Something
Lambchop Lyrics

In Lambchop's song "Something's Going On," the lyrics describe the feeling of unease and uncertainty that comes with a sense that something in the world is changing, and the singer's struggle to identify and articulate what that change might be. The song begins by acknowledging the complexity of the world and the difficulty of understanding it fully: "There's so much I want to know / In every day in every notice / The hour it is going slow / So how am I to show this?" The repetition of the phrase "something's going on" throughout the song creates a sense of urgency and unease, as if the singer is sensing a shift in the world that they can't quite grasp.

The second verse of the song describes a physical manifestation of this sense of unease, with the singer waking up in a sweat and feeling numb and shaky. The use of physical sensations emphasizes the bodily, instinctual nature of the feeling of uncertainty, as if the singer's body is responding to a change in the environment that their conscious mind can't discern.

The final verse of the song focuses on the objects in the singer's environment, suggesting that even the most mundane items (hats on a shelf, a clock on the wall) can take on a heightened significance in times of change. The mention of the picture of Michael Jackson and his pet monkey Bubbles adds to the sense of disorientation and uncertainty, as if even pop culture icons are subject to the same destabilizing currents that the singer is feeling.

Overall, "Something's Going On" captures the sense of unease that can come with times of change and uncertainty, and emphasizes the difficulties of articulating and understanding that feeling. The song's repetition and use of physical details create a sense of urgency and unease, while its focus on everyday objects suggests that even the most mundane aspects of our environment can take on a heightened significance in moments of flux.