Numb
Marina And The Diamonds Lyrics
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Stuck inside my petri dish.
I can't breathe, and I can't smile,
This better be worth my while.
I feel numb most of the time,
The more I get the higher,
I'll climb, and I will wonder why,
To shine.
Looking for the golden light,
Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice.
Burn, burn, burn bright.
Far gone families, far gone friends,
That's how it started, and how it ends,
I can't open up and cry, 'cause i've been saddened all my life.
I feel numb most of the time,
The more I get the higher,
I'll climb, and I will wonder why,
I get dark only,
To shine.
Looking for the golden light,
Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice.
Burn, burn, burn bright.
Burn, burn, burn bright.
Ooh, I get dark,
Ohh, and I'm in hell,
I need a friend,
Ooh, but I can't yell,
Yeah, i'm no good,
No good to anyone,
'Cause all I care about,
Is being number one.
Shine,
Looking for the golden light,
Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice.
Shine,
Looking for the golden light,
Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice.
Sacrifice.
I feel numb most of the time,
The more I get the higher,
I'll climb, and I will wonder why,
I get dark only,
To shine.
And I'll light up the sky,
Stars that burn the brightest,
Fall so fast and pass you by,
Puff like empty lighters,
I feel numb most of the time,
The more I get the higher,
I'll climb, and I will wonder why,
I got dark only,
To shine.
And I'll light up the sky,
Stars that burn the brightest,
Fall so fast and pass you by,
Spark like empty lighters.
Dum dum dum, duh dah da.
The song "Numb" by Marina and the Diamonds is an introspective look at the cyclical nature of achieving success while maintaining one's own identity. The opening verse uses the metaphor of a goldfish in a petri dish, so confined in her own achievements that she cannot breathe or smile. She realizes that she may not enjoy the success she's attained as much as she thought she would, as the more she gets, the higher she climbs, and the lonelier she feels. She's been saddened and broken by life, so she has a difficult time opening up and expressing her emotions, though she realizes the importance of finding someone she can confide in.
The chorus repeats the line "Looking for the golden light, oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice," emphasizing that even if the road to success is tough, if her goals and desires are worth it, then the sacrifices made along the way will be too. The second verse encompasses the idea that every success carries with it a bit of darkness, as she only shines once she exposes the pain that she's gone through. Marina sings about shining as brightly as possible and lighting up the night sky, even though the brightest objects in the sky fall just as quickly as the rest. The final bridge touches on Marina's loneliness and the fact that she is so focused on being the best that she is "no good to anyone."
Line by Line Meaning
One track mind, like a goldfish,
My mind is stuck on one thing, like a goldfish in a small aquarium.
Stuck inside my petri dish.
I feel trapped and confined like a bacteria stuck in a petri dish.
I can't breathe, and I can't smile,
I'm suffocating and not finding joy in anything.
This better be worth my while.
I hope the end result of my struggles is worth it.
I feel numb most of the time,
I am empty and emotionless most of the time.
The more I get the higher,
The more I achieve, the higher I aim.
I'll climb, and I will wonder why,
I'll keep striving to reach the top, but wonder why it's so important.
I got dark only, To shine.
I went through dark times in order to shine and succeed.
Looking for the golden light,
Searching for something to guide me to success.
Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice.
The sacrifices I make for success are reasonable and worth it.
Burn, burn, burn bright.
Keep pushing forward with passion and drive.
Far gone families, far gone friends,
I have distanced myself from my family and friends in pursuit of success.
That's how it started, and how it ends,
It began with me separating myself, and it will end with me alone.
I can't open up and cry, 'cause I've been saddened all my life.
I am unable to express my emotions and cry because I have always been emotionally drained and unhappy.
Ooh, I get dark, Ohh, and I'm in hell,
I experience depression and feel like I'm in a difficult place.
I need a friend, Ooh, but I can't yell,
I crave companionship but am unable to reach out for help.
Yeah, I'm no good, No good to anyone,
I feel like I have no worth to anyone else.
'Cause all I care about, Is being number one.
My only goal is to be the best and achieve success, even if it's at a cost to others.
And I'll light up the sky,
I will shine brightly and stand out.
Stars that burn the brightest,
Those who shine the brightest also tend to burn out the fastest.
Fall so fast and pass you by,
They can plummet quickly from their success and be forgotten.
Puff like empty lighters,
Their bright light fades away quickly, just like an empty lighter that has no more power.
Dum dum dum, duh dah da.
This line is simply a musical interlude and has no deeper meaning.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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