Initially a avantgarde thrash metal / prog rock hybrid, Thought Industry's signature sound is showcased on their first two albums; Songs For Insects and Mods Carve The Pig: Assassins, Toads And God's Flesh, however by the time of their third album Outer Space Is Just A Martini Away, the band had started to shed their metal roots and had moved into alternative and art rock by the time they recorded their fourth album, 1997's Black Umbrella. The band are known to have remained active as of 2001 but disbanded shorly after the release of their magnum opus Short Wave On A Cold Day.
Alexander vs. the Puzzle
Thought Industry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stagnant and alive. Pours in sheets. Wren feathers for
Sister. Oak for me to make a toy.
Concealed both far and wide. Yes, we are one.
Fragments missing and lost directions, yes, we are one.
Puzzled mind;
Just a little boy. So charming. A Small smile. Eyes blazing.
Come play with me.
Lost inside;
Slide the pieces back. No worries, a Flux mind. Gears churning.
We are the best of friends.
We are one.
There's a fawn lying in the meadow. Sniffs in the
Air. Smelling Mother and Father. Runs in the wind.
Nothing is stopping attractions. The vision is set, and
Taken in.
Concealed both far and wide. Yes, we are one.
Fragments missing and lost directions, yes, we are one.
The lea's sitting full of grain, Father. Sheep shall
Graze, our cottage warm; Father.
Just above one pine lands eleven owls. Three die
For love. Six die of famine and sustenance. Two fly to
The West. Never seen again.
Concealed both far and wide. Yes, we are one.
Fragments missing and lost directions. Yes we are one.
Puzzled mind;
Just a little boy. So charming. A Small smile. Eyes blazing.
We are the best of friends.
Come play with me.
Lost inside;
Slide the pieces back. No worries, a Flux mind. Gears churning.
We are the best of friends.
The lyrics of the song Alexander vs. the Puzzle by Thought Industry seem to be about the experience of being lost and trying to find one's way. The imagery is quite vivid, with the singer surrounded by sedge, mist off the mire, and stagnant water that "pours in sheets." The lyrics seem to suggest that the singer is lost in a puzzle and is trying to put the pieces back together. The lyrics speak of "fragments missing and lost directions," which implies that the singer is struggling to find a way out of their current situation.
The singer seems to be accompanied by a friend, as evidenced by the line, "We are the best of friends. Come play with me." The friend seems to be trying to help the singer solve the puzzle, telling them to "slide the pieces back" and assuring them that they have a "flux mind." This suggests that the friend is more experienced or knowledgeable than the singer and is trying to guide them.
The final stanza of the song brings in new imagery of a fawn in the meadow, sheep grazing, and owls perched on a pine. These seem to be symbols of nature, with the fawn, sheep, and owls representing different aspects of the natural world. The lyrics suggest that even in the midst of uncertainty and confusion, there is an underlying unity and interconnectedness that binds everything together. This seems to be the central message of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Sedge surrounds me. Mist off the mire floats safely.
I am surrounded by plants and fog from the swamp. It feels calm and peaceful.
Stagnant and alive. Pours in sheets. Wren feathers for Sister. Oak for me to make a toy.
The swamp water is full of life, but it's still and flows slowly. I found some feathers for my sister and oak for me to create a toy.
Concealed both far and wide. Yes, we are one. Fragments missing and lost directions, yes, we are one.
We may seem scattered and incomplete, but we are still one entity.
Puzzled mind; Just a little boy. So charming. A Small smile. Eyes blazing. We are the best of friends. Come play with me. Lost inside; Slide the pieces back. No worries, a Flux mind. Gears churning. We are the best of friends. We are one.
I am a confused little boy, yet still charming with an optimistic mind. Let's have fun and put our pieces back together with ease. We are best friends and one entity.
There's a fawn lying in the meadow. Sniffs in the Air. Smelling Mother and Father. Runs in the wind. Nothing is stopping attractions. The vision is set, and Taken in. Concealed both far and wide. Yes, we are one. Fragments missing and lost directions, yes, we are one.
A fawn lays in the meadow, delighting in the smells and running freely. I am still one entity despite the scattered state of my thoughts.
The lea's sitting full of grain, Father. Sheep shall Graze, our cottage warm; Father.
Our farm is rich with crops and sheep will graze peacefully outside our door.
Just above one pine lands eleven owls. Three die For love. Six die of famine and sustenance. Two fly to The West. Never seen again. Concealed both far and wide. Yes, we are one. Fragments missing and lost directions. Yes we are one.
Eleven owls perch on a tree. Three of them die for their love, six die from hunger, and two fly away to the unknown West. I may be lost and incomplete, but I am still connected as one entity.
Contributed by Savannah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Shawna Ledbetter
I know a lot of people who didn't even know them personally, nationally even, that will always love this band. I'm so glad to have had the experience up close and personal. This album will be buried with me along with the rest of the old school TI albums.
Gerry FTV
This is one of the best songs on the album
Bri H
i will always love this band...... there, i said it.
Justin Bogenschutz
Criminally underrated
Jefferson's Cock
no reference