Decadence
The Church Lyrics

Watch her out there on display
Observing her presence, existing purely for spectacle without substance.

Dancing in her sleepy way
Performing movements without thought or direction, lost in the moment and unaware of the world around.

And all her visions start to play
Internalized dreams and imagination flowing freely and uncontrollably.

The icicles of our decay, Marlene
The cold, harsh reality of humanity's inevitable decline.

Drink it to Marlene
Toasting to the concept of Marlene, a symbol of the fleeting nature of existence.

Fading flowers in her hair
Beauty and nature slowly losing their luster, gradually withering away.

She's suffering from wear and tear
The passage of time taking its toll on a person, leaving them exhausted and weakened.

She lies in waterfalls of dreams
Drowning in aspirations so deep and vast that they swallow her whole existence.

And doesn't question what it means, Marlene
Falling victim to the seduction of her whims and desires, without thought to the potential consequences.

And all along the desert shore
Wandering aimlessly through the vast and barren emptiness, searching for something she cannot find.

She wanders further evermore
Drifting ever farther away, caught in the pursuit of an unattainable ideal.

The only thing that's left to try
As all avenues close to her, the only option left is the most extreme measure.

She says to live I have to die, Marlene
Refusing the limitations of reality and seeking transcendence through self-destruction, Marlene becomes an emblem of humanity's desperation.

She whispers sadly, "Well I might"
With the understanding of the futility of her journey, she weakly entertains the idea of surrender.

And holds herself so very tight
Clutching tightly to the hope that something, anything, might bring her a sense of fulfillment or meaning.

Then jumping from an unknown height
Embracing the unknown and allowing the descent into oblivion.

She merges with the liquid night, Marlene
Dissolving into the darkness, consumed by an endless abyss of nothingness.

Her lovers wrap her mist in furs
Those who were once drawn to her ethereal beauty and unrealized potential now seek to commodify her symbolically, recreating the empty illusion of what they believed her to be.

And tell her what she has is hers
Words of comfort and validation fall hollow as the very concept of possession crumbles before their eyes.

But when they take her by the hand
Attempting to hold on to the vestiges of her memory, they are left with nothing but the empty void where she once stood.

She slips back in the desert sand
Evading the grasp of those who seek to tether her to this earthly existence and disappearing back into the unforgiving wilderness.

But what she leaves is made of glass
The remains of her legacy, easily shattered and prone to fracture, reflecting the fragile nature of human life.

And lovers worship as they pass
Those who chance upon her memory are entranced by her beauty and imbue it with mystical significance.

And each one says, "Well, now she's mine"
The human tendency towards possessiveness and objectification even in the face of death and the dissolution of identity.

But all drink solitary wine
Alone in their struggles and desires, despite the community they build around themselves, each person ultimately falls victim to their own unique circumstances and sufferings, unable to truly share their essence with anyone else.

Fare thee well
A final farewell to Marlene, to the dreams of what could have been, and to humanity's fruitless endeavors.

Fare thee well
A final goodbye to all that was, and everything that will never come to pass.

Marlene
A symbol of humanity's hidden desires and unmanageable aspirations, driven to madness by the pursuit of a transcendent ideal that will always remain forever out of reach.