Unlike the songs written during Diorama where Daniel Johns wrote all the tracks himself, "Straight Lines" was co-written by The Presets' Julian Hamilton.
On 19 February 2007, it became the band's first Australian number one single since 1997's "Freak".
On 2 September 2007, "Straight Lines" was accredited Double Platinum by ARIA, representing combined digital sales and physical shipment of 140,000 singles in Australia, equalling "Tomorrow" as their best selling single. On 28 October 2007, "Straight Lines" won "Best Selling Australian Single" at the ARIA Music Awards of 2007, as well as "Single of the Year". The song was the most played song on Australian radio in 2007. It charted at #2 on the Triple J Hottest 100 for 2007 and missed out on the Number 1 spot by only 13 votes. As of January 2008 the single has remained in the top 50 for over 40 weeks.
Straight Lines
Silverchair Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had no one
With faces in front of me
Racing through the void in my head
To find traces
Of a good luck academy
Oh oh oh
Sparks ignite and trade them for thought
About no one
And nothing in particular
Washed the sickened socket and drove
Resent nothing
There's good will inside of me
Oh oh oh
Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Wake me up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line
Something I will never forget
I felt desperate
And stuck to the marrow
Invisible to everyone else
I'm a sex-change
And a damsel with no heroine
Oh oh oh
Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Wake me up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line
I don't need no time to say
There's no changing yesterday
If we keep talking and
I keep walking in straight lines
Wake me up lower the fever
Walking in a straight line
Set me on fire in the evening
Everything will be fine
Wake me up strong in the morning
Walking in a straight line
Lately I'm a desperate believer
But walking in a straight line
The lyrics to Silverchair's song "Straight Lines" deal with themes of desperation, isolation, and the search for purpose or meaning. The opening lines paint a picture of someone who is struggling to breathe and feels alone, surrounded by faceless people. They are searching for something, perhaps a sense of belonging or success, represented by the "good luck academy." The next verse talks about trading "sparks" for thoughts about nothing in particular, showing the character is preoccupied with the mundane and feels stuck.
The chorus is a plea for help - the character wants to be woken up, to feel alive and energetic again. The repetition of "walking in a straight line" highlights their desire for direction and purpose. The final verse is particularly poignant, with the character feeling invisible and stuck in their situation. The line "I'm a sex-change and a damsel with no heroine" suggests that they feel like they are stuck in a role that doesn't fit them, and are lacking the support they need to succeed.
Overall, the song is a powerful exploration of the difficult emotions that can arise from feeling lost or stuck, and the importance of finding purpose and support to help us move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Breathing from a hole in my lung
I'm struggling to breathe because my lung is damaged.
I had no one
I am lonely and have nobody to rely on.
With faces in front of me
There are people around me, but they don't seem to notice or care about me.
Racing through the void in my head
I'm constantly overthinking and feeling lost.
To find traces
I'm desperately searching for any sign of hope or luck.
Of a good luck academy
I want to find some sort of place where I can receive good fortune and success.
Sparks ignite and trade them for thought
I'm trying to turn small moments of inspiration into deep thoughts and ideas.
About no one
Despite my efforts, I still feel alone and like nobody cares.
And nothing in particular
There's nothing specific that's causing me to feel this way.
Washed the sickened socket and drove
I'm trying to cleanse myself of these negative emotions and move forward.
Resent nothing
I don't want to hold onto any grudges or negative feelings.
There's good will inside of me
Deep down, I know I have the ability to be kind and positive.
Wake me up lower the fever
I need help to feel better and overcome this sickness or negativity.
Walking in a straight line
I'm trying to keep moving forward and stay focused on my goals.
Set me on fire in the evening
I want to feel inspired and motivated, even during the darkest hours.
Everything will be fine
I believe that everything will work out in the end, even if it's hard right now.
Wake me up strong in the morning
I need to start each day feeling energized and ready to take on the challenges ahead.
Lately I'm a desperate believer
I desperately want to believe that things will get better.
But walking in a straight line
I know that the key to success is staying focused and dedicated.
Something I will never forget
This experience has left a lasting impression on me.
I felt desperate
I was in a state of panic and hopelessness.
And stuck to the marrow
My feelings of desperation penetrated deep into my core.
Invisible to everyone else
Despite how I feel, nobody else seems to notice or understand what I'm going through.
I'm a sex-change
I am going through a transformation or change, both physically and emotionally.
And a damsel with no heroine
Despite wanting to be rescued or helped, I am forced to be my own hero and save myself.
I don't need no time to say
I don't need to waste time talking or explaining how I feel.
There's no changing yesterday
No matter how much I wish things were different, I can't change the past.
If we keep talking and
Talking won't solve my problems, action will.
I keep walking in straight lines
I will keep moving forward and working hard until I achieve my goals.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DANIEL JOHNS, JULIAN THOMAS HAMILTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lrvan
2023-08-23, more or less at 10:00 PM, is the day i finally found this song again, after 16 years of only able to keep wondering of what i was just listened that day, why i can't forget it, why it keep staying in my mind, why i always feel that i need and must find this song again, and why i never hear this song being played anywhere and everywhere i go.
I only get ONE chance to listen to this song before. it was in 2007 on MTV Channel. Watched it at noon and i don't have any idea about this Band at the time but i still remember the MTV's host explained something about this band before they played the music.
She said that this Band just released a new album but with different genre/flavour than they usually do and also with some controversy around it. Then the song start playing, and i instantly hooked by the music instrument, the vocal and how he sing it, especially at reff, i can feel the energy of the song, it sound strange at first, but then it become so emotional!
Then in the middle of the song, the name of the Band and song title appeared at the bottom of my 17inch TV screen, i sit far from it, so i get up and run fast to my TV to be able to read it clearer, but as soon as i stand in front of it, it suddenly disappeared and i missed the chance to read...
Since then, everytime i watched MTV channel, i'm always hoping for the channel to play this song again, but sadly it never appeared again...
I heard it only once but i can remember the reff melody until now, i can whistle it but didn't know the lyric even just single words, my english still very poor at that time i can't catch it and there's no lyric displayed.
I ask my friends about it & i'm whistling awkwardly like an idi*t to give them some clue but they just laughed and can only mentioned Coldplay or Good Charlotte, yes that "i just wanna live" reff is a lil bit similar by the way it sound. And the most stupid thing i did is whistling at Shazam hoping that it will recognize the song 😥👍
In 2015 it come close, when i'm explored Carpark North songs (i already know them since 2006, but only know "Human" song back then).
In their 'Grateful' album, i got some flashes of it when i listened to their 'Save Me From My Self", a song in which i really liked, and it do sound a bit familiar too tbh, the energy it have.
After that, i still trying to find this song again and again sometimes, listening to other 2000s band but still unlucky.
Yesterday, at night, i was in a very good mood to start exploring some of 2000's Rock music compilation album/playlist again, Silverchair was also there in the playlist. I listened to their "Tomorrow" song, even tho i didn't feel there's any hints of it or any similarities in the melody of the song, but it's the video clips that makes me so intrigued to explore their other songs somehow, it do feels so familiar in my memory, it feels like i ever seen it before!
So i search their other songs on Youtube, listen to the second song "Ana's Song", i feel relax, but i do really, really feel something surprising will come, then the third songs start playing........ i'm in total silence.. speechless, what a pleasant surprise where i finally able to hear that rhythm again, that voice, that reff, that unique melody, i almost can't believe of what i just heard.. teardrops.
I'm so sorry for this long text and i'm very thankful if you read it, i just wanna share my little pure happiness. This is the song that i really, really want to hear and enjoy again!
16 years has passed since the first time that was also the only chance i get to listen to this song that never appear again, that somehow it always stay in my mind, my memory & never disappeared.
Now i found it again, i keep it forever.
"Straight lines" was already my Fav song, along with "Macy's Day Parade" from Green Day. The different is, now i can listen to it anytime 😇
I thank you so much for this music from the bottom of my heart, Silverchair.
@kadokili5595
And we all just had one wish.
I know it's really hard, but we all want them reunite and be whole again.
Even it was meant to be their last.
Let them get the recognition and realized how they impacted so many people until now, including myself.
I was now on downward spiral, beaten down in life to the brink of losing grip with everything, with substance abuse, this song somehow miracleously grabbed my attention and played it, to my astonishment, everything he sang was everything i need to handle my life now.
Daniel, Chris and Gil.
You didn't know how many lives y'all saves on your musical journey.
It helps me, and also everybody else.
Silverchair, thank you so much.
@leokimvideo
This song was a bitter pill to swallow when it came out. It takes years to fully appreciate this songs complexity. Daniel Johns has to be one of Australia's greatest songwriters.
@tigergallant
Totally! I was too immature to appreciate the genius behind this song and the album when it came out. I think I was 17.
When you're young, you wear your music like fashion. You make it a part of your identity. And are militant to defend it. And, well, heaven forbid an artist introduces you to something unexpected!
Luckily, for some of us, musical taste matures, we explore and wander. Broadening our depth. Allowing ourselves to be surprised and delighted by new musical experiences.
It's only then, that you reach musical nirvana. Amen!
@marnizavaleta
I was 20 when they came outta nowhere & blew up so massively. Liked em but wasnt as swept up as many others were. This song, however many years later really grabbed me. They now sounded like a band that found their own groove. Brilliant!
@nin6246
This is clearly a well done song -- it's drastically different from some of my favorites from Silverchair however I can see how people can really like this number. It's not really for me but I feel some of the magic Daniel Johns was referring to when he plays with his band. He's being true to himself and I certainly can't fault him for that! I think that's all we could ever ask of the artists we patronize.
@SugarcatPlays
He is one of the WORLD'S greatest songwriters :)
@beezybeez4207
https://youtu.be/cxuYKH0TJ0I
A must hear!!!!!!!!!
@carllodge2043
My husband absolutely loves Silverchair and this is one of his favourite songs. God bless him, my husband, Robbie he was the man of my life, the man of my love. He was everything to me and this song brings back so many memories for me.❤❤❤
@hildabraud3438
Blessings to you. I loved these guys 15yrs olds amazing talent. I was 24yrs old at the time.
@hastekulvaati9681
Released a month after I emigrated to Australia. I will always associate it with optimism, new starts and with finding a reconciliation with one’s past.
One of my favourite Australian songs.
@mightyhabib1182
Anyone here from the podcast? If y'all haven't checked it out it's a must watch 👌. Daniel Johns will live and die as one of the greatest musicians to have ever lived ❤.