Paradox Drive
Peter Hammill & The K Group Lyrics
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Why should I want so much shut-eye?
Fighting the darkness and furious,
Oh, but I once more fall into the song...
Just the normal unconsciousness;
Could that be wrong?
All out into action then all down into sleep,
Check that attraction, it must be more than skin deep.
I've checked the twenty-four hours,
I've done the stay-up-all-night;
In a certain way that's power,
But it's not wired up right.
Up for the pleasure, then it's dead to the world;
Our lives surely measured by the unconscious third
Living on Paradox Drive,
We must be living on Paradox Drive.
We must be living on Paradox Drive.
We must be living on Paradox Drive.
We must be living on, living on, living on Paradox Drive.
The thought crossed my mind - how curious
Why should I want so much shut-eye?
Fighting the darkness and furious
Oh, but I once more dropped off to the deep,
The sweet comfort of a life on my own, asleep.
Up for the pleasure or dead to the world,
A life surely measured by the unconscious third
Living on Paradox Drive,
We must be living on Paradox Drive.
We must be living on Paradox Drive.
We must be living on Paradox Drive.
We must be living on Paradox Drive.
We must be living on, living on, living on Paradox Drive.
I've checked the twenty-four hours,
I've done the stay-up-all-night;
In a certain way that's power,
But it's not wired up right,
It's not wired up right,
It still isn't right.
It still isn't right.
It still isn't right.
The lyrics of Peter Hammill's "Paradox Drive" describe the curious and confusing nature of the human need for sleep and the conflict between the conscious and unconscious mind. The singer ponders why they desire so much sleep, despite fighting against the darkness and feeling furious about it. The contrast between wanting to be active and awake, and being drawn back into slumber is explored through the idea of living on Paradox Drive.
The singer has tried to resist sleep and stay up all night, but it doesn't feel right. This implies that there is something innate about the body's need for sleep that cannot be denied. The lyrics also suggest that there is more to life than just the conscious moments of being awake and active, and that the unconscious state has a vital role in shaping our lives. The idea of the "unconscious third" is introduced to describe this importance.
Overall, "Paradox Drive" portrays the ambiguity and complexity of the human experience, where opposing forces of desire and necessity, activity and rest, and consciousness and unconsciousness interact to shape our lives in ways we cannot always understand.
Line by Line Meaning
The thought crossed my mind - how curious,
Peter Hammill is curious about his own desire to sleep so much.
Why should I want so much shut-eye?
He questions why he has such a strong need for sleep.
Fighting the darkness and furious,
Despite his fighting against it, Peter inevitably falls asleep again.
Oh, but I once more fall into the song...
Sleep is like a comforting song that lulls him back to unconsciousness.
Just the normal unconsciousness;
Although it seems normal, it may not be healthy or right for him.
Could that be wrong?
Peter is questioning the idea that he is living incorrectly.
All out into action then all down into sleep,
Peter describes how he goes from being active to being completely unconscious in a short time.
Check that attraction, it must be more than skin deep.
He suggests that there must be something deeper to the need for sleep than just being physically tired.
I've checked the twenty-four hours,
Peter has examined his daily routine and sleep patterns.
I've done the stay-up-all-night;
He has tried staying up all night to test his limits.
In a certain way that's power,
Being able to stay awake all night can give a sense of power or control.
But it's not wired up right.
Despite feeling powerful, Peter recognizes that his sleeping habits are not healthy.
Up for the pleasure, then it's dead to the world;
He lives for the moment, but then falls into unconsciousness and is completely unaware of the world around him.
Our lives surely measured by the unconscious third
Peter suggests that a significant portion of our lives is spent in unconsciousness and that this should be taken into account when measuring one's life.
Living on Paradox Drive,
Peter is suggesting that his life is full of paradoxes, including his need for sleep.
We must be living on Paradox Drive.
This line is repeated in order to emphasize the theme of paradoxes throughout the song.
It still isn't right.
Peter recognizes that something about his sleeping habits is not healthy, despite trying to change it.
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