1906
The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band Lyrics


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A circus light keeps flashing.
A stone crumbled and fell.
Steel beams snap like toothpicks.
I don't feel well.

Many strangers have arrived.
Wearing immense black capes.
Selling buttons at my door.
I don't feel well.

See the frightened foxes.
See the hunchback in the park.
He is blind, and can't run for cover.
I don't feel well.

Hear my master's ugly voice.
See the the teeth-marks on my leash.




Only freaks know all the answers.
I don't feel well.

Overall Meaning

The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band's song 1906 is a haunting and unsettling piece that seems to be touching upon themes of oppression, isolation and disorientation. The lyricist describes a scene of chaos and destruction, where a stone crumbles and steel beams snap like toothpicks, lending a post-apocalyptic atmosphere. Amidst this chaos, many strangers have arrived and are selling buttons at the singer's door, suggesting a society fallen apart, where nothing is as it once was. The use of the phrase 'immense black capes' suggests that those who have arrived are somehow ominous, or menacing.


There are references to animals in the song - foxes who are frightened, and a blind hunchback who can't run for cover. This imagery may be representative of the singer's own feelings of being trapped and unable to escape their situation, of being preyed upon by those who would seek to do them harm. All of this builds to a crescendo, with the singer describing their master's 'ugly voice' and the 'teeth-marks on my leash'. This suggests a sense of oppression and domination, where the singer is not in control of their own life.


Overall, the song provides a somewhat surreal snapshot of a dystopian world, where control and power are in the hands of those who would seek to exploit and rule over others, leading to a sense of despair and isolation.


Line by Line Meaning

A circus light keeps flashing.
An incessantly blinking light like those in a circus serves as a reminder of an ongoing spectacle or performance.


A stone crumbled and fell.
A seemingly solid and reliable structure has deteriorated and collapsed, leaving behind rubble that previously formed its foundation.


Steel beams snap like toothpicks.
Strong and sturdy metal support systems can break and fracture quite easily, similar to toothpicks despite their girth.


I don't feel well.
The artist feels unease, discomfort or illness either due to external stimuli or an internal source.


Many strangers have arrived.
Numerous unfamiliar people have entered the artist's proximity, creating a sense of unpredictability and loss of control.


Wearing immense black capes.
These strangers are adorned with dark and oversized clothing that serve as a deliberate sign of their difference from the singer's own context and experience.


Selling buttons at my door.
These strangers are selling trinkets or objects of unknown value to the singer from a position of antagonism or exploitation.


See the frightened foxes.
Animals that would usually be seen as carefree or cunning appear to be scared and at risk.


See the hunchback in the park.
A deformed individual is present in a public space, perhaps struggling to navigate through societal expectations and norms.


He is blind, and can't run for cover.
The person being described lacks the ability to sense and escape danger, rendering them vulnerable and exposed to harm.


Hear my master's ugly voice.
The singer is subservient to someone who holds authority over them, but their dominance is not just, and subtly inflicts pain and suffering.


See the the teeth-marks on my leash.
Evidence of physical trauma and captivity are present in the artist's own body, which is constrained and bound by a structure they cannot break free from.


Only freaks know all the answers.
Those who are ostracized, stigmatized or marginalized may possess knowledge and understanding that those in power overlook or suppress.


I don't feel well.
The sense of unease and discomfort that surrounds the singer persists, even as the source of the feeling shifts and evolves throughout the song.




Contributed by Miles S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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