Red Tape
UMPHREY’S McGEE Lyrics
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I would climb into a hole
Should I build a private cemetery
There should be no elaborate ceremony
Should I rise above it all
Did you know what to expect of me
I'll carve my own headstone
You could spare me temporarily
I won't be around at all
Though opinions tend to vary
(You might be wrong)
Open-ended more than ready
Holding on to my regrets
Though I tend to have that tendency
But the hole is not filled yet
Information kills
The red tape high and wide
Systemated thrills
My plate is over-filled
Screwed loose until it leaks
Life begins to spill
Passing through the fields
Of distant memories
It's all just a dream
Your conviction's slow but steady
My eviction notice ready
My conviction's slow but steady
Your eviction notice ready
Your conviction's slow but steady
My eviction notice ready
My conviction's slow but steady
Your eviction notice ready
The lyrics to the song Red Tape by Umphrey’s Mcgee deal with themes of resignation and acceptance of fate. The opening line, "If you walk away you'll bury me", gives a sense of desperation and the feeling of being trapped in a situation that cannot be easily escaped. The following lines, "I would climb into a hole / Should I build a private cemetery", paint a picture of a person who is contemplating their own death as a way of escaping their problems.
As the song progresses, it becomes apparent that the singer of the song is resigned to their fate. Lines like "I'll carve my own headstone / You could spare me temporarily / I won't be around at all" convey a sense of inevitability, as if the singer has accepted that their life is going to end and there is nothing they can do to change it.
The song also deals with themes of memory and regret. The line "Holding on to my regrets / Though I tend to have that tendency / But the hole is not filled yet" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the singer is holding on to their regrets even though they know it is not productive.
Overall, Red Tape is a song that deals with heavy themes of resignation and regret, but still manages to be catchy and memorable.
Line by Line Meaning
If you walk away you'll bury me
Leaving me alone hurts so much that it will feel like I'm being buried alive
I would climb into a hole
I feel so hurt that I want to isolate myself from the world
Should I build a private cemetery
I'm considering creating a place just for mourning and grieving by myself
There should be no elaborate ceremony
I don't want anything ostentatious, like a fancy funeral, for my mourning
Should I rise above it all
I'm pondering whether or not I should try to be stronger than my grief
Did you know what to expect of me
I'm uncertain if you truly knew who I am or how I would react to this situation
I'll carve my own headstone
I feel like there's nobody here for me, so I'll bury myself metaphorically and create something, like a headstone, to remember myself
You could spare me temporarily
Maybe just for a bit, you could ease my pain
I won't be around at all
I'm so hurt that I'm considering not even existing anymore
Though opinions tend to vary
Not everyone will understand my feelings or my choices, which is okay
(You might be wrong)
I don't have to agree with everyone else's perspective, and neither do you have to agree with mine
Open-ended more than ready
I'm emotionally available, even if I'm not fully prepared for what's to come
Holding on to my regrets
I'm stuck in the past with things that I wish I had done differently
Though I tend to have that tendency
I often fall into the same habits or patterns
But the hole is not filled yet
I'm still hurting and grieving, and it will take time to heal
Information kills
Sometimes we can't handle the truth, and it can be more painful than helpful
The red tape high and wide
Bureaucracy and rules can be limiting and hard to navigate
Systemated thrills
Conforming to the expectations of society can be rewarding, but it can also feel empty and unfulfilling
My plate is over-filled
I have too many responsibilities and obligations, and it's causing me stress and anxiety
Screwed loose until it leaks
I'm feeling like I'm about to break, and it's causing me to behave erratically
Life begins to spill
Things are starting to unravel and fall apart, and it's becoming too much to handle
Passing through the fields
I'm revisiting past memories and experiences
Of distant memories
These are memories that are now far removed from my present life
It's all just a dream
Sometimes the past feels surreal or dreamlike, and it's hard to reconcile with reality
Your conviction's slow but steady
You have a strong sense of beliefs, and you're committed to them, even if it takes time
My eviction notice ready
I'm about to be removed or pushed away from something or someone
My conviction's slow but steady
I'm also steadfast in my beliefs, even if it takes me longer to get there
Your eviction notice ready
You might also be feeling like I'm about to leave or be pushed away
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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