History
Modern Hut Lyrics
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The world was spinning on its side
I'm not sure what that means
When I woke up I saw a nation
Of overnight sensations
Where irony was currency
People were writing their own history
Everything was planned
And it all felt like a scam
Calculations were religion
It's how they made decisions
Of what to like
And how to act
A folk song singer said he'd found his calling
But was he really falling in love with her
Or was it just words
And the critic
Said the piece was complicated
Or was it overrated
He wasn't sure
He wasn't sure
They were writing their own history
Nothing was left to mystery
Everything was planned
And it all felt like a scam
Calculations were religion
It's how they made decisions
Of what to like
And how to act
The fisher said his lake was overflowing
Or were the fish just growing
He didn't know
How could he know?
And the movies that spoke to a generation
Were no longer playing
They didn't show
Just empty rows.
We were writing our own history
Nothing was left to mystery
Everything was planned
And it all felt like a scam
Calculations were religion
It's how we made decisions
Of what to like
And how to act
In "History", Modern Hut describes a dream where the world is spinning out of control, and when the singer wakes up, they are confronted with a society obsessed with instant gratification, irony, and the need to constantly self-promote. The lyrics paint a picture of a world where people are more interested in crafting their own personal narratives than in discovering the truth or experiencing authentic, unscripted emotion. The singer observes that everything feels like a scam, that people are more concerned with calculating their every move than in simply living their lives. When a folk singer claims to have found his true love, the singer questions whether he really means it or if it is all just words. Similarly, when a critic evaluates a piece of music or art, the singer wonders if his opinion is genuine or if it is influenced by trends and hype.
Throughout the song, the singer reflects on how this culture of artifice and calculation has affected people's ability to make genuine connections, to understand the world around them, and to experience true emotion. They say that "calculations were religion", suggesting that people have become enslaved to their own desires and impulses, driven by the need to always be performing and conforming to others' expectations.
Despite the bleakness of this portrait of modern life, the song ultimately suggests that there is still hope for authenticity and genuine human connection. By questioning the motives and actions of those around them, by resisting the pressure to conform and self-promote, the singer suggests that we can still write our own history and find the truth amid the noise and chaos of modern life.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a dream last night
The singer had a sleep experience
The world was spinning on its side
The world seemed disorderly in the dream
I'm not sure what that means
The singer is unsure of the dream's interpretation
When I woke up I saw a nation
Upon awakening, the artist observes a society
Of overnight sensations
The people of the society became popular and well-known quickly
Where irony was currency
Sarcasm and double meanings were valuable in the society
People were writing their own history
Each individual was creating their life story
Nothing was left to mystery
There was transparency in the society where nothing was concealed
Everything was planned
Each action was pre-meditated
And it all felt like a scam
Everything seemed inauthentic
Calculations were religion
Mathematical formulas were held in high regard
It's how they made decisions
The people used calculations to make choices
Of what to like
They calculated what they should enjoy
And how to act
They calculated how to conduct themselves
A folk song singer said he'd found his calling
A musician claimed he had discovered his purpose
But was he really falling in love with her
The musician questions if he is truly enamored with his lover
Or was it just words
He wonders if he is only saying what he thinks she wants to hear
And the critic
A reviewer
Said the piece was complicated
The reviewer thought the work was intricate
Or was it overrated
However, the reviewer may have believed it was inferior
He wasn't sure
The critic was indecisive
They were writing their own history
The people were creating their accounts of events
The fisher said his lake was overflowing
A person stated that their fishing spot possessed plenty of fish
Or were the fish just growing
The artist is uncertain if more fish are truly present
He didn't know
The singer was unsure
How could he know?
The singer questioned his ability to discern the truth
And the movies that spoke to a generation
Films that resonated with an era
Were no longer playing
Are no longer being shown
They didn't show
There are empty auditoriums
Just empty rows.
No individuals fill the seats
We were writing our own history
The singer is included in the society and crafting their past experiences
Nothing was left to mystery
There was total transparency without hidden secrets
Everything was planned
Each move was preconceived and calculated
And it all felt like a scam
The artist feels that everything in this world is inauthentic
Calculations were religion
Mathematical formulas were a significant part of the culture
It's how we made decisions
People based every choice on mathematical algorithms
Of what to like
People calculated what they loved and found beauty in
And how to act
Every action was calculated in a mathematical sense
Contributed by Lila Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.