Nine Shades To The Circle
The Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics

Like any other day,
This is a typical day in the life of the singer, nothing out of the ordinary.

I heard the bell and grabbed my coat.
The singer hears a signal to signify that it's time to leave or go somewhere and prepares to leave.

I snatched a coffee, nearly choked
The singer quickly gets coffee but struggles to drink it because they are in a hurry.

And semi-cartwheeled headfirst in the rain.
The artist is in a hurry and rushing somewhere, but the weather is bad.

I knew I had to make that train.
The artist is determined to catch a specific train and knows it is important to their life somehow.

My life depended on that train.
The train is crucial to the singer's life in some way, perhaps symbolically representing an opportunity or escape.

A laughing bag sang 'Giant Panda'.
This line could have multiple interpretations, but it seems to be a surreal moment where a whimsical object sings about an animal that has no relevance to the plot.

Evil Santa punishes the bad boys
Another surreal moment, where an evil version of Santa Claus is punishing misbehaving children. This could symbolize a loss of innocence or the artist's troubles coming back to haunt them.

And once I told myself a lie.
The artist has deceived themselves before, indicates they may not be entirely honest with themselves or others.

I never quite figured out the reason why -
The artist is confused or uncertain about something important from their past or present.

But everybody's pointing at me.
The singer is self-conscious and feels like they are being judged by others.

Pointing at me and laughing at me.
Others are openly mocking or belittling the artist's struggles or behavior.

Pushing...
A sudden break in the narrative, implying something bad is happening or about to happen.

And like any other day,
The narrative returns to the beginning, indicating that the singer's struggles are cyclical and ongoing.

A junkie stopped me for some change.
The singer is stopped by someone in need, but the encounter does not end well for them.

He pulled a knife and cut...and like any other day,
The encounter with the junkie turns violent and chaotic, but the narrative resets to the beginning again.

And we met there on the platform
The artist meets someone they presumably care for on a train platform.

And you took me to your room.
The person the singer meets takes them to a private space, potentially symbolic of a deeper connection.

And though you reached out for me;
The other person tries to initiate intimacy or closeness.

I couldn't touch you.
The artist is unable or unwilling to accept the other person's affection or connection.

I watched you melt in tears.
The other person is emotional and vulnerable in front of the artist.

50,000 tears.
An exaggerated number, but emphasizes the other person's emotional intensity.

The radio exploded.
An unexpected or violent event occurred, perhaps symbolizing the singer's emotional turmoil or chaos in their life.

I found your ear wrapped in a tissue.
A grotesque or surreal moment that could be interpreted in many ways but emphasizes a sense of loss or damage.

I tried to lose you...lose you...
The singer is attempting to distance or detach themselves from the other person or the chaos in their life.

And like any other day,
The narrative resets again, indicating the singer's struggle is ongoing and perpetual.

I heard the bell and grabbed my coat.
The same cycle of events repeats itself, and the singer has to start anew once again.

I snatched a coffee, nearly choked
The same routine repeats itself, signifying that nothing has changed for the artist.

And semi-cartwheeled headfirst in the rain.
The artist is still in a hurry and rushing through the rain, indicating that they are always on the move and anxious.