His use of all the “ize” words (e.g. criticize, modernize, desensitize, etc.) call out society for focusing on these ultimately unimportant details when we should be trying to improve the world by focusing on ending conflicts, stopping the dangers of nuclear weapons, or even something as simple as living in a way that makes us, as individuals or as a group, happy.
“Ize” is also a possible play of words for “Eyes”, as this is told as if Mother Earth had a mouth and saying what she saw and what could be better about it.
Ize of the World
The Strokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause they'll be tryin' to knock you down in some way
Sometimes it feels like the world is fallin' asleep
How do you wake someone up from inside a dream?
Your mind would wander and search for its place in the night
Your body followed this feeling like following light
Once that your music was born it followed you 'round
And then it gave your activities meaning and let you be loud
You're sad but you smile
It's not in your eyes
Your eyeballs don't change
It's the muscles around your eyes
An egg to fertilize
A pulse to stabilize
A body to deodorize
A life to scrutinize
A child to criticize
Young adults to modernize
Citizens to terrorize
Generations to desensiti-
Your dreams are sweet and obsessed and you're overworked
You're overtaken by visions of being overlooked
How disappointed would D.I.D.I.P.P. be
To see such power in our hands all wasted on greed?
Am I a prisoner to instincts or do my thoughts just live
As free and detached as boats to the dock?
Just like the music was born and detached from your heart
Is your free time to free minds or for falling apart?
Night after night
You turn off the light
You don't fall asleep right away
Are we, are we done?
A desk to organize
A product to advertise
A market to monopolize
Movie stars to idolize
Leaders to scandalize
Enemies to neutralize
No time to apologize
Fury to tranquilize
Weapons to synchronize
Cities to vapori-
The Strokes' "Ize of the World" is a song that delves into the uncertainties of personal and societal identity. The lyrics are a complex web of metaphors, questions, and societal critiques that question what it means to be truly free in a world that is constantly trying to define us. The song opens with a warning to watch what you say because "they'll be trying to knock you down in some way." Here, the "they" refers to the forces of society that are constantly trying to police and criticize those who try to define their own identity in a way that does not fit into the societal mold.
The song then goes on to explore how music and art can be a way for individuals to find meaning and purpose in a world that is falling asleep. However, the lyrics also recognize how difficult it can be to break through the barriers of the mainstream and establish a true sense of self. Specifically, the line "You mind would wander and search for its place in the night / Your body followed this feeling like following light" speaks to the longing for meaning and purpose that drives many of us.
The song also critiques the societal forces at play that seek to desensitize and control individuals. The list of societal forces that the song describes - "Citizens to terrorize / Generations to desensitize / Enemies to neutralize" - points to the ways in which society systematically seeks to mold individuals into compliant subjects. Ultimately, "Ize of the World" is a song that recognizes the complexity of personal and societal identity and points to the ways in which art can be a tool to transcend these limitations.
Line by Line Meaning
I think I know what you mean but watch what you say
Be careful what you say because people might try to bring you down.
'Cause they'll be trying to knock you down in some way
People might try to harm you in some way.
Sometimes it feels like the world is falling asleep
The world can sometimes feel dull or boring.
How do you wake someone up from inside a dream?
How can you snap someone out of their complacency?
You mind would wander and search for its place in the night
Your mind is always searching for meaning and purpose.
Your body followed this feeling like following light
Your body responds to your inner desires and impulses.
Once that your music was born it followed you 'round
Once you found your passion in life, it became a constant presence.
And It gave you activities meaning and let you be loud
Your passion gave you purpose and allowed you to express yourself.
You're sad but you smiled
You try to put on a happy face despite feeling down.
Its not in your eyes
Your true emotions are not always visible in your eyes.
Your eyeballs don't change
Your eyes themselves do not show your emotions.
It's the muscles around your eyes
It's the movement of the muscles around your eyes that reflect your emotions.
An egg to fertilize
Human reproduction starts with the fertilization of an egg.
A pulse to stabilize
A steady heartbeat is essential for life.
A body to deodorize
The human body requires personal hygiene to smell pleasant.
A life to scrutinize
People often judge and criticize others' lives.
A child to criticize
Children are often criticized or judged by adults.
Young adults to modernize
The world is always changing, and young people play a role in modernizing it.
Citizens to terrorize
Some people use fear and intimidation to control others.
Generations to desensitize
Over time, people can become numb or indifferent to certain things.
You're dreams are sweet and obsessed
You are deeply passionate and driven towards achieving your dreams.
And you're overworked
You are working very hard towards your goals.
You're over taken by visions of being overlooked
You worry that your hard work will go unnoticed or unappreciated.
I'm disappointed would the I.D.I.P.P be
The I.D.I.P.P. organization (possibly a fictional group) would be disappointed in the human tendency to waste resources on greed.
To see such our power in our hands all wasted on greed
Human beings have the power to make a positive change, but are often driven by greed instead.
Am I a prisoner to instincts
Do our natural impulses control us more than we realize?
Or do my thoughts just live as free
Do our thoughts have the power to control our actions?
And detached as boats to the dock?
Are our thoughts unmoored and adrift from our actions?
Just like music was born
Just like the creative process of music writing and production.
And detached from your heart
Just as music can be emotionally resonant yet still detached from the creator's heart.
Is your free time to free minds
Do you use your free time to enlighten and inform others?
Or for falling apart?
Or do you use it to indulge in unhealthy behaviors?
Night after night
This is a repetitive pattern.
You turn off the light
You try to fall asleep.
You don't fall asleep
You have trouble falling asleep.
Right away
Immediately after turning out the light.
Are we, are we done?
Is this pattern of insomnia over?
A desk to organize
The need for order in life and work.
A product to advertise
The power of marketing in our society.
A market to monopolize
The desire for companies to dominate their respective markets.
Movie stars you idolize
The idolization of celebrities in our culture.
News to scandalize
The media's tendency to sensationalize events.
Enemies to neutralize
The idea of enemies and the desire to eliminate them.
No time to apologize
Some people prioritize their goals over apologizing or making amends.
Fury to tranquilize
The need for anger management and emotional regulation.
Weapons to synchronize
The desire for military or government agencies to have weapons and technology working together.
Cities to vapor-
This line ends abruptly, leaving the listener to speculate what the lyrics would have been. It could potentially refer to the idea of cities being destroyed or disappearing.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Julian Casablancas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind