Distress
The Rockfords Lyrics
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He waits for shadows to change
Thinking of wonderland Allison
And how she spiked his mind that day
Dinner served he stared blankly at
A plate of madness and fate
And his roll of the dice unraveled
One night in a room padded distress
And simple pleasures like speaking now
Have all ended
Alisons' endless smile horizon
A future ghost angel was she
And he walks in circles aimless
Searching for serenity
And his roll of the dice unraveled
One night in room padded distress
And simple pleasures like hearing now
Have ended
He lives in a detention cell
His mind smoke screen down, down
And grasping her mirrored image
Yearning she shines like roses
And his roll of the dice unraveled
One night in a room padded distress
And simple pleasures like seeing now
Have all ended
His roll of the dice unraveled
One night it a room padded distress
And simple pleasures have all gone now
It's all ended
The Rockfords' song Distress explores the psychological distress of a man who is in a mental asylum. The song opens with a vivid image of the man on a sun-drenched balcony, waiting for shadows to change. He thinks about Allison, who appears to be a woman who had a significant impact on his life. However, the image of her in his mind seems to be distorted, as she 'spiked his mind that day.' As he receives his dinner, he stares blankly at the plate, feeling powerless in the face of his fate.
The chorus of the song emphasizes how the man's life has unraveled due to his mental distress. Simple pleasures that he once enjoyed, such as speaking, hearing, and seeing, have all ended. The only source of comfort he has is the image of Allison, described as an endless smile horizon, and a future ghost angel.
The second verse continues to describe the man's mental anguish, as he walks around in circles, aimlessly seeking solace. He longs for Allison, whose image shines like roses, but he is confined to a detention cell, and his mind is clouded with a smoke screen. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the devastating effect of his mental breakdown, where his roll of the dice has unraveled, leaving him with no simple pleasures.
Overall, The Rockfords' song Distress provides a powerful glimpse into the life of a man who has been consumed by his mental anguish. The lyrics highlight the devastating impact it has on his daily life, relationships, and sense of purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
In a sun drenched balcony asylum
He is secluded in a place where he can observe safely from a distance.
He waits for shadows to change
He expects circumstances to change based on the amount of time that passes.
Thinking of wonderland Allison
He thinks of a person who represents a place or a feeling which he finds alluring.
And how she spiked his mind that day
He reflects on how he was stimulated mentally by her.
Dinner served he stared blankly at
He observes his meal, but his thoughts are elsewhere.
A plate of madness and fate
He sees his life's trajectory on this plate and views it as a distressful fate.
And his roll of the dice unraveled
He took a risk but it didn't work out in his favor.
One night in a room padded distress
He found himself in a situation where he was physically restrained in a place.
And simple pleasures like speaking now
He can no longer take for granted the simple act of communicating with others.
Have all ended
He is in a position where he can no longer enjoy previously normal activities.
Alisons' endless smile horizon
He envisions a future with Allison as being very happy.
A future ghost angel was she
He views Allison as someone who holds herself almost beyond reach as an ideal.
And he walks in circles aimless
He has no sense of direction and just moves about without a plan.
Searching for serenity
He wants to find a sense of peacefulness within himself.
He lives in a detention cell
He feels stuck in a place where he is confined against his will.
His mind smoke screen down, down
His mind is muddled with confusion and he feels trapped in his own thoughts.
And grasping her mirrored image
He wants to hold onto the reflection of Allison that he finds in his own mind.
Yearning she shines like roses
He sees her as someone who is beautiful, yet thorny and unattainable.
His roll of the dice unraveled
Once again, he took a risk but it didn't work out in his favor.
One night in a room padded distress
Again, he finds himself physically restrained in an uncomfortable place.
And simple pleasures like hearing now
He can no longer appreciate the ability to hear sounds around him.
Have ended
He is in a position where he can no longer enjoy previously normal activities.
His roll of the dice unraveled
Once again, he took a risk but it didn't work out in his favor.
One night it a room padded distress
Again, he finds himself physically restrained in an uncomfortable place.
And simple pleasures have all gone now
He has lost the capacity to enjoy things that previously brought him joy.
It's all ended
He has come to a point where he can no longer see a future for himself.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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