Their battles have been hard-won with foes such as the Feedback Gremlin, the flesh-eating Apathy virus, and the rampant free-downloading Masked Marauderer. Victorious as always, though, Mankind is Obsolete has pummeled through four albums and ten years worth of shows. What will their next great adventure be? Stay tuned…. www.mkio.com
Troubled Dreams
Mankind Is Obsolete Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The waking life and the endless dream.
A tapestry of haunted scenes,
The memories are calling me.
When filled with whispers stereo,
(When filled with whispers stereo)
I'd give up everything to know.
Imagery.
Troubled dreams.
Poetry of smart machines,
They'll never know who I am.
Looking in,
Somewhere deep beneath this skin
As my world turns inside out,
I'll be here...
All alone.
I see more than 0's and 1's
Can I be who I've become?
(Can I be who I've become?)
Symphonies surrounding me
Take the breath right out of me
I'll never rest
Time is fleeting
Imagery
Troubled dreams
Poetry of smart machines,
They'll never know who I am
Symphonies surrounding me
Take the breath right out of me
I'll never rest
Time is fleeting
Imagery.
Troubled dreams.
Poetry of smart machines,
They'll never know who I am.
Trying earnestly,
Failing miserably,
Picking up the past,
Learning brilliantly.
To be loved
To be free
Trying earnestly,
Failing miserably,
Picking up the past,
Learning brilliantly.
To be loved
To be free
The opening lines of Mankind Is Obsolete's song "Troubled Dreams" describe a transitional state that is not quite awake and not quite asleep, where the mind floats between consciousness and dreams. The singer envisions a tapestry of haunted scenes, suggesting a mind troubled by inner demons and past traumas. The memories are calling, inviting the singer to explore their innermost fears and insecurities.
The next stanza establishes a contrast between the singer's longing for something greater, symbolized by "Imagery," "Troubled Dreams," and the "Poetry of smart machines," and the recognition that a machine, no matter how sophisticated, can never understand or know who the singer truly is. The repeated line "Symphonies surrounding me/Take the breath right out of me" implies a sense of awe or wonder, but also suggests that the singer is overwhelmed and perhaps even suffocated by the possibilities and limitations of technology.
The final stanza offers a glimpse of hope and resilience, as the singer declares their determination to "pick up the past" and learn from it, to be loved and to be free. In this way, the song can be interpreted as an exploration of the human condition in a world that is becoming increasingly digitized and automated, where individuals struggle to find meaning and connection amidst the noise and chaos of modern society.
Line by Line Meaning
Drifting off to that place between
The moment just before you fall asleep, where you're still partly conscious but also dreaming.
The waking life and the endless dream.
The border between reality and the subconscious.
A tapestry of haunted scenes,
A collection of eerie images and memories.
The memories are calling me.
The subconscious mind is summoning memories into the dream state.
When filled with whispers stereo,
When the mind is full of thoughts and voices in stereo (left and right).
I'd give up everything to know.
Desperately craving to understand the meaning behind the sensations felt in the dream.
Imagery.
Vivid mental images being experienced in the dream.
Troubled dreams.
A subconscious state causing distress or discomfort to the dreamer.
Poetry of smart machines,
The surreal experience of being in a dream world created by artificial intelligence.
They'll never know who I am.
The realization that the machines can never fully comprehend the dreamer's true self or identity.
Looking in,
Reflecting on one's inner self and thoughts.
Somewhere deep beneath this skin
Exploring the depths of one's emotions and subconscious mind.
As my world turns inside out,
The dreamer's experience is so intense that it creates a sense of disorientation or inversion.
I'll be here...
The dreamer knows they are in a dream state and are passively observing the events.
All alone.
Even though the dream may be populated with people or elements, the dreamer is still removed from everything, thus being 'alone.'
I see more than 0's and 1's
Acknowledging that despite being in a world created by machines, there is more depth to the dream than simply being just programming code.
Can I be who I've become?
Questioning if the dreamer's true identity is based on the events of the dream or if it is merely a temporary state of mind.
Symphonies surrounding me
The experience of being surrounded by beautiful, harmonious sounds and music.
Take the breath right out of me
Feeling emotionally overwhelmed or stunned by the beauty of the music.
I'll never rest
Feeling trapped in the dream state or the overwhelmed feeling never subsiding.
Time is fleeting
The realization that the dream won't last and that time will always be in control.
Trying earnestly,
Making an effort to learn from past experiences.
Failing miserably,
Experiencing setbacks and difficulties along the way.
Picking up the past,
Recalling memories and experiences from the past.
Learning brilliantly.
Using past experiences to learn, grow and move forward.
To be loved
The desire to be loved or to provide love.
To be free
The desire to be liberated both physically and mentally, and to chase after the life one wants to lead.
Contributed by Alyssa N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.