In the wake of this set-back, McMahon went on a years-long hiatus from music. Prick reemerged in 2002 with The Wreckard, independently released by McMahon over the Internet, and featuring many songs once slated for the second, canceled Nothing Records album.
Without It
Prick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It took a stroll down the hall (without it)
Into the streets where it finds no common ground
Common ground
Cold
Common ground
Even if you don't want me
There anyway
Even if you don't want me
Without it
Without it
Without it
Spirits are low
There's sex control
Without it
Her body rocks over him
Wagon tail
Even if you don't want me
There anyway
Even if you don't want me
Gotta be fast
Gotta make connection
An erection
Drowning in her head
Without it
She puts this drowning
And his little stars
Turn into scars
On heaven's chest.
The lyrics of Prick's song Without It seem to describe a situation where the singer feels rejected but still yearns for the person who has rejected them. The first two lines of the song could be interpreted as the shadow representing the singer's emotional state, rising from the wall and walking down the hall as if to say that the singer is coming out of hiding and is ready to confront their emotions. However, once the shadow reaches the streets, it finds no common ground, suggesting that the singer's emotions are not easily understood or shared by others, and the cold common ground represents a lack of human connection or empathy.
The lyrics then shift to a sexual encounter, where the singer mentions being unwanted but still present, and highlights the lack of emotional connection with their partner. The phrase "Her body rocks over him, Wagon tail" seems to suggest that the partner is not fully engaged in the act, leading the singer to feel like they are drowning in their own head. The final lines of the song are the most cryptic, with the singer mentioning "his little stars turn into scars on heaven's chest," which is possibly a reference to the scars left behind by past lovers or experiences, and the idea of heaven's chest being a metaphor for the soul.
Overall, the song seems to be about feeling disconnected and rejected, despite still wanting to be close to the person who has caused these feelings. The sexual encounter in the middle of the song highlights the physical desire that can exist even without emotional connection.
Line by Line Meaning
His shadow rose from the wall
A metaphorical description of someone's inner self emerging from hiding.
It took a stroll down the hall (without it)
The shadow is free from the constraints of the person's ego or sense of self.
Into the streets where it finds no common ground
The shadow is disconnected from external reality and unable to find a sense of belonging or connection with others.
Common ground
Repetition of the previous line to emphasize the lack of connection or community.
Cold
A descriptor of the emotional state of the shadow, which is detached and unfeeling.
Even if you don't want me
A declaration that the singer will persevere even if they are not desired.
There anyway
The singer will continue to exist and make their presence known regardless of rejection.
Without it
Repeating the refrain, which likely refers to the lack of connection or identity experienced by the shadow.
Spirits are low
The emotional state of the artist is melancholy and downcast.
There's sex control
A hint at a sexual encounter that is controlled by one party and likely not satisfying for both parties.
Her body rocks over him
A description of a sexual act where the woman is the active partner.
Wagon tail
An unclear phrase that might imply a metaphorical or literal reference to a tail of a wagon, which could indicate something moving forward, or perhaps trailing behind.
Gotta be fast
A description of someone rushing to connect with another person, possibly in a desperate or anxious way.
Gotta make connection
The desire to create a meaningful bond or relationship with another person.
An erection
A reference to a male physical reaction during a sexual encounter, further emphasizing the idea of one partner having more control than the other.
Drowning in her head
An expression of feeling overwhelmed or suffocated by someone else's thoughts or desires.
She puts this drowning
The woman in the sexual encounter is responsible for the artist's sense of suffocation and lack of control.
And his little stars
An unclear metaphor that possibly refers to something fleeting or insignificant, or perhaps the opposite, something bright and prominent.
Turn into scars
The positive impression of the stars is transformed into something negative and painful.
On heaven's chest.
An unclear image that could reference the sky, a spiritual realm, or something else entirely.
Contributed by Xavier K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.