Oblivion
Secret Army Lyrics
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He was useless but he didn't know
He spent his time in a skin
Built for him where he didn't fit in
Mum and Dad told him what was right
They were always behind
His ambitions weren't made by him
He had lost
He's a loser
He had lost
He's a geezer
He had lost
All his chances
He had lost, but he doesn't know
He wakes up every morning
With the ilusion of being a happy man
He thinks the world is wide open
But oblivion looks his only chance
Mum and Dad told him what was right
They were always behind
His ambitions weren't made by him
The steps he followed didn't built his dreams
He had lost
He's a loser
He had lost
He's a geezer
He had lost
All his chances
He had lost, but he doesn't know
In Secret Army's song Oblivion, the lyrics tell the story of a man who has lost his chances but is completely unaware of it. The song starts with the singer describing a poor fellow who is useless, but doesn't know it. He lives in a skin that isn't his own and spends his time in a place where he doesn't fit in. This could be a metaphor for the man feeling like he doesn't belong in his own life or society.
The chorus of the song repeats that the man has lost all his chances and is a loser and a geezer, but he doesn't know it. The lyrics suggest that his parents were always behind him and told him what was right, but his ambitions weren't made by him. He followed the steps that were laid out for him, but they didn't lead him toward his dreams.
The last verse of the song describes the man's delusions. He wakes up every morning with the illusion of being a happy man, but oblivion is his only chance. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the man's cluelessness about his situation. Overall, the song seems to be about the danger of living a life that isn't true to oneself and following the expectations of others instead of pursuing one's own dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I met a poor fellow
The singer meets a man who is struggling
He was useless but he didn't know
The man lacks purpose but is unaware of it
He spent his time in a skin
The man lives in a body that doesn't feel like his own
Built for him where he didn't fit in
He's surrounded by people he can't relate to
Mum and Dad told him what was right
His parents dictate his choices
They were always behind
His parents were supportive but overbearing
His ambitions weren't made by him
His goals were not his own
The steps he followed didn't built his dreams
He's not reaching his full potential
He had lost
The man has failed
He's a loser
Feeling like a failure defines him
He had lost
The man has failed once again
He's a geezer
He feels old and without hope
He had lost
He's lost everything
All his chances
All his hopes and opportunities
He had lost, but he doesn't know
He's unaware of his failures
He wakes up every morning
The man starts each day anew
With the ilusion of being a happy man
He hopes for happiness
He thinks the world is wide open
The man is full of dreams
But oblivion looks his only chance
He fears being forgotten or ignored
He had lost
He has failed once again
He's a loser
Feeling like a failure defines him
He had lost
The man has failed once again
He's a geezer
He feels old and without hope
He had lost
The man has lost everything
But he doesn't know
He's still unaware of his failures
Contributed by Colton I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.