Good is a strong advocate for human rights, and is affiliated with Amnesty International.
He has also released a book entitled "At Last There Is Nothing Left to Say," consisting of a series of blog entries and manifestos he posted on Matthew Good Band's website before the band disbanded. As well as being a testament to why he continues to have a solid and devoted fan-base, the work showcases Matt's unique perspective, and the creative mind that is the source of his success.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 2002
Strange Days
Matthew Good Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't cop out
You crawled from the cancer to land on your feet
Are you crazy to want this
Even for a while?
We're making this shit up
The reasons for being are easy to pay
You can't remember the others
So you're driving, it's rush hour
The cars on the freeway are moving like slugs
When you drift off to wake up
Do you always hit the brakes?
We're done lying for a living
The strange days have come and you're
You're gone, you're gone
Either dead or dying
Dead or trying to go
It's evening, you're tired
You sleep walk a robot out to the street
Are you crazy to want this even for a while?
You're driving, it's rush hour
The cars on the freeway are moving backwards
Into a wall of fire
Backwards
Into a wall of fire
Backwards
Into a wall of fire
Backwards
Into a wall of fire
And we're done lying for a living
The strange days have come and you're
You're gone, you're gone
And we're done lying for a living
The strange days have come and you're
You're gone, you're gone
Either dead or dying
Either dead or trying to go
To go
Good morning
Don't cop out
Matthew Good's song Strange Days is a powerful commentary on the state of society, particularly on how people are often so preoccupied with the materialistic aspects of life that they forget about the more important things. The song opens with the line "Good morning, don't cop out," which can be interpreted as a call to action, urging the listener to wake up and make a change in their life. The next line, "You crawled from the cancer to land on your feet," references the struggles that people have gone through and how they've overcome them, but may not have fully realized the significance of their actions.
As the song progresses, Good questions why people are so obsessed with material possessions and why they continue to pursue them, even if it's only for a short while. He talks about how people make up "reasons for being" that are easy to pay for but forget about the truly meaningful things in life. The line "So you're driving, it's rush hour, the cars on the freeway are moving like slugs" paints a vivid picture of the mundanity of everyday life, and how people often get caught up in the routine of it all, without stopping to question if it's really worth it.
The final verse is perhaps the most haunting, as Good describes a person driving during rush hour, only to find that the cars on the freeway are moving backwards, into a wall of fire. The imagery is surreal and jarring, and emphasizes that people need to wake up and take notice of what's happening in the world around them before it's too late.
Overall, Strange Days is a powerful song that asks some tough questions about society and the way we live our lives. It's a wake-up call to listeners to think about what's truly important and not to get caught up in the superficial aspects of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Good morning
It's the start of a new day.
Don't cop out
Don't take an easy way out.
You crawled from the cancer to land on your feet
You survived a terrible illness and came out stronger.
Are you crazy to want this
Even for a while?
Is it insane of you to desire this, if only for a short span?
We're making this shit up
We're fabricating things as we go.
The reasons for being are easy to pay
It's simple to purchase the justification for existence.
You can't remember the others
They just kind of went away
You can't recall those you've lost, they've disappeared.
So you're driving, it's rush hour
You're driving during the busiest time of day.
The cars on the freeway are moving like slugs
Traffic is exceptionally slow.
When you drift off to wake up
Do you always hit the brakes?
Do you always stop abruptly when awoken?
We're done lying for a living
We're no longer going to deceive for income.
The strange days have come and you're
You're gone, you're gone
Either dead or dying
Dead or trying to go
A period of bizarre happenings has arrived and you're no longer here, you've either passed or are in the process.
It's evening, you're tired
It's now nighttime and you're worn out.
You sleep walk a robot out to the street
You unconsciously send out a lifeless automaton into the street.
Are you crazy to want this even for a while?
Is it illogical to want this, if only for a brief period?
You're driving, it's rush hour
It's hectic traffic again.
The cars on the freeway are moving backwards
Into a wall of fire
Traffic is now reversing and heading towards a conflagration.
Backwards
Into a wall of fire
In reverse and into a fiery inferno.
And we're done lying for a living
The strange days have come and you're
You're gone, you're gone
We've stopped deceitful methods to earn money, and now that this peculiar time period has arrived, you're no longer present.
Either dead or dying
Either dead or trying to go
To go
Either you've passed or you're passing, or you're attempting to go...somewhere.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dave Genn, Matthew Good
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind