Numb
Marina 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
Lower I get the higher
I'll climb, and I will wonder why
Looking for the golden life
Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice
C-C-C-Cry
Forggle families, foggle friends
That's how it started, and how it ends
I can't open up and cry, 'cause I've been silent 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
C-C-C-Cry
C-C-C-Cry
Ooh, I get dark
Oh, 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 delves into feelings of isolation, emptiness, and the pressure to succeed. The lyrics "One track mind, like a goldfish/Stuck inside my petri dish" convey the idea of feeling trapped in a mundane existence, and the following line "I can't breathe, and I can't smile/This better be worth my while" suggests a sense of suffocation and unhappiness. The chorus reveals the underlying theme of the song, as Marina repeats "I feel numb most of the time" and describes her desire to achieve success ("Looking for the golden life/Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice").
The second verse touches on the difficulty of opening up and crying, as well as the unrealistic expectations placed on individuals by society. The lines "Yeah, I'm no good/No good to anyone/'Cause all I care about/Is being number one" further emphasize the pressure to be successful and the resulting sense of isolation. The final chorus adds a sense of urgency and desperation as Marina sings about lighting up the sky and burning bright but ultimately fading away.
Overall, "Numb" explores the loneliness and isolation that can arise from pursuing success and the toll it can take on one's mental and emotional well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
One track mind, like a goldfish
I don't have a lot of thoughts; my brain gets stuck on one thing like a goldfish swimming in its bowl
Stuck inside my petri dish
I feel trapped and confined, like I'm in an experiment that I can't escape from
I can't breathe, and I can't smile
I'm suffocating emotionally and physically; I can't find any happiness in my life
This better be worth my while
I hope that all the struggles I'm going through will lead to something meaningful in the end
I feel numb most of the time
I'm so disconnected from my feelings that I don't really feel anything most of the time
Lower I get the higher I'll climb
The more I feel low and depressed, the more I try to compensate by striving for success and achievement
And I will wonder why I got dark only to shine
I'll question whether all the hard work and sacrifice was worth it, and why I had to suffer so much to achieve my goals
Looking for the golden life Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice
I'm hoping that all my hard work and sacrifice will lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment, and that the price I'm paying is justified
C-C-C-Cry
I want to cry and express my emotions, but I've been keeping them bottled up for so long that I can't even do that
Forggle families, foggle friends That's how it started, and how it ends
I've lost touch with my family and friends because I've been so consumed by my own struggles and ambitions
I feel numb most of the time
I'm so disconnected from my feelings that I don't really feel anything most of the time
The more I get the higher I'll climb
The more success I achieve, the more motivated I am to keep going and achieve even more
I get dark only to shine
I go through periods of struggle and darkness, but I hope that they will lead to periods of success and happiness
Looking for the golden light Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice
I'm hoping that all my hard work and sacrifice will lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment, and that the price I'm paying is justified
C-C-C-Cry C-C-C-Cry
I want to cry and express my emotions, but I've been keeping them bottled up for so long that I can't even do that
Ooh, I get dark Oh, and I'm in hell
I go through periods of depression and struggle that feel like I'm in a personal hell
I need a friend Ooh, but I can't yell
I'm so desperate for emotional support and connection, but I can't seem to reach out and ask for help
Yeah, I'm no good No good to anyone 'Cause all I care about Is being number one
I've become so consumed by my own ambition that I've lost sight of what really matters, and I'm not able to be there for the people who care about me
Shine Looking for the golden light Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice
I'm hoping that all my hard work and sacrifice will lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment, and that the price I'm paying is justified
Shine Looking for the golden light Oh, it's a reasonable sacrifice Sacrifice
I'm willing to make sacrifices to achieve my goals, even if it means giving up things that are important to me
I feel numb most of the time
I'm so disconnected from my feelings that I don't really feel anything most of the time
The more I get the higher I'll climb
The more success I achieve, the more motivated I am to keep going and achieve even more
I get dark only to shine
I go through periods of struggle and darkness, but I hope that they will lead to periods of success and happiness
And I'll light up the sky Stars that burn the brightest Fall so fast and pass you by Puff like empty lighters
I hope that my success and achievements will be brilliant and unforgettable, but I also know that they can be fleeting and temporary, like fireworks that quickly fade away
I feel numb most of the time
I'm so disconnected from my feelings that I don't really feel anything most of the time
The more I get the higher I'll climb
The more success I achieve, the more motivated I am to keep going and achieve even more
I got dark only to shine
I go through periods of struggle and darkness, but I hope that they will lead to periods of success and happiness
And I'll light up the sky Stars that burn the brightest Fall so fast and pass you by Spark like empty lighters
I hope that my success and achievements will be brilliant and unforgettable, but I also know that they can be fleeting and temporary, like fireworks that quickly fade away
Dum dum dum, duh dah da
This line doesn't have a specific meaning, and seems to be a nonsensical repeating of sounds to create a musical effect
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARINA LAMBRINI DIAMANDIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind