Tim Booth rejoined James in 2007, but has continued his solo career and acting alongside the band. In 2009 he made an appearance in the independent British movie Poor Wee Me, and his second solo album Love Life came out in 2011.
Buried Alive
Tim Booth Lyrics
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From the bedroom to the kitchen
3 children
Domesticated
How did this come to be?
Love my children
Even my husband
He commutes
Pays for perfection
Few indiscretions
None he’d own
Buried alive
I don’t believe in hereafter
Buried alive
Don’t close the lid I survived
Buried alive
More of this but just darker
Whatever happened, happened to me
Gone gone gone.
My life was fluid
Now I’m bitter and sharp
Like this cold coffe
That I sip in the dark
The dregs of regret
Better get used to it
Let's face it
Life is for the young
When you’re full of hope
And the future looks strong
Now every photograph I see
Well it looks wrong wrong wrong
Don’t say downturn
I’m in depression
Mortgage and pensions
Where’s the resurrection
From the high life
To a housewife
Wrong wrong wrong
Buried alive
I don’t believe in hereafter
Buried alive
Don’t close the lid I survived
Buried alive
More of this but just darker
Whatever happened, happened to me
Gone gone gone
No self pity
Whatever happened
Happened to me
No self pity
Whatever happened
Happened to me
In Tim Booth's "Buried Alive," he sings about a life that has become stagnant and just going through the motions. The first verse describes a marriage that has lost its spark and passion. The civil union has been relocated from the bedroom to the kitchen. The couple has settled down to raise a family with three children. Booth wonders how this happened and acknowledges that he loves his children and even his husband, but there's a sense of emptiness and longing for something more. The husband commutes, working in the city, bringing home his paycheck, but there's a sense of repetition and a feeling of being buried alive.
In the second verse, Booth reflects on his life, once fluid and full of promise, but now bitter and sharp. He likes his coffee cold, and he sips it in the dark, alone, which also describes his life. He's filled with regret and realizes he must accept it. Life is for the young, who are full of hope and dreams, but now every photograph he sees looks wrong. He's in depression, with a mortgage, and pensions, and there's no sign of a resurrection or hope of change in his life. Booth concludes the song with no self-pity and accepting that whatever happened, happened to him. The song is, at its core, about feeling trapped and wanting to break free.
Line by Line Meaning
My civil unions relocated
My intimate relationships, once centered in the bedroom, now exist in the mundane space of the kitchen.
From the bedroom to the kitchen
My romantic experiences have shifted from passion to mundanity.
3 children
I have brought three lives into this world.
Domesticated
I have settled into the role of a homemaker.
How did this come to be?
I am questioning how my life turned into one of domesticity and normalcy.
Love my children
I have a deep affection for my offspring.
Even my husband
Despite my misgivings, I still love my spouse.
He commutes
My husband travels to work each day.
Repetition in the city
The urban environment is monotonous and predictable.
Pays for perfection
One must pay a premium for anything that is considered flawless.
Few indiscretions
My husband has been mostly faithful.
None he’d own
My husband won't admit to any wrongdoing.
Buried alive
I feel trapped in a monotonous and unsatisfying lifestyle.
I don’t believe in hereafter
I don't have faith in any existence after death.
Buried alive
I am metaphorically buried under the weight of my mundane life.
Don’t close the lid I survived
I don't want to be fully engulfed by my unfulfilling lifestyle, as I am still surviving.
Buried alive
I feel like I am suffocating under the weight of domesticity and normalcy.
More of this but just darker
My life has become more mundane and oppressive, rather than brighter or more fulfilling.
Whatever happened, happened to me
I am the only one to blame for the state of my life.
Gone gone gone.
The vibrant, exciting life I once knew is long gone.
My life was fluid
My existence was once dynamic and flexible.
Now I’m bitter and sharp
My demeanor has become dejected and resentful.
Like this cold coffee
Like the coffee I'm drinking, my life has become unappealing and unsatisfying.
That I sip in the dark
I am drinking my coffee alone in the darkness of my thoughts.
The dregs of regret
My life is filled with the lingering remnants of regret.
Better get used to it
I need to accept the unsatisfying nature of my current situation.
Let's face it
I must confront the reality of my current situation.
Life is for the young
Youth is the time for adventure and excitement.
When you’re full of hope
The young are filled with optimism for the future.
And the future looks strong
They believe their life will be successful and fulfilling.
Now every photograph I see
All my old pictures remind me of what my life once was.
Well it looks wrong wrong wrong
My old life seems distant and unrecognizable to me.
Don’t say downturn
The problems with my life are deeper than a momentary setback.
I’m in depression
I am impacted by a severe mental health condition.
Mortgage and pensions
I am overwhelmed by financial responsibility and obligation.
Where’s the resurrection
I crave a restorative and transformative experience.
From the high life
I once had a glamorous and exciting existence.
To a housewife
Now I am confined to the role of homemaker.
Wrong wrong wrong
My life is off-course and unfulfilling.
No self pity
I refuse to take on a victim mentality.
Whatever happened
My life's circumstances have been caused by my own choices.
Happened to me
I am solely responsible for my life path and current situation.
No self pity
I refuse to cloak myself in a sense of victimhood.
Whatever happened
All the choices I've made have led to my present life.
Happened to me
I fully accept and take responsibility for my life circumstances.
Writer(s): Brian Haner, Tony Iommi, Zachary Baker, Jamen Brooks, James Sullivan, James Horner, Matthew Sanders, Brian Howes, Jonathan Seward, Terrence Butler Copyright: Non-stop Outrageous Publishing LLC, Emi Blackwood Music Inc., Lewis Christ Publishing, Jimmy The Rev Sullivan Music, Bluefame Ltd., High Buck Publishing, Skeletons And Bowties Publishing, S Gatesmusic, Slayer St. Publishing, Sony/ATV Harmony
Contributed by Thomas R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.