1. Fou… Read Full Bio ↴Electronic rock music from Leeds, UK. Formerly The Officers.
1. Four; Matt Southall, Jamie Baker, Stuart Drinkall, Paul Wilson
2. “A machine playing like a man and man playing like a machine”
3. A coalition
Links:
http://open.spotify.com/album/5egbjNXpMKtdRHbmTL5Mjk ('On The Twelve Thrones' on Spotify)
http://www.myspace.com/officers
http://twitter.com/OFFICERSMUSIC
http://www.officers.uk.com
Petals
Officers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see baddies in the square
I'm quite partial when it's suits me
I'm a septic nom de guerre
What's this problem that you speak of?
Is it more than meat and bone?
I'd like to crown you with my ardor but my heart has been dethroned.
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
I see petals in the mirror
I see pity in my prayer
I'm the hero when it suits me
I'm the landlocked mal de mer
I'm the vestal vitriolic
And my rose has overgrown.
I'd like to haunt you with my caustic
But my ghost and soul's on loan
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
I'm a fiend and a feeling
And I'm likely to offend
I'm a doom soaked anabolic
I'm the fog yet to descend
I'm the fog yet to descend
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
In “Petals” by Officers, the lyrics present a character that is self-aware of their flaws and different perspectives on life. The first verse talks about how the character sees the world in their own way, with “bodies in the mirror” and “baddies in the square,” and how they can become someone else when it serves them. The character’s lack of empathy is emphasized with the question “what’s this problem that you speak of?”, suggesting they have difficulty understanding others’ struggles. The final line reveals their vulnerability, as they express a desire to love (“crown you with my ardor”) but acknowledge their inability to do so (“my heart has been dethroned”).
The chorus of the song is repetitive, with the lyrics “No glow, idiocy, no hope” being sung repeatedly. This suggests a sense of hopelessness or despair, contrasting with the character’s desire for connection and love.
The second verse introduces the image of “petals in the mirror,” which contrasts with the previous image of “bodies.” This can be interpreted as a shift from seeing the world in a negative light to finding beauty and innocence in it. The line “I’m the hero when it suits me” highlights the character’s self-centered nature, as they only act heroically when it serves their own interests. The final two lines suggest a bitterness towards the world and lack of control over their own fate (“But my ghost and soul’s on loan”).
Overall, “Petals” explores themes of self-awareness, empathy, and the search for love and meaning in a seemingly hopeless world.
Line by Line Meaning
I see bodies in the mirror
I perceive my physical self in the reflective surface in front of me.
I see baddies in the square
I notice antagonists and villains in the public space.
I'm quite partial when it's suits me
I have a strong preference for something only when it's personally advantageous.
I'm a septic nom de guerre
I am a contaminated pseudonym used in combat or war.
What's this problem that you speak of?
What exactly is the issue or trouble that you are referring to?
Is it more than meat and bone?
Is it more than just the physical body? Are there deeper, emotional or psychological aspects at play?
I'd like to crown you with my ardor but my heart has been dethroned.
I wish to honor you with my passion, but my affections have been overthrown.
I see petals in the mirror
I observe delicate flower petals in the reflective surface in front of me.
I see pity in my prayer
I perceive a sense of sorrow or sympathy in my plea to a higher power.
I'm the hero when it suits me
I become the artist only when it benefits me.
I'm the landlocked mal de mer
I am a motion sickness experienced on land without motion, in a state of uneasiness.
I'm the vestal vitriolic
I am a celibate woman with a caustic or corrosive nature.
And my rose has overgrown.
And my flower has grown too much, and become too wild and uncontrolled.
I'd like to haunt you with my caustic
I desire to plague or torment you with my biting or sarcastic words.
But my ghost and soul's on loan
However, my spirit and essence belong to someone else, and I am merely using them.
I'm a fiend and a feeling
I am both a wicked and cruel person, and a human with emotions.
And I'm likely to offend
And I am probable to harm or upset others.
I'm a doom soaked anabolic
I am a person filled with existential dread, who causes growth and development.
I'm the fog yet to descend
I am the thick mist that has not yet settled, the unknown that is yet to come.
And we all sing
And all of us together recite this chorus.
No glow
No shining or radiant light.
Idiocy
The state of being foolish or unintelligent.
No hope
The absence of optimism, the belief that a positive outcome is unlikely.
Contributed by Gabriel I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mylandenbear
I see bodies in the mirror
I see baddies in the square
I'm quite partial when it's suits me
I'm a septic nom de guerre
What's this problem that you speak of?
Is it more than meat and bone?
I'd like to crown you with my ardor but my heart has been dethroned
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
I see petals in the mirror
I see pity in my prayer
I'm the hero when it suits me
I'm the landlocked mal de mer
I'm the vestal vitriolic
And my rose has overgrown
I'd like to haunt you with my caustic
But my ghost and soul's on loan
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
I'm a fiend and a feeling
And I'm likely to offend
I'm a doom soaked anabolic
I'm the fog yet to descend
I'm the fog yet to descend
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
And we all sing
No glow
Idiocy
No hope
@OFFICERSMUSIC
Hi Phil well spotted ;-) Thanks for all the supportive comments guys. Really glad that you get what we tried to achieve. We did it ourselves with a small group of friends and collaborators who we all hold mutual respect for. It was hard work but we all loved doing something real and creative without just hiring someone in to make something thats 'cool in a box'.
@FeedtheEnemy
As a once massive fan of Gary Numan and someone who of late has reached the lowest point in their life to almost taking my own life, I have to say that what you all did with this was superb. Well done Gary, Officers and MIND.
@GHOST-mi4jh
And what a MASSIVE ...........
🤍, COME BACK EVER,👻.
@alisonkovacs9871
Gorgeous Gary really looks so good now he is older ages like a fine wine
@rattenkonig6303
Through the years, this song and this video still kicks me. On certain periods of time I can listen only to this, round and round and round. This is something really special.
One of a kind
@alisonkovacs9871
I even love his guy liner it really accentuates his beautiful eyes
@calpurnia1706
He gets even better with age !! Video = Unnerving, but brilliant; Music = par excellence :-)
@natlockwood4720
I really want a physical copy of this, I'm a big collector- CD or Vinyl, it's actually driving me a bit insane! 😂
@OFFICERSMUSIC
Yep it is the lovely miss Blackwood on the front row. Thanks for all the comments guys. Means a lot. We all worked hard to pull something together from nothing just to be creative and try and do something different.
@ladynumanoid2338
Massive Numan fan and I love this song with you guys 😍