FREAKS
Tilt! Lyrics

The song "Toy" by Tilt! seems to be talking about someone who is trying to ignore a voice that's been trying to communicate with them. The voice is first introduced as a whisper, and the person thinks they recognize it. However, as the song progresses, the voice gets louder and more urgent, until it's a scream inside their head. The chorus repeatedly asks, "Can you hear it? Can you hear it?" and refers to it as "ignorance personified." It's possible that this voice represents a problem that the person is avoiding, or an uncomfortable truth that they don't want to confront.

Later in the song, it seems as though the perspective shifts to someone who is being criticized by another person. The line "You try to bite your words / But they keep forming in your mouth / And they are libelous hotly popping out" suggests that this other person is struggling to control what they say and is saying things that are hurtful or untrue. The singer, however, feels as though they are beyond the other person's "dull mind and jagged tongue," and the fact that the other person can't handle this seems to spur them on.

The closing lines of "Toy" seem to tie the two perspectives together. The singer invites the critical person to "follow me all the way home," but notes that they "haven't got the guts to come in too close." The final line, "You just want the chance to show / How little you really know," suggests that the critical person may be projecting their own insecurities onto the singer and that the voice that the singer hears may be related to this dynamic.

Overall, "Toy" seems to be a complex exploration of communication and the ways in which people can avoid or misinterpret what others are saying or feeling. Through its shifting perspectives and repeated questions, the song creates a sense of urgency and tension that underscores its themes.