OJR is American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Oliver John-Rodgers. H… Read Full Bio ↴OJR is American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Oliver John-Rodgers. He crosses a broad range of styles from indie-folk/blues/americana to grunge/psychedelic/rock 'n’ roll by blending a variety of classic influences (The Beatles; Pink Floyd; Dylan; Neil Young; Nirvana; Jack White, to name a few) with his own songwriting. The result is a polished lo-fi homage to a vintage sound.

Numb
OJR Lyrics

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Everybody always tellin' me
That it don't do me no good
To try and fix what is broken
They say there ain't no use in splintered wood

See everyone they try to tell me
You don't know nothin' you're only 21
Well I'm sorry man I didn't know you gotten so cynical

Don't being your age can make you numb

Yeah, you so numb
Ah you so numb
Yeah, you so numb
Yeah, you so numb
Numb, numb, numb aaahh
Aha

Hey Let me tell you about last night
Yeah I was posting up round, you know the old neighborhood bar
I got to talkin to a girl name Catherine, with an accent She probably from somewhere f-far
She said, "Ah boy, you so young while you go travel some
Go sleep the night in another countries' bed
I said hey Cat, "you know this seems sad, you got the right idea
I'm tired of the food I been fed, Its gone to my head

But I'm not numb
I'm not numb
Yeah I still have fun
I said still have fun
Fun-a-un-a-unnn
Aha

I'm so sick of everybody always tellin' me
How empathy don't do business any good
They might as well said
Hey boy you should've givin' this bread to the homeless outside the Bowerey mission in your own neighborhood

And I'm so fed up with everyone tellin' me I don't know nothin' cause I'm too young
When the only thing they learned in that 35 years of livin' is to fight the urge to trust anyone

Aw come on son that's no fun
You so numb
Ah you so numb
Yeah you so numb
Yeah you so numb
Numb nu-ummb
You so numb
Ah you're so numb, yeah
Ah you're so numb
Ah you're so numb

Numb, nuuuu ...
NUMB!

Overall Meaning

The song Numb by OJR depicts the struggle of a person who is being constantly belittled for their age and their attempts to make things better in their life. The lyrics start with the singer being told that trying to fix broken things is futile, and that splintered wood cannot be fixed. The negativity of others' opinions on the situation has caused them to feel numb to the situation they are in. The singer then goes on to recount an encounter with a girl named Catherine who advises him to travel and experience more things. Although he agrees that it seems like a good idea, he feels that he is still capable of having fun despite his hardships.

The song is a commentary on how society often discourages and dismisses the youth, which can lead to apathy and numbness. The line "when the only thing they learned in that 35 years of livin' is to fight the urge to trust anyone" is a scathing indictment of those who dismiss the singer's perspective. It is also a call to action for young people to trust their instincts and not be discouraged by the negativity of others.

Overall, the song Numb is a powerful message about the importance of staying true to oneself and not giving in to cynicism or apathy. It encourages listeners to reject the negative attitudes of others and to trust their own instincts and feelings.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody always tellin' me That it don't do me no good To try and fix what is broken They say there ain't no use in splintered wood
People tell me not to waste my time trying to fix what's already damaged because it's useless and has no benefits.

See everyone they try to tell me You don't know nothin' you're only 21 Well I'm sorry man I didn't know you gotten so cynical Don't being your age can make you numb
People don't listen to me because they think my young age means I don't know anything. Young people can become disconnected from emotions and reality.

Yeah, you so numb Ah you so numb Yeah, you so numb Yeah, you so numb Numb, numb, numb aaahh Aha
People who are disconnected from emotions and reality are numb.

Hey Let me tell you about last night Yeah I was posting up round, you know the old neighborhood bar I got to talkin to a girl name Catherine, with an accent She probably from somewhere f-far She said, "Ah boy, you so young while you go travel some Go sleep the night in another countries' bed I said hey Cat, "you know this seems sad, you got the right idea I'm tired of the food I been fed, Its gone to my head
The artist went to a bar and talked to a girl named Catherine who suggested he travel and gain new experiences. He agrees that he needs a change because he's tired of the monotonous life he's lived.

But I'm not numb I'm not numb Yeah I still have fun I said still have fun Fun-a-un-a-unnn Aha
Despite feeling disconnected from emotions and reality, the artist still finds enjoyment in life and is not completely numb.

I'm so sick of everybody always tellin' me How empathy don't do business any good They might as well said Hey boy you should've givin' this bread to the homeless outside the Bowerey mission in your own neighborhood
People discourage the singer from showing empathy because they think it's not beneficial in business, and they think he's giving to the wrong people.

And I'm so fed up with everyone tellin' me I don't know nothin' cause I'm too young When the only thing they learned in that 35 years of livin' is to fight the urge to trust anyone Aw come on son that's no fun
The singer is tired of being dismissed because of his age when the people dismissing him have only learned not to trust others in their many years of life.

You so numb Ah you so numb Yeah you so numb Yeah you so numb Numb nu-ummb You so numb Ah you're so numb, yeah Ah you're so numb Ah you're so numb Numb, nuuuu ... NUMB!
The chorus repeats, emphasizing the idea of emotional detachment and disillusionment.

Writer(s): oliver john-rodgers

Contributed by Juliana C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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