Perfect Strangers
Off Minor Lyrics
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Oh "father" I am a chosen child
Choosing nurture over nature and this unnatural desertion
Because you mean no more to me than biology
Ingenuine genealogical, a broken branch off the family tree
And we all live with your decisions
You can't compare a moments conception to a lifetime of devotion
And we all live with your decisions
The lyrics to Off Minor's song "Perfect Strangers" revolve around the themes of family relationships, genetics, and the effects of past decisions on the present. The first line, "Oh 'mother' I am an ungrateful child," suggests that the singer is acknowledging their own disregard for their mother, while also putting the term "mother" in quotes which suggests that their relationship with her may be strained or not traditional. They then go on to say "Oh 'father' I am a chosen child," which could mean that their father wasn't in the picture or that they didn't feel a connection to him.
The singer then talks about how they have chosen nurture over nature and have deserted their family because biology doesn't mean anything to them. They describe themselves as "ingenuine genealogical," which implies that they don't feel like they fit into their family tree or that they don't belong. The singer then acknowledges that everyone has to live with the decisions of their parents, but also notes that a moment of conception (aka biology) should not outweigh a lifetime of devotion, implying that they feel that their parents didn't devote themselves enough to their child.
Overall, the lyrics address the complicated nature of family relationships, and how past decisions can have long-lasting effects on individuals and their families.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh "mother" I am an ungrateful child
I acknowledge that I seem ungrateful to you for nurturing me, but in truth, I have no connection to you beyond biology.
Oh "father" I am a chosen child
Similarly, I address you as "father," but I only see you as a sperm donor, and I choose to prioritize my nurturing parent over you.
Choosing nurture over nature and this unnatural desertion
I reject the notion that blood relation is the most important factor in family and instead prioritize the nurturing I received over the genetics I inherited. This decision is seen by others as unnatural.
Because you mean no more to me than biology
I value the biological relationship we have, but it does not hold the same significance to me as the nurturing I received from my chosen parent.
Ingenuine genealogical, a broken branch off the family tree
I recognize that my decision to prioritize nurturing over genetics goes against the traditional idea of what family should be, and that in doing so, I am seen as an insincere and disappointing member of the family tree.
And we all live with your decisions
Regardless of how others may feel about my choices, we are all impacted by the decisions each member of the family makes.
You can't compare a moments conception to a lifetime of devotion
I reject the idea that simply contributing genetic material is enough to be considered a parent, as it takes a lifetime of devotion to truly nurture and raise a child.
And we all live with your decisions
Again, as a family, we must all live with the consequences of each other's choices.
Contributed by Scarlett Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
tony covert
so good. YOU CANT COMPARE!!!!! gosh, super nostalgic right now
xreassessx
ohwas thinking about uploading this song. thank you for doing this! love it <3
Tflofasho
The pinnacle of hard core.