Hidden Wheel
Rites of Spring Lyrics

The lyrics of Rites of Spring's song Hidden Wheel offer a deep exploration of the human experience of growth and change in life. The song opens with the singer reflecting on a previously unimportant aspect of their surroundings that, through newfound awareness, has become vividly real and consequential. This revelation highlights a broader theme, suggesting that individuals undergo moments of enlightenment throughout their lives, where they suddenly understand that which had been hidden from them or that they had previously overlooked. The lyrics seem to suggest that such human experiences of awakening lead to a greater appreciation of the world's richness and complexity, but they also generate innumerable questions that bewilder and unsettle.

In the second verse, the lyricist recounts a past experience of lacking personal agency or conviction. The singer had merely followed others and not made independent decisions. The subsequent reflection deepens the song's thematic exploration because it exposes that such moments can be opportunities for personal growth and eventual autonomy. The chorus then repeats, amplifying the song's message that the newfound awareness has so considerably altered the singer's relationship with reality that it feels like the first time, deepening their sense of who they are but also creating confusion as old assumptions and perceptions are cast aside.

The final verse signals an evolution in the singer's perspective, announcing that "now" they are the "angry son," and that everything they had learned was "wrong." These lyrics suggest that personal growth and change can incite righteous anger towards societal or systemic factors that had previously been overlooked. The metaphor of a "hidden wheel" suggests an underlying structure to life that is finally being revealed, and the singer takes on a new sense of purpose with the realization that they can never again fully return to the assumptions of their past.