Act of Being Polite
The Residents Lyrics
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Sitting in a chair
She was wrapping something up
And wrapping it with care
I did not mean to hurt her
When I fell asleep last night
I was just exhausted
Yes, I was just exhausted
From the act of being polite
The lyrics to The Residents' Act of Being Polite tell a story of regret and exhaustion. The singer finds a woman crying in the morning, and observes her wrapping something up with care. The singer admits to falling asleep the night before, but promises that it was not intentional, instead blaming it on exhaustion from the act of being polite. The lyrics suggest that perhaps the singer was in a situation where they felt obligated to be polite, even at the expense of their own well-being.
The song can be interpreted as a commentary on societal expectations to be polite and accommodating, even in situations where it may not be necessary or beneficial. The repeated reference to being exhausted from this act suggests that it can take a toll on a person's mental and emotional state. The regret of the singer may also suggest a missed opportunity or chance to act differently.
Line by Line Meaning
I found her crying in the morning
Upon waking up, I discovered a female individual shedding tears
Sitting in a chair
She occupied a seat as she cried
She was wrapping something up
She was covering an object with material
And wrapping it with care
Ensuring that the wrapping is done with caution
I did not mean to hurt her
Inadvertently, I did not have the intention to cause her pain
When I fell asleep last night
During my slumber in the past evening
I was just exhausted
I was only fatigued
From the act of being polite
The cause of my weariness was the endeavor to conduct myself in a courteous manner
Yes, I was just exhausted
Affirmatively, my state was solely one of exhaustion
From the act of being polite
It was the conduct of demonstrating respect and courtesy towards others that led to my exhaustion
Contributed by Adam J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bundocko
Wow we need these kind of crazy artists i love what i see and im sure the world is a bit better with them. C'est un délire délicieux et sucré de folie
Isaac Lux Signifer
The Residents and the dark side of the web go hand and in hand.
Alekx
Hasn't anyone else felt that way? I'm pretty familiar with that exhaustion. I'm a natural introvert, but because of school and work I've been forced to be around people constantly.
Vitor Moura Bolzan Moreira
My cheeks hurt just from reading this
Sztermel
Alekx yeah that feeling is very much known to me as well. Your lips start to hurt from constant fake smile and you get that weird headspace feeling, that you'd like to release all of that fake feeling but you shouldn't cause it will not fit into the situation and will look suspicious when you change your attitude so fast.
Sharon Wilson
i was listening to this when i was aprox 14 and now i am 51! still like it though
whatthemeh
Something about the absurd lyrics and how the music complements that just makes me laugh out loud, this tickles my soul.
DKsFan1
the more i listen to this song the more addictive it becomes(as with most of their music) Cant get sick of it...
Nolan Hartnett
I'm so pleased with myself :) I learned to play this on the trumpet, playing by ear (something I truly suck at). So far the only other things I learned by ear are the McDonalds tune and the Old Spice tune.
Ferenc Szabo
Even though this isn't the original video from 1980, it's worthy of being an actual Residents creation. Great job.