Weak And Powerless
Perfect Circle Lyrics

The lyrics of "Weak and Powerless" by A Perfect Circle are about being stuck in a destructive cycle that the singer has created for themselves. The metaphor of "tilling my own grave to keep me level" suggests that the singer is digging their own grave to stay in a state of equilibrium or balance. They feel that they are constantly fighting against themselves and their own weaknesses. The line "jam another dragon down the hole" has been interpreted to mean that the singer is trying to bury their problems, but they keep resurfacing like a dragon that cannot be killed.

The verse continues with the singer describing how they are "digging to the rhythm and the echo of a solitary siren." The siren represents a temptation or desire that is leading the singer further down into their own self-destruction. The repetition of the phrase "desperate and ravenous / I'm so weak and powerless / over you" emphasizes the singer's sense of powerlessness in the face of their own weaknesses.

The second verse begins with the line "Someone feed the monkey while I dig in search of China," which has been interpreted to mean that the singer is distracting themselves with a meaningless task while someone else takes care of their problems. The line "white as Dracula as I approach the bottom" continues the theme of self-destruction and portrays the singer as pale and ghostly as they descend further into their own darkness.

The chorus repeats again, this time with the addition of the lines "little angel go away / come again some other day / the devil has my ear today / I'll never hear a word you say." The singer is disregarding their own better judgment, and they feel that they cannot overcome their own demons. The final repetition of "desperate and ravenous / I'm so weak and powerless / over you" suggests that the singer's problems are tied to a specific person or situation, but they are unable to break free.