Lungfish is a post-hardcore band formed in 1987 in Baltimore, Maryland, Uni… Read Full Bio ↴Lungfish is a post-hardcore band formed in 1987 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. All of their music has been released by the Washington, D.C. punk label Dischord except for their first LP, Necklace of Heads which was released by Simple Machines (it was later added to the CD release of Talking Songs for Walking by Dischord).

Their lineup as of 2005 consists of Daniel Higgs (vocals), Asa Osborne (guitars and vocals), Sean Meadows (bass guitar), and Mitchell Feldstein (drums). Previous bass guitar players are John Chriest and Nathan Bell.

Daniel Higgs sang in the 80s hardcore punk band Reptile House and has released numerous solo works under his own name and also Cone of Light. He has recently made numerous solo performances, usually with the long-necked banjo and jaw harp.

Asa Osborne has released a CD and 7" with Charles Brohawn of The Tinklers under the name Tear Jerks. Osborne also released an album on Dischord in 2002 with Daniel Higgs under the name The Pupils. In early 2008 the record label Holy Mountain announced a new solo project by Osborne called Zomes.

Sean Meadows has played in numerous bands including June of 44, The Sonora Pine, and many lesser known bands from the Chattanooga, Tennessee music scene.

Mitchell Feldstein has published two volumes of prose and poetry: Hurl on Apathy Press and Teen Cardinal on Shattered Wig Press. He also played drums with Arbouretum.

http://www.dischord.com/band/lungfish

Computer
Lungfish Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

On the one hand you've got the law
On the other hand you've got the law
If a breastbone at the center
Is all that you claim you saw
Your forehead smacks the wall
As you try to enter
Between the unmarked doors in
The middle of the center

We can do no worse than
The weather's plan to know all crime
Survive beyond survival
Outside the suck of time

Split the third you cleave to
Weave the seam that you ravel
The diagram you'll witness
As you sharpen up your shovel
Chew your breath - bide your time
Pick some words to shed behind

Slow up to a humane pace
Pledge allegiance to outer space

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in "Computer" by Lungfish seem to allude to the idea of two opposing forces or laws: the law of nature and the law of humanity. The repetition of the phrase "On the one hand you've got the law, On the other hand you've got the law" suggests that there is a duality in the way we see the world, and that we must navigate between two opposing forces. The imagery of a breastbone at the center that one claims to see suggests that there is an attempt to find a central point, a balance between these laws. However, the forehead smacking against the wall as one tries to enter the middle of the center suggests that it is a difficult and perhaps impossible task to unite these two laws.

The second stanza seems to suggest that instead of trying to unite these laws, one should accept their duality and strive to survive beyond the constraints of time and human laws. The line "We can do no worse than the weather's plan to know all crime" suggests that perhaps nature has a greater plan, and we should follow that instead of trying to impose our own laws. The call to "pledge allegiance to outer space" reinforces this idea of looking beyond humanity and seeking a higher power.

Overall, the lyrics in "Computer" seem to be urging listeners to let go of the idea of absolute control and instead accept the duality of opposing forces in the world. While it is tempting to try to find a central point, the difficulty of doing so suggests that perhaps it is not necessary. Instead, we should embrace our place in the natural world and look beyond our own human laws and constraints.

Line by Line Meaning

On the one hand you've got the law
There is a set of rules and regulations that govern our behavior

On the other hand you've got the law
There is another set of laws that are not written but still very real and enforceable

If a breastbone at the center
If you claim to know the truth, the essence of a complex matter

Is all that you claim you saw
If you only have a narrow and limited viewpoint on a subject

Your forehead smacks the wall
You hit a wall of your own ignorance

As you try to enter
As you attempt to gain deeper understanding

Between the unmarked doors in
Amidst the unknown and uncertainty

The middle of the center
The heart of the matter

We can do no worse than
We cannot do anything worse than

The weather's plan to know all crime
Nature has its own way of uncovering all wrongdoing

Survive beyond survival
To live beyond merely existing