Lyrics:

So what is the worth in that dirt that you found? Well I’ll … Read Full Bio ↴Lyrics:

So what is the worth in that dirt that you found? Well I’ll bet that it’ll never be a keeper.
If you would just rather sit, sucking the ground, then stay down brother stay down.
Why would you curse all the truths that you know? Well keep them coming there’s no truth to relieve me
And why would you lay with the lies that you’re told? To stay sold?

You just left us tending, well you ought to stayed
I’ll just leave my labors and eat at the table I laid

All that a hearse ever eventually found were dead bodies in dead, dumb crowns
Well who really knew that a fountain be found?
So stay down, stay down, brother
But I’ll keep it up

Sputnik
O'Brother Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So what is the worth in that dirt that you found? Well I’ll bet that it’ll never be a keeper.
If you would just rather sit, sucking the ground, then stay down brother stay down.
Why would you curse all the truths that you know? Well keep them coming there’s no truth to relieve me
And why would you lay with the lies that you’re told? To stay sold?

You just left us tending, well you ought to stayed
I’ll just leave my labors and eat at the table I laid

All that a hearse ever eventually found were dead bodies in dead, dumb crowns
Well who really knew that a fountain be found?

So stay down, stay down, brother
But I’ll keep it up

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the song "Sputnik" by O'Brother are dense and cryptic, but they seem to be conveying a message of existential despair and frustration with the limitations of human knowledge and understanding. The first verse seems to be addressing someone who is fixated on the value of material goods and accomplishments, asking them what is the point of their obsession with "that dirt" that they have found. The singer seems skeptical that this treasure will ever truly be valuable, suggesting that it will never be a "keeper." The person is urged to stop "sucking the ground" and stay down if they are content existing solely on a materialistic level.

The second verse shifts to a more general sense of disillusionment with knowledge and truth, suggesting that there may be no relief from the endless cycle of seeking and disappointment. The singer seems at odds with the idea that truth is easily accessible or even that it necessarily exists in a meaningful way. The final lines of the verse are especially poignant, suggesting that even lies can be compelling enough to keep people enthralled and enslaved. The chorus seems to be a call for resignation and surrender to the insurmountable forces of the universe, urging the person to "stay down" while the singer continues to "keep it up" despite the apparent futility of their efforts.

Overall, "Sputnik" seems to be wrestling with some deep existential questions and ultimately grappling with the idea that perhaps there are no easy answers or resolutions to these challenges. Despite the bleakness of the message, the song is imbued with a sense of urgency and intensity that makes it a powerful and compelling listen.

Line by Line Meaning

So what is the worth in that dirt that you found? Well I’ll bet that it’ll never be a keeper.
What value does that thing you found have? It's probably not worth keeping anyway.

If you would just rather sit, sucking the ground, then stay down brother stay down.
If you want to stay down on the ground and not do anything, go ahead and stay there.

Why would you curse all the truths that you know? Well keep them coming there’s no truth to relieve me
Why would you deny the truths you know? There's no point in speaking them if they won't change anything for me.

And why would you lay with the lies that you’re told? To stay sold?
Why would you believe the lies people tell you? To maintain the status quo?

You just left us tending, well you ought to stayed
You left us hanging and should have stayed to help.

I’ll just leave my labors and eat at the table I laid
I'll take a break from my work and enjoy the results of my efforts.

All that a hearse ever eventually found were dead bodies in dead, dumb crowns
The only thing a hearse ever transports are corpses that were once kings.

Well who really knew that a fountain be found?
Who would have predicted that there would be a source of abundance?

So stay down, stay down, brother
Continue to stay down, brother.

But I’ll keep it up
But I will continue to persevere.

Contributed by Isaac H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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