1. Midnight Ambulance (1994 - Machinery)
2. Orange Moon (1997 - Visage)
3. Satellite People (1999 - Nova Tekk)
The Northern Territories - Official Homepage
Hypnotized
The Northern Territories Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The northern heights
I like these naked grounds
There's nowhere you can run
And screaming red
Is the colour of the dead valley below
But I look at you as it glows
On
Bare, bare trees
Please, leave the engine running, if you like
Just slow down for a while
And screaming red
Is the colour of the dead valley below
But I look at you as it glows
On and on
This time I can't go wrong
I must look stupid the way I grin
But I can't deny this thing within
I must be hypnotized
In "Hypnotized," The Northern Territories paints a picture of a desolate, dying landscape. Starting with Venus slowly dying and the northern heights, the song focuses on a sense of isolation and a lack of escape. The line "there's nowhere you can run" emphasizes a feeling of being trapped.
The lyrics then shift to describing the color of the dead valley below as screaming red. This creates an eerie, almost hellish image. But amidst this death and destruction, the singer finds solace in looking at someone else. The line "But I look at you as it glows" shows that even in a world where everything is falling apart, connections with other people can still bring moments of serenity.
The final verse cements this connection, with the singer asking that the other person leave the engine running and just slow down for a bit. Despite the impending doom of the landscape around them, they still find joy in just being with each other. The song ends with the confession that the singer must be hypnotized by this feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
Venus slowly dies
The singer observes the apparent demise of Venus, which could be a symbol for a significant loss or change.
The northern heights
The singer is in a remote, possibly desolate place that is located at high altitude in a northern region.
I like these naked grounds
Despite their starkness, the singer finds something appealing or comforting about the landscape they are in.
There's nowhere you can run
The artist implies that they, or someone else, is trapped in this location.
And screaming red
Describing the valley below as 'screaming red' adds an emotional and visceral quality to the description.
Is the colour of the dead valley below
The singer sees the color as a sign of death or destruction, and it adds to the ominous, unsettling atmosphere.
But I look at you as it glows
Despite the dreariness of their surroundings, the singer is drawn to the beauty of the person they are with.
Bare, bare trees
The trees in this landscape are described as bare, which could imply that they are dead or devoid of life.
Please, leave the engine running, if you like
The artist or someone with them is asking someone else to keep the car engine running, perhaps out of a sense of urgency or anxiety.
Just slow down for a while
The artist wants to take a moment to appreciate the surroundings and/or spend time with the person they are with.
On and on
The repetition of this phrase creates a sense of going on indefinitely, like a cycle or continuum.
This time I can't go wrong
The artist feels confident that they are making the right decision or choice this time around.
I must look stupid the way I grin
The singer is self-conscious about how they may appear, but they cannot help feeling happy in this moment.
But I can't deny this thing within
The singer is acknowledging a powerful feeling that they cannot ignore or suppress.
I must be hypnotized
The singer humorously suggests that they are under a spell of some sort, but really means that they are deeply affected by this experience.
Contributed by Abigail V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.