With keen pop sensibilities, a skewed sense of humour and a willingness to draw inspiration from diverse sources (notably punk rock), Therapy? came to attention in the early 1990s rise of alternative rock, but have endured for more than a decade since; Critic Johnny Loftus writes, "After a ten-plus year career that has seen them outlast competitors and outwit industry attempts at categorization, Therapy? are still headbangers with their thinking caps screwed on tight."
Current line-up :
Andy Cairns (guitar, vocals) (1989 - )
Michael McKeegan (bass guitar, backing vocals) (1989 - )
Neil Cooper (drums) (2003 - )
Past members:
Fyfe Ewing (drums) (1989 - 1996)
Martin McCarrick (cello, guitar, backing vocals) (1996 - 2004)
Graham Hopkins (drums) (1996 - 2001)
Discography:
-Hard Cold Fire (2023)
-Cleave (2018)
-Disquiet (2015)
-A Brief Crack of Light (2012)
-Crooked Timber (2009)
-One Cure Fits All (2006)
-Never Apologise Never Explain (2004)
-High Anxiety (2003)
-Shameless (2001)
-So Much For The Ten Year Plan - A Retrospective 1990-2000 (2000)
-Suicide Pact - You First (1999)
-Semi-Detached (1998)
-Infernal Love (1995)
-Troublegum (1994)
-Face the Strange E.P. (1993)
-Shortsharpshock E.P. (1993)
-Nurse (1992)
-Pleasure Death (1992)
-Babyteeth (1991)
Northern Ireland, 1989.
Perish the Thought
Therapy? Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Given half the chance
But I'm not in dreamland now
Reality avalanche
In a way
I'm in waste-management
I cover shit up, cover shit up
Pretend it never happened
It could be worse
I could be you
It could be worse
I could be you
But I perish the thought
No idea is natural
We're born, we age, we die trying
Slowly rotting beneath the surface
Waiting to burst with rage
It could be worse
I could be you
It could be worse
I could be you
It could be worse
I could be you
It could be worse
I could be you
But I perish the thought
And I perish
I perish
The thought
And I perish
I perish
The thought
It could be worse
I could be you
It could be worse
I could be you
It could be worse
I could be you
It could be worse
I could be you
I could be you
I could be you
I could be you
I could be you
Therapy?'s song Perish the Thought presents the idea of how people cope with reality and the concept of pretending that things never happened. The lyrics suggest that the singer wants to sleep for days, but they acknowledge that they cannot do that because they are not in dreamland: they are facing reality. The phrase "reality avalanche" represents the overwhelming feeling that comes with accepting the things that happen in life. The singer feels like they are in a waste-management role, where they cover things up and pretend they never happened. This line suggests that the singer has a job to do when it comes to dealing with difficult situations.
The following stanza talks about the idea of no idea being natural, which alludes to the fact that life is something that we must work at. We are born, we age, and we die trying to navigate the world around us. This stanza also suggests that people keep things bottled up inside until they eventually burst with rage. The repetition of "it could be worse, I could be you" introduces the idea of perspective. No matter how bad things may seem, there is always someone else out there who has it worse. However, the singer rejects this idea by saying that they "perish the thought" of being someone else.
Overall, Perish the Thought is an existential song that delves into the complexities of life and how people deal with hardships. The singer's coping mechanisms are to cover things up and pretend they never happened, which raises the question of how healthy that is in the long run. The song encourages listeners to embrace their own experience, no matter how difficult, and to reject the idea that anyone has it worse.
Line by Line Meaning
I could sleep for days
I feel exhausted and would love nothing more than to shut myself away from the world for an extended period of time to recharge
Given half the chance
If given the opportunity, I would indulge in a long, uninterrupted sleep without any other obligations or responsibilities to worry about
But I'm not in dreamland now
However, I am currently wide awake and conscious of the harsh reality of my surroundings
Reality avalanche
I am feeling overwhelmed and buried by the stresses and challenges of my everyday life
In a way
To cope with my struggles, I have developed a habit of covering up and ignoring unpleasant situations rather than confronting them head-on
I'm in waste-management
I have become skilled at concealing unpleasant truths and hiding away anything that could negatively impact me or others
I cover shit up, cover shit up
I bury my anxieties and fears under a façade of normalcy, pretending that everything is alright even when it's not
Pretend it never happened
I take a 'out of sight, out of mind' approach to my problems and shortcomings, refusing to acknowledge them for fear of confronting them
It could be worse
I try to reassure myself that my problems are manageable and that there are people who are less fortunate or struggling more than me
I could be you
I could be in a worse situation or experiencing greater hardships than the present situation, but I am not
No idea is natural
All beliefs and concepts are constructed by society and our upbringing and are not inherently 'natural' or true
We're born, we age, we die trying
We are all born into the same cycle of life, where we will inevitably get older and eventually die, but we continue to strive towards something, whether it be happiness or fulfillment
Slowly rotting beneath the surface
We all have hidden issues or problems that we avoid addressing, fearing the consequences of confronting them
Waiting to burst with rage
These suppressed emotions and thoughts can build up within us and eventually reach a boiling point, resulting in an outburst or confrontation
But I perish the thought
However, I refuse to let myself become consumed by negative thoughts and emotions, and I try to quell any potential outbursts before they occur
Contributed by Ava P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dominique Bérard
Amazing song