"I love the pipes on this track, John and I had s… Read Full Bio ↴Mark Burgess says:
"I love the pipes on this track, John and I had spent about two hours on a fairground trying to win one when the studio's went missing. They still give me goose bumps. This slow lumbering weird sounding sample is actually the closing track slowed down."
Less Than Human
The Chameleons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I must have died a thousand times
I must have died a thousand times
Feeling less than human
I surmise I'm less than human
In Gods' eyes
Time he's on my side, she said
Time he's on my side, she said
But it makes no difference in the end
He's coming after you my friend
Must have cried a thousand times
Must have cried a thousand times
I must have cried a thousand times
Feeling less than human
I surmise I'm less than human
In Gods' eyes
I must have died a thousand times
I must have died a thousand times
And I must have cried a thousand times
I must have cried a thousand times
Wao-oo-oo Wao-oo-oo Wao-oo-oo Wao-oo-oo
The lyrics of The Chameleons' song "Less Than Human" depict a person who feels abandoned, alone and rejected by society, as if they are not living up to the expectations of humanity. The repetition of the lines "I must have died a thousand times" and "I must have cried a thousand times" evoke the idea of an intense suffering experienced by the singer. The line "Feeling less than human" brings out the pain and desperation of the person who thinks they do not possess the qualities of what it means to be human. The reference to God adds a spiritual dimension to the song, highlighting the singer's feelings of isolation from both humankind and divinity.
The phrase "time he's on my side, she said" suggests that someone is trying to comfort the singer, but they are not convinced. The singer's retort "But it makes no difference in the end / He's coming after you my friend" is a dark warning that everyone is destined to face their own mortality. The repetition of the refrain at the end of the song emphasizes the singer's despair, their voice fading in the echoes of "Wao-oo-oo".
The song may be interpreted as a commentary on the alienation that people can feel amidst the norms and expectations of society. It also delves into existential themes of life and death, and the search for meaning and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Must have died a thousand times
I have gone through so much pain and disappointment that it feels like I've died a thousand times
Feeling less than human
I feel like a failure and like I'm not living up to my own standards or to God's expectations
I surmise I'm less than human
I believe that I'm somehow flawed and not good enough as a person
In Gods' eyes
I'm aware that I'm being judged by a higher power and worried that I won't measure up to his standards
Time he's on my side, she said
Someone is trying to reassure me that I have time to make things right and succeed in life
He may be on your side I said
I'm skeptical that time will actually help me and afraid that it might even make things worse
But it makes no difference in the end
Despite any optimism or pessimism, the final outcome is uncertain and might not be under my control
He's coming after you my friend
I sense that fate, destiny, or some external force is closing in on me, and I can't escape it
Must have cried a thousand times
I have experienced so much sadness and heartbreak that it feels like I've cried a thousand times
And I must have cried a thousand times
I feel like I'm trapped in a cycle of misery and can't break free from it
Wao-oo-oo Wao-oo-oo Wao-oo-oo Wao-oo-oo
The repetition of this sound might represent the monotonous, endless, and meaningless suffering and struggle that the singer is going through
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID FIELDING, JOHN LEVER, MARK BURGESS, REGINALD HOPE SMITHIES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@silvio2603
Lyrics
Must have died a thousand times
I must have died a thousand times
I must have died a thousand times
Feeling less than human
I surmise I'm less than human
In Gods' eyes
Time is on my side, she said
Time is on my side, she said
He may be on your side I said
But it makes no difference in the end
He's coming after you my friend
Must have cried a thousand times
Must have cried a thousand times
I must have cried a thousand times
Feeling less than human
I surmise I'm less than human
In Gods' eyes
I must have died a thousand times
I must have died a thousand times
And I must have cried a thousand times
I must have cried a thousand times
Wao-oo-oo Wao-oo-oo Wao-oo-oo Wao-oo-oo
@drcid777
The Chameleons are amazing on so many levels musically, and then Mark adds lyrics like:
I must have died a thousand times feeling less than human I surmise,
less than human in God's eyes
Time is on my side she said Time is on my side she said
He may be on your side I said, but it makes no difference in the end
He's coming after you my friend.
High level..
@supra6t9
absolutely brilliant. i think the most underrated band of all time....
@Robin-jz2dj
Along with The Sound
@AhmadSafty96
Totally agree
@IsabelleWaterstone-gj3rv
so agree...
@MrMerlin87
the echo in this song... i cant describe the feeling it gives me. best production of the 80's along with unknown pleasures
@greyever7820
Unknown pleasures is from 1979
@Ominous-Xx
Damn I understand
@meggy2168
"I'm less than human in God's eyes" is the line that comforts me, hearing it sung by such a beautiful voice, but shatters my heart as it makes me remember how I feel about myself
@Zek-nc5tr
Must have listened to that a thousand times. It eases my wretched soul in shreds...
@jefethunderiv144
Tampoco es para tanto, no tienes la culpa de nada amiguito. Un cambio de perspectiva mejorara tu animo.