Fool's Gold
The Honor System Lyrics
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Incarcerated by the routines etched into the concrete
We all fell down now we just hop around
Drop hints for me to grow up
I beg you not to join up
Mister can you spell success
Pay your rent
The point that's been so overstressed
You're making more and caring less
I've thrown away their recycled lies
They've got those transparent eyes
Your script's been changed, it's not accepted here
Now they'll rewrite it
Then you'll recite it
They'll sell the rights back at 65
If your not still caught in this 9-5
Where's the happy ending in this fucking sitcom?
We've served our king and now he's stripped our wings
If you hear me crying through these cardboard walls
Then you know that I still exist
Playing my part in this
The lyrics to The Honor System's song "Fool's Gold" are reflective of someone who feels trapped and disillusioned by the daily grind of life. The singer describes the feeling of being stuck in a routine, symbolized by the metaphor of being "incarcerated by the routines etched into the concrete." They lament how we all fall down and just hop around, struggling to grow up and mature in a world that demands financial success and conformity. The singer seems to disavow this lifestyle and warns against joining up, choosing instead to reject the shallow and materialistic values of the society around them.
The lyrics also touch upon the idea of conformity and control, with references to rewritten scripts, selling the rights back, and a king who strips away people's wings. The singer seems to be speaking to those who feel trapped in the monotony of daily life and are searching for something more meaningful. They reject the "recycled lies" and "transparent eyes" of those around them, and instead choose to "play their part in this." Despite the sadness and frustration expressed in the lyrics, there is a sense of resilience and hope, with the singer stubbornly clinging to their identity in the face of a society that values conformity above all else.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been one thousand days since I last saw you breathe
It has been three years since I saw you last alive
Incarcerated by the routines etched into the concrete
Trapped by the monotony of daily life
We all fell down now we just hop around
We have all failed, but we keep going
Drop hints for me to grow up
Society expects me to mature
I beg you not to join up
I plead with you not to conform
Mister can you spell success
Is success even definable?
Pay your rent
Pay for the privilege of living
Pay your debt
Be enslaved by your financial obligations
The point that's been so overstressed
The message that's been hammered home
You're making more and caring less
You earn more but care less
I've thrown away their recycled lies
I've rejected their false rhetoric
They've got those transparent eyes
Their motivations are transparent
Your script's been changed, it's not accepted here
Your life story doesn't conform to the norm
Now they'll rewrite it
They'll try to make it fit
Then you'll recite it
You'll have to play along
They'll sell the rights back at 65
They'll exploit you and sell your life story when you're retired
If your not still caught in this 9-5
If you manage to escape the grind
Where's the happy ending in this fucking sitcom?
Why isn't life like a happy sitcom
We've served our king and now he's stripped our wings
We've served capitalism and it's left us powerless
If you hear me crying through these cardboard walls
If you hear me crying in the face of societal oppression
Then you know that I still exist
Then you know I haven't given up
Playing my part in this
Trying to navigate and survive within this system
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RUSS FREEMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@1SwagKat
Please don't ever remove this video
@mikeysoundtrack
Read everything Richard Wolff wrote, and then listen to this song. Still holds up.
@bigleebrink
This reminds me of being 17 years old.
@JohnnySideburnsX
wow that sounds loud!!