contributed by Caroline O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.