They were joined in 1991, by Wally Ingram and Courtney Audain. Timbuk 3 recorded several albums from 1986 to 1995; their first album, Greetings From Timbuk 3, generated their only chart hit song, "The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades". The song was featured in the 1987 film, My Best Friend is a Vampire.
Also from Greetings From Timbuk 3, "Shame On You" was played during the opening scene of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, released in 1986.
The group broke up in 1995, with the ex-members going on to record other music independently.
Cynical
Timbuk 3 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See the dark side of every silver lining
But you cut through the negativity
When you do the things you do to me
Oooh, I can't get cynical
Oooh, I can't get cynical about you
If you were anyone else I might suspect
A home improvement project
An object for your pleasure
But something tells me
We have found a lasting treasure
Oooh, I can't get cynical
Oooh, I can't get cynical about you
I can get cynical enough to make you mad
I can get cynical about your mom and dad
I can be bad you know as well as I do
But I'm no cynic when it comes to loving you
Oooh, I can't get cynical about you
Cynical, I can't get cynical about you
I can get cynical about most anything
I can get cynical about this song I sing
It's just so positive it must be really shallow
Flowers on the window ledge, acres lying fallow
I don't believe in your theory of creation
I don't believe that Mary was a virgin
I don't believe in your brother the mystic
That's not being cynical
That's just being realistic
Oooh, I can't get cynical about you
Cynical, I can't get cynical about you
In this world of cynical souls
Actors cast in cynical roles
Thank God I know someone so nice
Who'll give me respite from my greatest vice
Oooh, I can't get cynical
Oooh, I can't get cynical about you
In the verses of "Cynical," Timbuk 3 acknowledges a tendency to be cynical about everything in general. However, the chorus reveals that there is one person who is exempt from the cynicism – a lover. The lover cuts through the negativity and brings light to the world of the singer. The second verse acknowledges the danger of being rejected when one is in love with someone else; however, the singer believes that in this case, the relationship is built on a strong foundation.
Towards the end of the song, Timbuk 3 makes it clear that their lack of cynicism is not caused by a lack of intelligence, but rather, it's a conscious choice. They don't believe in many things that others might, such as Mary being a virgin or the theory of creation, and they acknowledge that others might find this to be cynical. However, they make a distinction between being cynical and being realistic.
Line by Line Meaning
I can get so cynical sometimes
I have a tendency to become negative and distrustful in my thoughts and actions
See the dark side of every silver lining
I have a natural instinct to focus on the negative aspects of a situation rather than the positive ones
But you cut through the negativity
You have a positive effect on me that allows me to overcome my negative tendencies and see the good in things
When you do the things you do to me
By behaving in a certain way towards me, you inspire me to see the bright side of things
If you were anyone else I might suspect
If you were like other people I know, I might think that you would eventually reject me
I'm just another whom in time you will reject
I'm worried that you might lose interest in me at some point
A home improvement project
I fear that you might just see me as a project to work on to improve yourself
An object for your pleasure
I worry that you might just be using me for your own enjoyment
But something tells me
Despite my fears, I have a feeling that we might have a lasting relationship
We have found a lasting treasure
I think I might have found someone truly special and worth keeping in my life
I can get cynical enough to make you mad
My negativity can sometimes reach a level that annoys or upsets you
I can get cynical about your mom and dad
I have a tendency to even be negative towards the people you love
I can be bad you know as well as I do
I am aware that I can have some unpleasant characteristics or habits
But I'm no cynic when it comes to loving you
Despite all of my negative tendencies, I am still able to have a positive, non-cynical outlook when it comes to our relationship
I can get cynical about most anything
Even beyond our relationship, my tendency towards cynicism can extend to other areas of my life
It's just so positive it must be really shallow
Sometimes I am so jaded that I have trouble believing in anything positive or optimistic
Flowers on the window ledge, acres lying fallow
Even simple, beautiful things can be met with skepticism or negativity by me
I don't believe in your theory of creation
I am skeptical of the religious beliefs and ideas that you hold
I don't believe that Mary was a virgin
I am doubtful of the religious stories and myths that you believe in
I don't believe in your brother the mystic
I don't have faith in the people and ideas that you find important
That's not being cynical
My doubts and skepticism in these areas don't stem from my tendency towards cynicism, but rather from a disagreement in beliefs
That's just being realistic
I believe that my beliefs are grounded in a sense of rationality and realism
In this world of cynical souls
In a world where many people are jaded and negative
Actors cast in cynical roles
Many people put on an air of negativity or cynicism as a disguise or because it's socially acceptable
Thank God I know someone so nice
I'm grateful that I have someone in my life who is genuinely kind and positive
Who'll give me respite from my greatest vice
You offer me a break or relief from my tendencies towards negativity and cynicism
Oooh, I can't get cynical
Despite all of my negative tendencies, I am unable to be cynical when it comes to you and our relationship
Oooh, I can't get cynical about you
You have such a positive effect on me that even when I am at my lowest, I can't bring myself to be cynical about you
Contributed by Hunter F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alex Melnick
My SO asked me for a love song. This was the first that came to mind. Probably says something about me.