Papermill is an indie rock band hailing from Varese, Italy. They formed in … Read Full Bio ↴Papermill is an indie rock band hailing from Varese, Italy. They formed in 2002 to make the soundtrack for a series of short-movies, never actually released. As the years passed by, the sound of the band evolved from instrumental post-rock to a more canonical songwriting. In 2007 they released their first self-produced Ep "Weighed Down by the Fog"

Chalkboard
Papermill Lyrics

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Thirsty, tired, unsatisfied
Tied and chained to a chair
No courage in me to dare
Dusty hopes: when will they die?

Ways impossible to find
between me and your fair fate
And all my hopes, grown up, became

just the will to throw a die

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Papermill's song Chalkboard seem to convey a sense of hopelessness and despair. The singer is feeling thirsty, tired, and unsatisfied, and is tied and chained to a chair, metaphorically speaking. The idea of being unable to move, to take action or effect change, is further emphasized by the line "No courage in me to dare."

The next line continues this theme of stagnation and futility, with the phrase "Dusty hopes." These hopes are described as something that the singer wishes would die, suggesting that they have been underwhelming or unattainable for a long time.

The chorus brings in a new element of external influence - the singer seems to be struggling to find a path forward amidst conflicting forces. Between "me and your fair fate" implies that there is some other person or entity in control of the singer's destiny, and that they are struggling to reconcile their desires with what has been pre-determined for them. The second half of the chorus serves to underline that feeling of being trapped, and of taking desperate measures just to try to break free.

Line by Line Meaning

Thirsty, tired, unsatisfied
Experiencing an insatiable thirst, fatigue, and dissatisfaction

Tied and chained to a chair
Feeling restrained, unable to move from a stationary position

No courage in me to dare
Lacking the bravery necessary to take a risk

Dusty hopes: when will they die?
Feeling hopeless and uncertain about when things will improve

Ways impossible to find
Struggling to discover a path forward

between me and your fair fate
Feeling as though fate or destiny is against one's desires or goals

And all my hopes, grown up, became
Hopes that were once lofty have now matured and morphed into something different

just the will to throw a die
There's only the desire to take a chance and see what happens, even if the outcome is uncertain

Contributed by Jacob A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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