Blackout
Sloan Lyrics


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People walk around in a daze that's unsettled
And they're thinking of drinking until the morning
Never doing nothing about the trouble on the way
When the lights go out with out warning

Out back is the place where I watch it unravel
And the chalkboard got it's own ladybug
Upkeep is low and the wall are un-level
And no one has a clue what they're doing

There's a blackout for me and one for you too
There's some white heat keeping everybody down
When the grid snaps on
You'll be picking up the pieces of the blackout
There's nothing you can do about it

I can feel that the heat is killing everything around
And I hope that it soon gets colder
The lights are just a flicker and power is underground
And the city is about to smolder

Ther's a blackout for me and one for you too
There's some white heat keeping everybody down
When the grid snaps on
You'll be picking up the pieces of the blackout
There's nothin' you can do about it

There's nothin' you can do about it




Nothin' you can do about it
There's nothing you can do

Overall Meaning

about it


In Sloan's Blackout, the lyrics describe a sense of unease and impending doom, as if something catastrophic is about to happen. The first verse paints a picture of people walking around aimlessly, filled with a sense of unease and confusion. The suggestion is that they are aware of trouble on the horizon, but are content to drink and ignore it, rather than do anything to prevent it. This ominous mood is heightened by the sudden blackout, which descends without warning.


In the second verse, the focus shifts to the singer's surroundings. They observe as chaos unfolds around them, with the chalkboard and walls themselves seemingly unstable. Despite this, nobody knows what to do to fix the problem. The repeated refrain "There's nothing you can do about it" further emphasizes a feeling of helplessness and resignation in the face of the impending disaster.


Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of fatalism – that whatever disaster is looming is inevitable and unstoppable. The use of sensory details also creates a vivid image of an environment in turmoil, adding to the sense of unease that pervades this song.


Line by Line Meaning

People walk around in a daze that's unsettled
People seem lost and unsure of what to do


And they're thinking of drinking until the morning
They are looking to escape and drink their troubles away


Never doing nothing about the trouble on the way
They ignore the problems ahead and do nothing to prepare


When the lights go out with out warning
Disaster strikes suddenly and without any warning


Out back is the place where I watch it unravel
Observing the chaos from a distance, away from the panic


And the chalkboard got it's own ladybug
Even the simple things have their own quirks and problems


Upkeep is low and the wall are un-level
Maintenance is poor and things are not in order


And no one has a clue what they're doing
No one knows how to handle the situation or what to do next


There's a blackout for me and one for you too
The darkness affects everyone, not just one person


There's some white heat keeping everybody down
The situation is intense and difficult to escape from


When the grid snaps on
When the power comes back on unexpectedly


You'll be picking up the pieces of the blackout
Dealing with the aftermath and chaos left behind by the power outage


There's nothing you can do about it
The situation is beyond our control, and we are powerless to change it


I can feel that the heat is killing everything around
The intensity of the situation is causing damage to the surroundings


And I hope that it soon gets colder
Wishing for a change in the situation to bring relief


The lights are just a flicker and power is underground
The power is unstable and unreliable, flickering and not fully functional


And the city is about to smolder
The crisis is escalating and the city is on the brink of chaos


There's nothin' you can do about it
The situation is hopeless and we are powerless to change it


Nothin' you can do about it
The situation is beyond our control and we cannot change it


There's nothing you can do
The situation cannot be altered and we must simply accept it




Contributed by Riley W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Thelma


on Everything You've Done Wrong

Thelma I like the title

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