Fancy Shoes
Steam-Powered Giraffe Lyrics

There’s a thunder cloud behind those eyes,
Your thoughts are troubled and you’re in distress.

A storm's a-brewin’ in your mind's thoughts.
You’re feeling a brewing of emotional energy and restlessness.

A static-electrical discharge will emulate for your swollen heart.
You will feel an emotional release from built-up stress and anxiety.

Well the doctor prescribes Rubber soles.
To reduce stress and anxiety, try walking outside with rubber-soled shoes to help ground yourself.

You can teach a robot how to dance
It's possible to teach a robot a new skill or behavior.

You can't teach a pair of shorts how to dance
However, inanimate objects like shorts cannot learn a new skill or behavior.

Stand between two mirrors And look into the distance
You can create perceived infinity by standing between two mirrors and looking at your reflections.

You see you turn infinite Still you’re only human.
Despite the infinite reflection effect, you are still limited by your human experience.

It's a suit-and-tie affair And you're only wearing shoes.
You're underdressed for a fancy event with just shoes, without a suit and tie.

Although they're pretty sick No one will let you through.
Even though your shoes are cool, they're not enough to impress or gain entry to a fancy event.

(Well) It doesn't matter those fancy shoes
Having fancy shoes is not the most important thing.

It's all about the words you choose
The way you communicate is more important than your appearance.

If it's all about the friends you lose
Similarly, your relationships are more important than your appearance.

So why would, why would you?
Don't prioritize superficial things over meaningful connections with people.

I can see where they may be some confusion
I understand if this is unclear.

I was just once just like you
I once had similar priorities as you.

Let me tell you a story to clarify the matter Once upon a time a mouse put on some shoes.
To illustrate my point, I'll tell you a story about a mouse putting on shoes.

'Hey, friend, where'd you get those fancy shoes?
Someone interrupts the mouse and asks about their fancy shoes.

Are you wearing them or are they wearing you?
The person questions who or what is in control of the situation - the mouse or the shoes?

I've seen you walking down the boulevard, You must've come pretty far
The person compliments the mouse for their progress in wearing fancy shoes.

You make it look really hard.
However, the person also perceives that the mouse struggles with walking in the shoes.

Those shoes sparkle gold and blue, They seem brand new Must've set you back a few.
The person admires the aesthetics of the shoes and assumes they were expensive.

Oh, my fancy shoes— It shocked me, I'm in the path of a bus in the middle of a busy street!'
Suddenly, the person wearing the fancy shoes experiences a dangerous situation (getting hit by a bus) that shocks them out of their previous priorities.

You can fix a robot Buff out the dents Strap 'em into a pair of fancy shoes And flip the switch to 'command.'
One way to feel in control is by fixing a robot and giving it fancy shoes, imagining it in command.

But when all said and done, Are the shoes built for fun?
Are the fancy shoes really serving a useful purpose, or are they meant purely for enjoyment?

Or to protect from broken glass Or toe-biters in tall grass?
Fancy shoes may be useful for protecting feet from sharp objects.

When everyone's in red You wear Blue.
Instead of conforming to the norm, you choose to stand out and wear a different color.

It’s just like you to ignore simple truths.
This decision to stand out may be in line with your personality of ignoring obvious things.

(Well) It doesn’t matter those fancy shoes
Again, fancy shoes are not the most important thing.

If it's all about the friends you lose.
Remember to prioritize relationships over superficial things like shoes.

It's all about the toes you lose.
Focusing too much on material things can lead to missing out on important things that matter more, like health and well-being.

So why would, why would you?
Don't fixate on something that ultimately doesn't matter or may cause harm.