Ought is a band formed in Montreal, Canada.

Guitarist and vocalist T… Read Full Bio ↴Ought is a band formed in Montreal, Canada.

Guitarist and vocalist Tim Darcy, originally a folk musician hailing from New Hampshire, fell in with New Jersey native Matt May (keyboards) and Australian émigré Tim Keen (drums, violin) – the three of them began sharing an apartment that doubled as practice space, where they were soon joined by Portland,OR transplant Ben Stidworthy on bass. Ought played its first show and recorded its first "New Calm EP" in the apartment's largest bedroom, in the summer of 2012. The band busted out into the city's loft circuit, and into the city streets during the Printemps d'Erable Quebec student general strike, in the spring of the same year.

Following another recording session in early 2013 and the release of a second EP via Bandcamp, Ought spent a few days at the Hotel2Tango studio with engineer Radwan Moumneh (Suuns, Matana Roberts, Jerusalem In My Heart) in fall 2013 at the invitation of Constellation, laying down a clutch of songs new and old that comprise the band's first "proper" full-length album. More Than Any Other Day was released by Constellation on April 29, 2014.

A 24-minute, four-track EP followed on October 28. Once More With Feeling... was released as a 10" and digital. Pill was chosen as the title track.

The group announced they'd split in 2021; Darcy and Stidworthy formed Cola with drummer Evan Cartwright.

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Clarity
Ought Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, you think you were born powerful and you want to stay that way?
Well okay, yeah okay
Well, you think you were born powerful and you want to stay?
Okay, yeah okay

And when you wake up in the morning and you've got it on your mind, yeah, mind, yeah
And when you've gotten everything you've ever wanted all your life, yeah, life, yeah
Did you get what you wanted?

Did you get what you wanted?
Or are you ravaged?
Ask her anyway, ask her anyway

Well, when you wake up in the morning and you've got it on your mind, yeah, with a halo
Did you get what you wanted?
Did you get what you wanted?
Or are you ravaged?
Ask her anyway, ask her anyway

And when you go through every day feeling like there's something owed you, and you want it
And when you feel like no one holds you like they used to and you earned it, yeah you earned it
Did you get what you wanted?
Did you get what you wanted?
Or are you ravaged?
Ask him anyway, ask him anyway
And then you sort it out, and then you sort it out
And then you sort it out, and then you sort it out

And it was all there already
And it was all there already

Well, you think you were born powerful and you want to stay that way?
Okay, yeah okay
When you look out your window, do you see that mind remain
And it's filled with pain? Yeah it's filled with pain
Well you think you were born powerful, and you want to stay? Stay?
Well okay

And when you wake up in the morning and you've got it on your mind, yeah, mind, yeah
And when you've gotten everything you've ever wanted all your life, yeah, life yeah
Do you feel protected?
Did you get what you wanted?
Or are you ravaged?
Ask her anyway, ask her anyway
Well when you go through every day feeling like there's something owed you, and you want it
And when you feel like no one holds you like they used to and you earned it, yeah you earned it
Well did you get what you wanted?
Did you get what you wanted?
Or are you ravaged?

Ask her anyway, ask her anyway
Ask her anyway

Overall Meaning

The song "Clarity" by Ought reflects on the themes of power, entitlement, and self-awareness. The lyrics are directed towards someone who believes they are born powerful and entitled to certain things in life. The refrain of "Did you get what you wanted? Or are you ravaged?" asks the listener to reflect on whether their pursuit of power and desires have left them fulfilled or damaged.

The repetition of the question "Did you get what you wanted?" emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and introspection in understanding one's own desires and motivations. The lines "And when you feel like no one holds you like they used to and you earned it, yeah, you earned it" comment on the consequence of entitlement and how it can lead to a sense of isolation and loneliness.

The last line "And it was all there already" suggests that the answers we seek are within ourselves and don't necessarily need to come from external sources. Ultimately, the song highlights the importance of self-awareness and mindfulness in understanding one's own power and desires.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, you think you were born powerful and you want to stay that way?
Are you under the impression that you were born with inherent power and you wish to preserve that position?

Well okay, yeah okay
Alright, I see.

And when you wake up in the morning and you've got it on your mind, yeah, mind, yeah
When you wake up with something constantly on your thoughts.

And when you've gotten everything you've ever wanted all your life, yeah, life, yeah
After achieving all your life's desires.

Did you get what you wanted?
Did you receive all that you were seeking?

Or are you ravaged?
Or have you instead been damaged and corrupted?

Ask her anyway, ask her anyway
Regardless, make sure to ask.

Well, when you wake up in the morning and you've got it on your mind, yeah, with a halo
Starting the day with the purpose.

And when you go through every day feeling like there's something owed you, and you want it
Going through life with a sense of entitlement or deserving something more.

And when you feel like no one holds you like they used to and you earned it, yeah you earned it
Believing wholeheartedly that you have earned accolades, but nobody gives them to you anymore.

And then you sort it out, and then you sort it out
Solving the problem at hand.

And it was all there already
The solution to the issue was already present.

When you look out your window, do you see that mind remain
To observe without judgment.

And it's filled with pain? Yeah it's filled with pain
To observe with a sense of hurt and anguish.

Do you feel protected?
Do you perceive a sense of security and safety?

Ask her anyway, ask her anyway
Even if you feel secure, confirm it with others.

Well when you go through every day feeling like there's something owed you, and you want it
Continuing to move through life with an idea of deserving more.

Well did you get what you wanted?
Ultimately, were you able to obtain all that you desired?

Or are you ravaged?
Or, conversely, were you harmed in the process?

Ask her anyway, ask her anyway
Regardless of the outcome, ask.

Contributed by Adam F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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