Thought Industry (previously known as Desacrator) formed in Kalamazoo, Mich… Read Full Bio ↴Thought Industry (previously known as Desacrator) formed in Kalamazoo, Michigan (US) in 1989. Their demo was brought to the attention of Metal Blade Records by Metallica's Jason Newsted and the band were signed shortly after.

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.

Ballerina
Thought Industry Lyrics

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Here Grub go 'gain. Lick me hurts and scratch the
Stucco. Can smell the streets of Bailey McCaret, or
Mama in snazzy white. Mama won't let wee grub leave.
No sun, no fun, no gun to ice her. I'll love over you as
We embrace each other.
We are lonely. We are scared. We are forever.
I am bile, I am blood. I am forever.

The quartzite window provides a star. Grub wish n
Wish for grass to roll in, or a girl to pet my cheek; but
Mom comes a reeking sex and Drambule. A dirk with
Blades both North and South. Opposing points against
Our tummies. We embrace. The blades insert. As our love
Consumes each other.
We are lonely. We are scared. We are forever.

I am vomit, I am pus. I am forever.
Mom shall dance a final ballet.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to “Ballerina” by Thought Industry convey a haunting perspective on the cycle of abuse and its effects on the psyche of the abused. The singer in this song is a character named Grub who is seemingly trapped in a dysfunctional relationship with his mother. Grub longs for escape, but his mother won’t allow it. He feels isolated, afraid, and forever scarred by their twisted relationship. He describes himself as bile and blood, conveying how deeply his mother’s abuse has affected him. The only glimmer of hope he has is in the star provided by a quartzite window where he wishes for something better, such as grass to roll in or a girl to love.

However, his mother’s arrival immediately shatters any hope he had, as she comes in reeking of sex and Drambule (a liqueur). She is armed with a dirk, a type of knife, with blades on both sides. They embrace, but in reality, it's a deadly dance with knives. As they insert the blades into each other, the lyrics become more and more visceral, with Grub seeing himself as vomit and pus, and yet he says he is forever. In the end, he resigns himself to the fact that no matter what happens, his mother will always dance a final ballet.

Overall, the song portrays a deeply disturbing picture of abuse and its after-effects. It conveys a sense of hopelessness that is difficult to shake, with the final lyrics acting like a final nail in the coffin of any possible escape. The poetic language is what makes this song so effective, as it allows the listener to picture these twisted images in their heads and conjure up their own interpretations of what is happening.

Line by Line Meaning

Here Grub go 'gain. Lick me hurts and scratch the Stucco.
Grub is back, suffering and scratching at his wounds while he leans against the stucco walls.

Can smell the streets of Bailey McCaret, or Mama in snazzy white.
Grub can smell the scents of the streets, the noise of Bailey McCaret, or even his mother's fragrance when she dresses sharply in white.

Mama won't let wee grub leave. No sun, no fun, no gun to ice her.
Grub's mother won't allow Grub to go out and make something of himself. He's stuck at home without anything to entertain him, and nothing he can use to escape (like a gun).

I'll love over you as We embrace each other.
Grub will embrace his significant other with all the love he can muster.

We are lonely. We are scared. We are forever.
Grub and his partner are rejected by society, alone and frightened. They're resigned to their fate of being together forever.

I am bile, I am blood. I am forever.
Grub identifies himself as both bile and blood, representing his emotion and passion. He is consumed by them and will not be deterred.

The quartzite window provides a star. Grub wish n Wish for grass to roll in, or a girl to pet my cheek; but Mom comes a reeking sex and Drambule.
Grub is looking out the quartzite window, dreaming of greener pastures and a more romantic life. However, his mother's affair ruins any opportunity he has for happiness.

A dirk with Blades both North and South. Opposing points against Our tummies. We embrace. The blades insert. As our love Consumes each other.
Grub and his partner are intimate, and as they embrace, they're confronted with the possibility of harm (a dirk with blades). Nevertheless, their love consumes them regardless of the danger.

Mom shall dance a final ballet.
Grub's mother will execute her final act in the tragic ballet that is their lives.

Contributed by Madelyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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