Return to the Violence of the Ocean Floor
Moonface Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

One, two, three, four, five

I've got a spirit
Made out of sand
Sometimes it slips through my fingers
Back onto the beach
In some kind of lust
To return to the violence of the ocean floor

So I kneel down
And gather it up
Grain by grain
I have to keep it safe
I still have some things to say:

You should have been a writer, you should have played guitar,
But those kids keep coming down the fucking hill
You should have been a writer, you should have played guitar,
But your face looks like a statue in the dark
Like a candle that is held up to a mirror
Or the terrible glimpse of a shark
Within your idiot heart

I heard you hate it all just based on your principles now

So I kneel down
Down into your burning sand, singing
One, we got the spirit, two, we got the music
Three, we got the past and four, we got the future




And five, we got some kind of lust
To return to the violence of the ocean floor

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of "Return to the Violence of the Ocean Floor" by Moonface might seem like a simple counting exercise, but they gradually emerge into a deep and introspective reflection on the complexities of human identity and the struggle to maintain a sense of purpose and belonging. The singer describes himself as having a spirit made out of sand, which represents his fragile, transient nature and the way in which he can never fully grasp the elusive essence of his own being. He confesses that this spirit often slips through his fingers and back onto the beach, yearning to return to the tumultuous depths of the ocean floor, where it can be tested and shaped by the forces of nature.


To prevent this from happening, the singer must kneel down and gather up his spirit, grain by grain, and hold it close to his heart. This image represents his determination to protect his sense of self and keep it intact, even when faced with the relentless tides of change and uncertainty. The song then takes on a more confessional tone, as the singer addresses himself directly and laments the missed opportunities and unfulfilled dreams of his past. He should have been a writer, he should have played guitar, but for some reason, he never quite found the courage or the inspiration to pursue these paths.


The chorus offers a fleeting moment of hope and affirmation, as the singer repeats a series of simple phrases that speak to the primal human desire for connection and meaning. "One, we got the spirit, two, we got the music, three, we got the past, and four, we got the future." The final line, "and five, we got some kind of lust to return to the violence of the ocean floor," is a haunting reminder that even in our moments of clarity and purpose, there is always a part of us that yearns for the unknown and the untamed.


Line by Line Meaning

One, two, three, four, five
Listing the components of a desire to return to the ocean floor


I've got a spirit
The singer has a restless soul


Made out of sand
The singer's identity is fragile and easily lost


Sometimes it slips through my fingers
The artist's sense of self is not always within their grasp


Back onto the beach
The artist's identity is tied to their physical surroundings


In some kind of lust
The singer longs for something more


To return to the violence of the ocean floor
The singer desires the chaos and unpredictability of the ocean


So I kneel down
The artist prepares to take action


And gather it up
The artist attempts to reclaim their sense of self


Grain by grain
The task is difficult and time-consuming


I have to keep it safe
The singer recognizes the fragility of their identity


I still have some things to say:
The artist has a message to share


You should have been a writer, you should have played guitar,
The singer is lamenting missed opportunities


But those kids keep coming down the fucking hill
The singer is frustrated by external distractions


You should have been a writer, you should have played guitar,
Reinforcing the singer's sense of missed opportunities


But your face looks like a statue in the dark
The artist perceives themselves as lifeless and unexpressive


Like a candle that is held up to a mirror
The artist sees themselves as distorted and unclear


Or the terrible glimpse of a shark
The singer is afraid of their inner self


Within your idiot heart
The singer harbors disdain for their own emotions


I heard you hate it all just based on your principles now
The artist is struggling with their own beliefs and values


Down into your burning sand, singing
The artist continues their search for identity


One, we got the spirit, two, we got the music
The artist focuses on the positive aspects of life


Three, we got the past and four, we got the future
Reflecting on the passage of time and potential for growth


And five, we got some kind of lust
The artist still longs for something more


To return to the violence of the ocean floor
Reiterating the singer's desire for unpredictability and chaos




Contributed by Alyssa L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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