State Of Shock
The Ex Lyrics
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Repeats again of what's already been said
The same mistakes keep hitting us like booby trap blanks
We still learn nothing, living in Tinseltown
My apartment's on the umpteenth block
Some neighbours don't really treat me so bad
One used to live in a life-size tank
Outside they're selling pieces of rock
Well, i want nothing of this daily threat
Loads of that crap in the local bank
Easy targets for our wasteful clowns
But hey, one day i'm gonna find this precious frog
Might be my princess, maybe her name is Fred
Those stupid clouds will fade to reveal my thanks
This state of shock is a merry-go-round
State of shock been said booby-trap Tinseltown
Umpteenth block so bad life-size tank fell down
Bits of rock daily threat local bank of clowns
Precious frog named Fred my thanks go round
One might wander about in caverns of doubt
But why be afraid to find reasons to banquet
Sure, one can hide but there's a world outside
Must be pretty safe under a fire-proof blanket
The Ex's song State of Shock is a commentary on the state of the world and the constant barrage of negative news that we are exposed to on a daily basis. The singer is in a state of shock as they realize that the same mistakes keep happening and we are not learning from them. Tinseltown is used as a metaphor for the false and shallow nature of society, where people are more concerned with appearances than with substance.
The song's lyrics also touch on the singer's personal experiences, such as living in an apartment in a less desirable part of town, with neighbors who are not always friendly. The line "Loads of that crap in the local bank, easy targets for our wasteful clowns" refers to the how the banking system is wasteful and encourages wasteful spending. The singer also expresses their desire to find something precious, perhaps a metaphor for finding something meaningful in life.
Overall, the song seems to suggest that the world is in a constant state of crisis, but that there is still hope for finding something meaningful, despite the bleakness.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm moving towards a state of shock
I'm becoming increasingly overwhelmed and shocked by the state of things
Repeats again of what's already been said
We keep repeating the same old things and making the same mistakes
The same mistakes keep hitting us like booby trap blanks
We continue to make mistakes, even though we should know better
We still learn nothing, living in Tinseltown
We don't learn from our mistakes; we're caught up in the superficial world of Hollywood
My apartment's on the umpteenth block
My apartment is on a seemingly endless block or street
Some neighbours don't really treat me so bad
Some of my neighbors treat me decently
One used to live in a life-size tank
One of my neighbors used to live in a large tank
He thinks it's sad that this wall fell down
My neighbor is upset that a wall has fallen down
Outside they're selling pieces of rock
People are selling rocks on the street
Well, I want nothing of this daily threat
I don't want to be part of this constant threat or danger
Loads of that crap in the local bank
There's a lot of worthless stuff in the bank
Easy targets for our wasteful clowns
People are easy targets for those who waste resources and money
But hey, one day I'm gonna find this precious frog
Someday I'll come across something valuable or significant
Might be my princess, maybe her name is Fred
Whatever I find could be my treasure, even if it's unexpected
Those stupid clouds will fade to reveal my thanks
Eventually, the negativity will dissipate and I'll be grateful for what I have
This state of shock is a merry-go-round
Being overwhelmed feels like being on a never-ending ride
One might wander about in caverns of doubt
It's easy to get lost in uncertainty and doubt
But why be afraid to find reasons to banquet
Instead of being afraid, we should be open to new experiences and reasons to celebrate
Sure, one can hide but there's a world outside
It's possible to hide away, but there's still a whole world out there
Must be pretty safe under a fire-proof blanket
It might feel safe to hide from the world, but it's not really living
Contributed by Abigail D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@grepominer8820
This will be played at my funeral, loud.
@deha7298
@ mine 2gether with L`Attentat"Leipzig in Trümmern,ohne sinn ". Found the lp(very rare!) in the june of `97 together with this and 2 other cds of the ex,in the amsterdam info shop beside the portugese synagoge.friends of mine from L.E. took it out of the hands of the stasi(MfS)in 1989!
black `n red 4ever!stay rude!act global!future is still unwritten...
@fishmaster665
I think I'm going to have to steal that idea
@pascalgerydannydesplancke123
For me probably the best song and lyrics ever made;the ex is a ĺot more than music, this people are amazing (ps:i know this band for more than 35 years)
@elisac.907
one of the most fierce band and music ever made.. Pure "Rage de vivre" !
@neilmcmillan7548
The Ex have written some of the most astonishingly accomplished music of modern times but never really got the recognition they most certainlty deserve. If you like this you will love The Dog Faced Hermans.
@rabasandramaran
I agree. I like this and I love The Dog Faced Hermans. And the other way round: I love this and I like The Dog Faced Hermans
@marekgrabarek1439
DFH thats only copy of The Ex.
@detlev137
Nice ppl — dog faced hermits— played here — ak47
@chriscawthron4836
@Marek Grabarek they're not a copy they're totally their own band and absolutely wonderful to boot.