Repeat After Me
Kongos Lyrics

If I could breathe, I'd be free
Breathing is a symbol of freedom that will allow the singer to break free from their current emotional or physical constraints.

And I'd get high, I'd turn water to wine
With freedom, the singer can achieve anything, including performing miraculous actions like turning water to wine and getting high.

If I could be, I'd breathe free at last
The singer's ultimate goal is to achieve freedom, which will allow them to breathe freely and live without limitations.

And I'd get high, I'd get so high
Freedom will also allow the artist to experience the ultimate high and live their life to the fullest.

I'd get so high if I could breathe
The artist believes that the key to achieving their ultimate high in life is by experiencing true freedom through the ability to breathe freely.

Factors of nine, reduced over time
The singer highlights how numbers and mathematical concepts can play a role in people's lives but may eventually lose their importance over time.

Chasing them primes, and counting rhymes
The singer believes that people often waste their time and energy on things that may not matter, such as chasing certain numbers or counting rhymes.

Facing the east, bread without yeast
The artist references religious practices, where people face the east and eat unleavened bread during certain events or rituals.

Blind faith in the priests, and fear of some beast
The artist criticizes the blind faith that some people may have in religious leaders and the irrational fear they may have of unknown creatures or events.

Breaking of bread, eating the dead
The artist references the symbolism of bread, which can represent life and death, and may be consumed in both celebration and mourning.

Bowing my head, gold out of lead
The singer references the act of bowing one's head in respect or submission and the alchemical concept of turning lead into gold.

Wearing the veil, seeking the grail
The artist highlights the practice of wearing veils in religious or cultural contexts, and the quest for an elusive or holy object or experience, such as the Holy Grail.

Wall where you wail, and musical scales
The singer references the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where people may come to pray and cry, and the importance of music in one's life or religious practices.

Candles are burned, incantations are learned
The singer references the use of candles and incantations in certain rituals and practices, which may hold symbolic and spiritual importance.

Ashes in urns, and prophets return
The singer references the practice of collecting and storing ashes after cremation and the belief that prophets may return or be reincarnated.

Adam and Eve, three days to grieve
The artist references the biblical story of Adam and Eve and the concept of grieving or mourning for a specific period of time after a significant event.

Stoned if you don't believe, only fuck to conceive
The artist criticizes the use of violence against those who do not share certain beliefs and the idea that sex may only be used for procreation.

But it’s so hard to sign my own surrender
The singer highlights the difficulty of giving up or surrendering something that they have been holding onto or defending for a long time.

So hard to do what I’ve intended
The singer is struggling to follow through on their intentions or plans, possibly due to external or internal factors.

So hard to leave what I've defended
The artist has invested significant time and energy into protecting or defending something that they may need to let go of in order to move forward.

So hard to separate what's blended
The artist is having difficulty distinguishing between different aspects of their life that may be intertwined or blended together.

Five sided stars, buried or burnt to a char
The artist references the pentagram symbol, which may be buried or burned, and the potential negative connotations or misunderstandings associated with it.

Fashion is law, and nailing trinkets to doors
The singer criticizes the idea that fashion or trends dictate how people should dress or present themselves, and the act of using trinkets to decorate doors or homes for superficial purposes.

One hundred and eight, commanded to procreate
The artist references the importance of the number 108 in some cultures and religions, and the expectation or pressure to have children.

Fasting for forty days, and death if you desecrate
The singer references the practice of fasting for extended periods, which may hold religious or spiritual significance, and the extreme consequences that may result from desecrating certain beliefs or practices.

Two Thousand and Twelve, ringing bells
The singer references the year 2012, which held significance in some cultures and the act of ringing bells, which may be symbolic or spiritual.

Nine circles of hell, division by three
The singer references Dante's Inferno, which describes nine circles of hell, and the concept of dividing things into groups of three, which may hold religious or spiritual significance.

And seven, you see
The artist references the significance of the number seven in some cultures, which may represent perfection or completeness.

Repeat, repeat after me, repetition is key
The artist emphasizes the importance of repetition, possibly as a way to achieve or reinforce certain beliefs or practices.

Repeat after me, repetition is key
The singer repeats their previous statement, emphasizing the importance of repetition in achieving one's goals or beliefs.

Repeat after me, repetition is key
The singer repeats their previous statement once more, driving home the idea that repetition is crucial for success or reinforcement of beliefs.