From their third album (Neon Ballroom) onward, the band have tried to experiment with slightly more complex song structures, pop influences, and the usage of orchestral backing on a few songs, most notably on their fourth album Diorama with composer Van Dyke Parks contributing to three of the tracks. This change is shown on their performance in their only live album "Live At Faraway Stables" where the band plays two sets - the first comprising newer material where they are backed by two keyboardists to simulate orchestral arrangements, and the second containing their earlier material.
2007 saw the release of the band's latest album Young Modern, featuring the lead single Straight Lines; the song reached number one on the ARIA singles charts. The album was supported by a full tour of North America (their first since 1999), and an extensive tour of Australia and New Zealand with fellow Aussie post-grunge rockers Powderfinger, entitled "Across the Great Divide."
To quote Daniel Johns, "I've been thinking a lot since we finished [[album artist=Silverchair]Young Modern] about where this fits into the other stuff we've done. The way I see it, the first album was naivete, the second one was anger, the third one was depression and the last one was escapism. Young Modern is all about acceptance."
The band announced an indefinite hiatus in May 2011:
"We formed Silverchair nearly 20 years ago when we were just 12 years old. Today we stand by the same rules now as we did back then ... if the band stops being fun and if it's no longer fulfilling creatively, then we need to stop. [...] Despite our best efforts over the last year or so, it's become increasingly clear that the spark simply isn't there between the three of us at the moment. Therefore after much soul searching we wanted to let you know that we're putting Silverchair into "indefinite hibernation" and we've decided to each do our own thing for the foreseeable future".
—Daniel, Ben and Chris, chairpage.com (Silverchair Official Website), 25 May 2011.
Members:
* Daniel Johns (vocals, guitar)
* Chris Joannou (bass)
* Ben Gillies (drums)
Albums:
* Tomorrow (EP) (1994)
* Frogstomp (1995)
* Freak Show (1997)
* Neon Ballroom (1999)
* The Best Of - Volume One (2000)
* Diorama (2002)
* Rarities 1994-1999 (2002)
* Live From Faraway Stables (2CD & DVD) (2003)
* Young Modern (2007)
Paranoid
Silverchair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause she couldn't help me with my mind
People think I'm insane
Because I am frowning all the time
All day long I think of things
But nothing seems to satisfy
Think I'll lose my mind
Can you help me occupy my brain?
Oh yeah
I need someone to show me
The things in life that I can't find
I can't see the things that make true happiness
I must be blind
Make a joke and I will sigh
And you will laugh and I will cry
Happiness I cannot feel
And love to me is so unreal
And so as you hear these words
Telling you now of my state
I tell you to enjoy life
I wish I could but it's too late
The lyrics to Silverchair's "Paranoid" are indicative of someone who is struggling with their mental health. At the beginning of the song, the singer sings that they have finished with their woman because she couldn't help them with their mind. This may suggest that they were in a relationship and the partner was unable to understand or help with their mental health struggles. The singer goes on to sing that people think they are insane because they are "frowning all the time." This could be a manifestation of depression, anxiety, or even a more serious mental illness.
Throughout the song, the singer talks about their inability to experience happiness or contentment. They say that they think of things all day long, but nothing seems to satisfy them. The line "Think I'll lose my mind if I don't find something to pacify," is especially telling. It seems as though the singer is suggesting that unless something changes, they may experience a complete breakdown.
The chorus of the song is perhaps the most poignant. The singer sings, "Can you help me occupy my brain? I need someone to show me the things in life that I can't find. I can't see the things that make true happiness. I must be blind." This portion of the song suggests a deep desire for someone or something to help provide meaning and purpose to their life. Overall, "Paranoid" is a powerful depiction of someone who is struggling with their mental health and their desperate search for happiness and contentment.
Line by Line Meaning
Finished with my woman
Recently broke up with my girlfriend
'Cause she couldn't help me with my mind
Our relationship ended because she couldn't cure my mental issues
People think I'm insane
People around me consider me to be crazy
Because I am frowning all the time
I wear a sad expression constantly
All day long I think of things
I constantly dwell on various thoughts throughout the day
But nothing seems to satisfy
None of those thoughts bring any contentment
Think I'll lose my mind
I fear that I'll eventually become insane due to this constant state of dissatisfaction
If I don't find something to pacify
I need to find something to pacify my mind or soothe my soul
Can you help me occupy my brain?
Do you have any activity to distract my mind?
I need someone to show me
I need someone to guide me
The things in life that I can't find
I cannot discover the true essence of life by myself
I can't see the things that make true happiness
I'm unable to identify things that can actually make me happy
I must be blind
Maybe I'm blinded or oblivious by some reason to see the real beauty of life
Make a joke and I will sigh
Even when others joke around or try to bring cheer, I feel sad inside
And you will laugh and I will cry
Others' joy or happiness makes me feel sadder by comparison
Happiness I cannot feel
I'm incapable of feeling happy or content
And love to me is so unreal
For me, love seems like a distant and ever-elusive fantasy
And so as you hear these words
As you listen to my confession
Telling you now of my state
I'm narrating my current troubled state of mind
I tell you to enjoy life
I encourage you to enjoy your life to the fullest
I wish I could but it's too late
Regrettably, I'm past the point of no return and cannot change my own situation
Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Shaun Fraser
more like HELMET!!!!
xero_ theory
Lol yehh. This is not what I heard from 20yrs bck. Oh man.. daniel's wild!
🍒CherryRin🍒
Where i can find this in HD...😭😭
Andresa Duarte
Daniel johns e lindo ❤❤❤
valerie powers
hey its scott lucas on guitar from localh . was this in ft. lauderdale on the freak show tour in 97? cause i was there if it was. i do remember them playing paranoid with scott.
Claudevir Junior
Woww...I missed this video so much...It was out of youtube, why??!! hehe
lorndarken
daniel looked like he had fun lol
Troy Hesse
hahahaha lol at local h, i remember that
ValiumCherryWine
thats scott lucas from local H
Mithra Charon
sorry for my good english! HD VIDEO OF THIS.. For when! SILVERCHAIR....hEllo..YOU must....sell one HD DVD of this concert!...if not yOu SUck! haha