Placebo
Kidneythieves Lyrics


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No more wishing wells that never come around
No more growing trees without a ground
One, to take
One, to fly
One, to make
Use of all the treasure inside
One, too late
Act surprised
One, to play
And say it was just in your mind
On and on, hearts burn determined
One to take (breathe in a neptune sky)
Fly (through hands of animals)
Play awake
It killed the craving for the remedy they made you buy
On and on, hearts burn determined
Here's a placebo
Pick a placebo
No more sapphires burned
No more wishing wells that never come around
No more growing trees without a ground
One to take
One, to fly
One, to play




Here's a placebo
On and on, hearts burn determined

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kidneythieves' song Placebø appear to be a commentary on the futility of chasing after things that are unattainable or false. The first lines reference the idea of a wishing well, which traditionally is supposed to grant wishes, but in reality, those wishes never come true. Similarly, the image of growing trees without a ground seems to suggest that putting effort into something without a solid foundation is pointless.


The repeated phrase "One to take, one to fly, one to make use of all the treasure inside" appears to be encouraging the listener to take control of their life and unlock the potential within themselves, instead of relying on external sources for fulfillment. However, the next line "One, too late, act surprised, one to play and say it was just in your mind" implies that sometimes it's easier to pretend or lie to oneself about the success or failure of a situation, rather than facing the truth head-on.


The chorus reinforces the idea of a "placebo", something that appears to be a cure or solution, but in reality, is ineffective. The lyrics suggest that by recognizing the false nature of these things ("No more sapphires burned"), we can reject them and focus on what truly matters. The final lines "here's a placebo, pick a placebo" seem to imply that we have a choice in what we believe or put our trust in.


Line by Line Meaning

No more wishing wells that never come around
No more hoping for something that will never come true


No more growing trees without a ground
No more investing in something that has no foundation


One, to take
One person takes the lead


One, to fly
One person takes risks and pushes boundaries


One, to make Use of all the treasure inside
One person uses their gifts and talents to their fullest extent


One, too late Act surprised
One person misses out on an opportunity and tries to play it off as not caring


One, to play And say it was just in your mind
One person trivializes their desires as just a passing thought


On and on, hearts burn determined
Despite setbacks, people keep persevering


One to take (breathe in a neptune sky)
One person takes a moment to appreciate the beauty around them


Fly (through hands of animals)
Experience the world from a fresh perspective


Play awake
Be present in the moment and enjoy life


It killed the craving for the remedy they made you buy
Trying to solve a problem with a solution that doesn't work only makes it worse


Here's a placebo
Here's a temporary solution that may not actually solve the problem


Pick a placebo
Choose a temporary solution that may not be effective


No more sapphires burned
No more wasting time on something that has no value


On and on, hearts burn determined
Despite setbacks, people keep persevering




Contributed by Isabella L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@captainfrost24

Incredible song, one of my favorites.

@yan-jenlo285

I'm so stupid for not looking them up after falling in love with before I'm dead. Her voice is intoxicating and enchanting. The music is so different from all of those meh rock bands.

@Sharpandpointless

Ditto!

@davidsolomie162

Same story. I found this band a while ago, but only now did I listen to the whole album. This shit is sick! I love it!

@Destructionondemand

Why have I not heard this song until now... Utterly unfathomable..Thank you, very much for uploading this.

@jaronnewyork

I love this band !

@cloudymoonliqht9629

One of my all time favorites

@tempernmay

One of my most favorite albums! Thank you!

@DementedDistraction

Love the high notes in the crescendo of this song; the awesome thing is that Free hits those same high notes perfectly when they play this song live - it's simply amazing.

@samanthahenderson1784

Definitely one of my favs on the album......so majestic and atmospheric.
This album truly is one of a kind that gives off such a unique and surreal vibe that is heavily addicting! I think Free's solo albums are very good, but I don't think they come close to what she has done in kidneytheives.

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