Charlatan
Knightstown Lyrics

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Charlatan wants you to lay low
Charlatan wants you gone
Look who's decided to lay low
Charlatan wants you gone

Par for the course if you say no
Harder to stamp your flaws
Flukes or design that you're made so?

Profit or feast or loss

Bravo my composite, aid her
Rather you asked for laws
Alphas decide what you're made for
Soma to dull our thoughts

Yours is a thirst that is slaked, borne
Only by grief or loss
Down with dystopian waveforms
Gammas who run the show

Charlatan wants you to lay low
Charlatan wants you gone

Look who's decided to lay low
Charlatan wants you gone

Overall Meaning

In Knightstown's song "Charlatan," the lyrics depict a confrontation with a deceiving and manipulative figure, referred to as the charlatan. The charlatan wishes for the listener to remain hidden and disappear from their sight, suggesting a desire to maintain control and power over them. The repetition of the lines "Charlatan wants you to lay low, Charlatan wants you gone," emphasizes this demand for the listener to retreat and be silenced.

The lyrics also explore the idea of resistance against the charlatan's influence. It highlights the difficulty in standing up against the charlatan, as saying no or challenging their authority becomes the expected response. The line "Flukes or design that you're made so? Profit or feast or loss" questions whether the listener's predicament is a result of chance, deliberate design, or the charlatan's exploitation for personal gain.

The song further delves into the theme of control and manipulation by mentioning "Soma," a reference to Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel "Brave New World." The use of "Soma" suggests the charlatan's desire to dull the thoughts and suppress any resistance from the listener, keeping them docile and compliant.

Overall, "Charlatan" explores the power dynamics between the manipulator and the manipulated, highlighting the struggle for freedom and the bravery required to challenge the charlatan's influence.

Line by Line Meaning

Charlatan wants you to lay low
The deceptive individual desires for you to remain inconspicuous.

Charlatan wants you gone
The fraudster wishes for your disappearance.

Look who's decided to lay low
Observe who has now chosen to avoid attention.

Charlatan wants you gone
The impostor desires for you to vanish.

Par for the course if you say no
It's expected that there will be repercussions if you refuse.

Harder to stamp your flaws
It becomes more challenging to identify your imperfections.

Flukes or design that you're made so?
Is it mere chance or intentional creation that you possess such qualities?

Profit or feast or loss
Is it for personal gain, satisfaction, or detriment?

Bravo my composite, aid her
Applause for my composition, supporting her.

Rather you asked for laws
It would be preferable if you inquired about regulations.

Alphas decide what you're made for
Dominant individuals determine your purpose.