J. Robbins is an acclaimed rock musician who lives in Baltimore, MD. He runs the Magpie Cage recording studio. His work in the bands Jawbox, Government Issue, Burning Airlines, and Channels, has influenced countless musicians over the years.
Darren Zentek is an accomplished drummer who performed with Kerosene 454, Channels, and others.
Brooks Harlan is a multi-instrumentalist who also runs the successful amp/guitar repair shop Big Crunch, along with his partner Shawna Potter. He and Shawna play in two other highly-regarded bands, Avec and War on Women.
Gordon Withers is "the Jawbox on Cello guy". He now plays cello and guitar in Office of Future Plans.
Their debut 7", "Harden Your Heart", was successfully funded via fan contributions.
You're Not Alone
Office of Future Plans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
please do one thing right.
Is it so hard living in your skin?
You can't even try?
Well you're not alone here, alright?
There's more than your nerves and your rights.
Your monkey mind all fight or flight,
In this dream
on repeat
since you tease,
every step disconnects
from the street.
You drift to the sky,
but never to fly.
Struggle to feel
the weight of the real.
Well it's here.
No garden of earthly delights,
but more than your nerves and your rights,
your monkey mind all fight or flight,
but never mind.
The lyrics to Office of Future Plans' song "You're Not Alone" speaks to those who feel like they are struggling to exist within their own skin. The first line "In your ship-wrecked life, please do one thing right" sets the tone for the entire song, calling for the listener to take control of their own life and do something right. The lyrics go on to ask if it is so hard to live in your own skin and try to be yourself, and then reassure the listener that they are not alone in their struggles. The phrase "Your monkey mind all fight or flight" suggests that the listener's mind is constantly alert and on edge, always either fighting or fleeing from something.
The second verse of the song continues the theme of feeling disconnected from reality, with the lyrics "every step disconnects from the street" implying that the listener is struggling to stay grounded in their own life. The line "Struggle to feel the weight of the real" suggests that the listener is struggling to feel truly present in their own life. However, the song ends on a hopeful note, with the lyrics "but more than your nerves and your rights, your monkey mind all fight or flight, but never mind." This suggests that while the listener's struggles are real, they are not insurmountable, and that they should not be ignored.
Line by Line Meaning
In your ship-wrecked life, please do one thing right.
Although your life may be in shambles, strive to do one thing correctly amidst the chaos.
Is it so hard living in your skin? You can't even try?
Do you find it challenging to be comfortable in your own skin, to the point where you cannot even attempt to do so?
Well you're not alone here, alright? There's more than your nerves and your rights. Your monkey mind all fight or flight, but never mind.
You may feel alone in your struggles, but you are not. There is more to life than just fear or entitlement, but don't worry about it for now.
In this dream on repeat since you tease, every step disconnects from the street.
You feel as though you are stuck in a recurring dream, and with each stride you take, you become more disconnected from reality.
You drift to the sky, but never to fly. Struggle to feel the weight of the real. Well it's here.
You may feel like you are floating towards the heavens, but you cannot soar. You have trouble comprehending the significance of what's in front of you, but it is present.
No garden of earthly delights, but more than your nerves and your rights, your monkey mind all fight or flight, but never mind.
Although you may not feel as though you are in paradise, there is more to life than survival instincts and personal entitlement. But for now, set that aside.
Contributed by Jackson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jason Heuer
I absolutely love this, and everything J Robbins has been a part of. Inspiring songwriting and guitar chord structure.
kevin butler
class----j robbins,one of my top twenty guitarists.love his writing and vocals.fantastic stuff.i also liked kerosene 454,saw them with bluetip in a pub called the fenton in leeds.
scatman vigoda
they played in my record store in tucson arizona on that tour and both bands were incredible! I like jason farrell's new band red hare is just as good!
Gordon Withers
thanks!!!