What I See
The Dirty Projectors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wish I was dead
I've got to close my eyes
I want to live
I wish I was dead
This feeling
Haunts me
Does anything live inside?
I want to live
I wish I was dead
I've got to close my eyes
I want to live
I wish I was dead
Life's cold
And it reaches inside
I reach to feel and to live
A desperate wish begins
And from the start
I can see the end
I want to live
I wish I was dead
I've got to close my eyes
I want to live
I wish I was dead
The lyrics to The Dirty Projectors' song "What I See" are a powerful expression of conflicting emotions. The song opens with the line "I want to live, I wish I was dead," which sets up the primary theme of the passage- a deep sense of inner turmoil. The lyrics convey a feeling of uncertainty, a sense of questioning whether anything in the singer's life is real or if everything is just an empty illusion. The singer wonders what lies behind the shell of their being, and whether anything truly lives in their heart.
Throughout the song, the singer seems to be grappling with some sort of existential crisis, unsure of what is real and what isn't. This is reflected in lines like "Life's cold, and it reaches inside," which suggest a sense of vulnerability and fear. However, there is also a sense of hopefulness in the lyrics, as the singer wishes to live despite their struggles.
Overall, the lyrics to "What I See" are both raw and emotional, exploring the depths of human experience with a mix of sadness, fear, and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to live
The singer desires to continue living
I wish I was dead
The singer sometimes feels overwhelmed and wishes to escape their problems through death
I've got to close my eyes
The singer needs a moment to rest and escape from their problems
This feeling
The overwhelming feeling of hopelessness
Haunts me
The feeling is persistent and difficult to shake
Behind these eyes the shell seems so empty
The singer feels emotionally drained, as if there is nothing inside of them
Does anything live inside?
The singer questions whether or not they are capable of feeling joy and happiness
Life's cold
Life can be harsh and difficult
And it reaches inside
These difficulties can often affect a person's emotional state
I reach to feel and to live
The artist wants to experience all that life has to offer
A desperate wish begins
The singer is desperate for some sort of relief or escape
And from the start
The moment when the wish began
I can see the end
The singer fears that their life may end before they achieve everything they want
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: DAVID LONGSTRETH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stephen Bright
great song.great band.great pix.
carlos lima
I just uploaded this song last night on the basis no one did it before. It's such a great song whilst being a hard song to find. Glad to see you have it on your page, good sir.
sn0wsh00s
Black Flag's "What I See": a dark, hardcore punk song that brings despair and hopelessness. Dirty Projector's interpretation: A cheerful song that makes me happy (even if the lyrics are very similar to Black Flag's)
Viap Aypal
this is maybe my new favourite video on here.
Nathaniel Gray
this makes me happy
jmcshane3317
my god, where did you get all those giraffe photos?!
Waterlily716
girafamos!
PW Wrestling
Who doesn't love giraffes?
viszy
I dunno....I think this video could do with MORE giraffes.
pegasusgiraffe
I approve this copious use of giraffes