Live, Seaweed were a full-on rock experience, a bouncing, bounding post-hardcore rock outfit who combined double fast melodic punk with crunching guitars.
Assistant
Seaweed Lyrics
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Could you please repeat the question
I hid it in a memo will it fly?
High as an ostrich
This would not escape a half-wit
You got much more work there doctor get inside
Back by the doorway
Nailed into the tackboard
It's for the company
Yeah we're all in this together
One production unit ego will die
Just take the burden off me
I've got the knife of charm
Red curtains fall on my pleas
I saw evil on my street
Smiled so wide I had to blink
Works his fingers to the bone
Sour understates his tone
You'll afford to knock me
When you're writing your own paycheck
But until then as you know
I own your time
No more explaining
I'll shove your nose into the grindstone
If you give me opinions you resigned
Just take the burden off me
Kam put the knife in dharm
Red curtains fall on my pleas
The lyrics to Seaweed’s song “Assistant” speak to the power dynamic between a boss and their subordinate. The singer, presumably the assistant, has a lot of work to do and is feeling overwhelmed. They are dismissive of their boss’s questions, asking them to repeat themselves and hiding information in a memo. The assistant seems to have a bit of disdain for their boss, calling them a “doctor” and suggesting that they have more work to do.
It becomes clear that the assistant feels trapped and burdened by their job. They use imagery to convey their sense of entrapment - they feel nailed to the tackboard by policies, and see themselves as working their fingers to the bone. The lyrics suggest that the boss is unsympathetic to the assistant’s plight and demands obedience, threatening to “shove your nose into the grindstone” if the assistant offers opinions.
The chorus, “Just take the burden off me,” reinforces the idea that the singer feels weighed down by their job, and the line “I own your time” reinforces the power dynamic in the relationship. Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of frustration and powerlessness that many people who work in subordinate positions may relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
Please excuse me
I apologize for interrupting and request your attention
Could you please repeat the question
I need clarification and repetition of the question asked
I hid it in a memo will it fly?
I concealed information in a memo, will it go unnoticed?
High as an ostrich
The situation is impossible to ignore, like an unusually tall ostrich
This would not escape a half-wit
Even the simplest-minded individual would recognize this situation
You got much more work there doctor get inside
There is more work to be done, let's focus on the task at hand
Back by the doorway
Near the entrance
Nailed into the tackboard
Stuck in place for easy access
There's a list of policies and you'll abide
The policies are listed and must be followed
It's for the company
These actions are for the benefit of the company as a whole
Yeah we're all in this together
We are united in our goal and must work as a team
One production unit ego will die
Individual egos must be put aside for the good of the production unit
Just take the burden off me
I am overwhelmed and need help with my workload
I've got the knife of charm
I have a persuasive and charming personality trait
Red curtains fall on my pleas
My requests for help or support are futile and ignored
I saw evil on my street
I witnessed immoral or unethical behavior
Smiled so wide I had to blink
I was taken aback by the falseness of the smile
Works his fingers to the bone
Working excessively hard, to the point of exhausting oneself
Sour understates his tone
The individual's tone is unpleasant and negative
You'll afford to knock me
You can criticize me when you are in a position of financial security
When you're writing your own paycheck
When you are earning money on your own terms and not relying on others for income
But until then as you know
Until that point in time, as you are already aware
I own your time
I have control over how you spend your time
No more explaining
I do not want to hear any more justifications or explanations
I'll shove your nose into the grindstone
I will compel you to work hard and without distractions
If you give me opinions you resigned
If you provide any dissenting opinions or criticism, you risk losing your job
Kam put the knife in dharm
This line does not have an identifiable meaning or context
Contributed by Nolan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.