Regarding the legend of Faustus:
"The second part begins with the spirits of the earth forgiving Faust (and the rest of mankind) and progresses into rich allegorical poetry. Faust and his devil pass through the world of politics and the world of the classical gods, and meet with Helen of Troy (the personification of beauty). Finally, having succeeded in taming the very forces of war and nature Faust experiences a single moment of happiness."
Faust Arp
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wakey wakey
Rise and shine
It's on again, off again, on again
Watch me fall
Like domino's
In pretty patterns
Fingers in the blackbird pie
I'm tingling tingling tingling
It's what you feel now
What you ought to, what you ought to
Reasonable and sensible
Dead from the neck up
Because I'm stuffed, stuffed, stuffed
We thought you had it in you
But no, no, no
For no real reason
Squeeze the tubes and empty bottles
Take a bow take a bow take a bow
It's what you feel now
What you ought to
What you ought to
An elephant thats in the room is
Tumbling tumbling tumbling
In duplicate and duplicate
Plastic bags and
Duplicate and triplicate
Dead from the neck up
Guess I'm stuffed, stuffed, stuffed
We thought you had it in you
But no, no, no
Exactly where do you get off
Is enough is enough is enough
I love you but enough is enough, enough
A last stop
There's no real reason
The lyrics of Radiohead's song "Faust Arp" paint a picture of a day that begins and ends in confusion and frustration. The opening lines "Wakey wakey, Rise and shine" set the tone for a day that is on and off and up and down. The singer's emotions are expressed as falling dominoes in pretty patterns. He/she is tingling with sensations that seem both reasonable and sensible but also dead and stuffed. The song questions the idea of potential and expectations - "We thought you had it in you, but no, no, no / For no real reason." The singer takes a bow and acknowledges the elephant in the room tumbling in triplicate, but there is no real reason for any of it. The song ends with the repetition of the phrase "enough is enough" and an implication that the day has ended, and maybe for no real reason.
The song's title "Faust Arp" comes from the combination of two different references. "Faust" refers to the German legend of a man named Faust who makes a deal with the devil to gain knowledge and pleasure, but at the cost of his soul. "Arpeggi" refers to a technique used in music where notes of a chord are played in quick succession rather than simultaneously. The song features an arpeggiated acoustic guitar, which gives it a unique and haunting sound.
Line by Line Meaning
One two three four
Counting off the start of the song
Wakey wakey
Waking up from sleep
Rise and shine
Time to get up and start the day
It's on again, off again, on again
Something that keeps happening in a repeating pattern
Watch me fall
Watching someone stumble and fail
Like domino's
Like dominoes falling in a chain reaction
In pretty patterns
The falling dominoes create an aesthetically pleasing visual
Fingers in the blackbird pie
A metaphor for getting involved in something that is difficult to get out of
I'm tingling tingling tingling
Feeling excited, nervous, or anxious
It's what you feel now
The current emotions being experienced
What you ought to, what you ought to
What is expected of you or what you should be feeling
Reasonable and sensible
Behaving in a logical, rational way
Dead from the neck up
Being mentally or emotionally numb and unresponsive
Because I'm stuffed, stuffed, stuffed
Being full, both physically and mentally
We thought you had it in you
Expecting someone to succeed or to have more potential than they do
But no, no, no
Realizing someone does not live up to expectations
Squeeze the tubes and empty bottles
Using up or finishing resources
Take a bow take a bow take a bow
Acknowledging or celebrating an achievement
An elephant that's in the room is
A metaphor for a big, uncomfortable, and unaddressed problem
Tumbling tumbling tumbling
Something getting worse and out of control
In duplicate and duplicate
In multiple copies, showing how the problem is everywhere
Plastic bags and duplicate and triplicate
More examples of the problem being pervasive and harmful to the environment
Dead from the neck up
Being numb and unresponsive again
Guess I'm stuffed, stuffed, stuffed
Feeling consumed and overwhelmed by the problem
We thought you had it in you
Expecting more from someone again
But no, no, no
Disappointment again
Exactly where do you get off
Questioning someone's behavior or decisions
Is enough is enough is enough
Feeling fed up and wanting something to stop
I love you but enough is enough, enough
Despite caring about something or someone, it's time for a change
A last stop
The final straw, the last chance for something to change
There's no real reason
The problem or cycle is pointless and has no real justification
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind