Push
Matthew Good Band Lyrics

There used to be a children's TV show called The Land of the Lost
The song begins with a reminiscence about a kid's show called 'The Land of the Lost'.

It's kind of an insight into the downfall of mankind, if you will
The show is seen as a symbolic representation of human downfall.

A half-hour fallout shelter broadcast from a distant shore
The show resembles a fallout shelter in its approach to life lessons.

The point is they never killed the bloody dinosaur
The song notes that the show's creators never killed off one of its key characters, a dinosaur.

The morale of the story is there is no morale
The song expresses skepticism about the value of moralizing or uplifting messages in art.

If you missed it today, you can always watch it tomorrow
The song suggests that media can be consumed repeatedly or at will, without much impact on its meaning.

I had a nightmare where Nietzsche was dressed up like a clown
The song describes a surreal dream sequence involving the philosopher Nietzsche dressed in a clown costume.

I was just about to jump off a bridge, he says to me: Matt, Just don't look down, don't look down
In the dream, Nietzsche advises the singer not to focus on his fears, and to instead stay focused on his goals.

If it ain't here, it doesn't really matter where you go, where you go
The song's chorus suggests that home, or the present moment, is the most valuable place to be.

You ever notice how Shaggy and Scooby always ran around in a circle
The song mentions the circular running pattern of two popular characters from the cartoon Scooby Doo.

A friend of mine thought it was a metaphor for life, so he did
The song references a friend's interpretation of the cartoon as a metaphor for the cyclical nature of existence.

Did you ever notice there was a Nixon sticker on the back of the mystery machine
The song points out a political reference on the car used by the Scooby Doo gang.

And it said I would've got away with it too if it wasn't for those meddling kids
The sticker refers to one of the show's classic lines, in which the villain is thwarted by the meddling kids.

What I've been trying to say is what I've been saying all along
The song emphasizes that its message has been consistent throughout: to stay focused and not give up.

I had a dream there was a mermaid swimming in my bathtub
The song shares another surreal dream in which a mermaid appears in the singer's bathroom.

She said life was like an airplane, it'll crash before long
The mermaid character suggests that life is fleeting and that we should appreciate it while we can.

And the evening news people sat in their chairs, And waited for their makeup
The song describes people working on evening news shows as they prepare for broadcast.

And the police controlling the crowd on the street, well They didn't think to look up
The song points out that people in positions of control can sometimes overlook danger or warning signs.

Perhaps we are most peaceful When our sanity's on edge
The song suggests that people may feel more at peace when they are in a state of nervousness or anxiety.

Cause no one bothered to wonder who the guy was Stranded on the ledge
The song refers to an unknown man stranded on a ledge high above the street, who no one seems to notice or care about.

So you just don't look down, don't look down, Don't look down, it'll go away, Don't look down, don't look down, Don't look down, just push
The song's final lines encourage listeners to remain focused on their goals and not give in to fear or doubt.