Useless ID is a four-piece punk-rock band formed in Haifa, Israel in 1994.… Read Full Bio ↴Useless ID is a four-piece punk-rock band formed in Haifa, Israel in 1994. Like any other band, they started playing shows in their country. However, it wasn't until they started flying to California to play shows when they began to get international recognition. They created their own record label called Falafel Records, named after their favorite food. Eventually The Ataris came to hear of Useless ID's material. They liked it and offered to do a split EP under their previous record label, Kung Fu Records. Useless ID eventually got signed under Kung Fu Records themselves and have released three more subsequent records on that label. One of their songs, called "State of Fear", is featured in the Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 compilation. In 2008, Suburban Home Records put out "The Lost Broken Bones", a solid 12 track album that hearkens back to the glory days of pop-punk, although it was darker, heavier and more aggressive than any of the band's previous efforts. Since 2011, the band has been signed to Fat Wreck Chords.

Band members:
* Yotam Ben Horin - Bass, Lead Vocals
* Ishay Berger - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
* Guy Carmel - Rhythm Guitar, Backup Vocals
* Yonatan Harpak - Drums, Percussion

Shallow End
Useless ID Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What would you say if I told you everyone's been doing the same things to kill some time?
It amazes me how they all drown in the shallow end.
How does it feel to be burning out?

I'm counting the sheep as I run away from any words you let out.
They infect us all.
We follow the sound into a wrong turn, jaded town.
How does it feel to be burning out?

Only you could embrace what I'm feeling.
Holding on when the walls come down.

Now I'm on the outside.
I'm on the outside.
Now I'm on the outside.
Get away.

Now I'm on the outside.
I'm on the outside.
Now I'm on the outside.
Get away.

Get away.

Feed me a thought of pretending who we are,
Then I'll be stuck being someone else.
We'll stay for a while in a place you dreamed about,
Then we'll come down in a waterfall.

Only you could embrace what I'm feeling.
Holding on when the walls come down.

Now I'm on the outside.
I'm on the outside.
Now I'm on the outside.
Get away.

Now I'm on the outside.
I'm on the outside.
Now I'm on the outside.
Get away.

It's a wonderful day here
Where the colours are faded out.
It's a wonderful day here
Where the colours are faded out.

What would you say if I told you everyone's been doing the same things to waste their lives?
It amazes me how they all die in the shallow end.
That's how it feels to be burning out.

Now I'm on the outside.
I'm on the outside.
Now I'm on the outside.
Get away.

Now I'm on the outside.
I'm on the outside.
Now I'm on the outside.
Get away.

It's a wonderful day here
Where the colours are faded out.
It's a wonderful day here

Where the colours are faded out.
Where the colours are faded out.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Useless ID's song "Shallow End" are about feeling disconnected from people who engage in the same repetitive activities to pass the time. The singer is amazed by how easily people can get stuck in a routine and lose their sense of individuality. The phrase "drown in the shallow end" refers to the idea of settling for the easiest option without ever pushing oneself. They wonder how people cope with their own mediocrity and if they are aware that they are wasting their life energy.

The lyrics also touch on the struggle with interpersonal communication. The singer says they're running away from any words their partner utters because they're too scared of how they'll affect them. This could imply that they have communication issues or trust issues in their relationship. They try to escape by counting sheep, but still feel a sense of infection that spreads from the inside out.

The chorus emphasizes the theme of being an outsider. The singer states that they are on the outside, and they need to get away from the confines of normalcy. They want to break free from the shallow end and experience a transcendental state. The end of the song repeats the line "It's a wonderful day here where the colors are faded out." This line connotes a feeling of emptiness, as if everything is dull and monotonous. In conclusion, the song speaks to a sense of dissatisfaction with mundane life, a lack of communication and connection, and a yearning for something more meaningful.

Line by Line Meaning

What would you say if I told you everyone's been doing the same things to kill some time?
The song starts with a rhetorical question that asks how one would react if they knew that people are killing time in the same way.

It amazes me how they all drown in the shallow end.
The lyricist is amazed by how people tend to get trapped in the superficial and mundane aspects of life.

How does it feel to be burning out?
The song repeats this line throughout the chorus, asking how it feels to be drained and exhausted.

I'm counting the sheep as I run away from any words you let out.
The singer is avoiding a conversation with someone and tries to distract themselves by focusing on counting sheep in their mind.

They infect us all.
The words of others can have a significant impact on our thoughts and actions, influencing how we behave and feel.

We follow the sound into a wrong turn, jaded town.
People can get caught up in negative feelings and head down a path that makes them feel disillusioned and unhappy.

Only you could embrace what I'm feeling.
The singer is expressing their vulnerability and suggests that only one person can truly understand and accept their emotions.

Holding on when the walls come down.
This line is repeated throughout the chorus, suggesting that the person being referred to is the source of support during tough times.

Now I'm on the outside. I'm on the outside. Now I'm on the outside. Get away.
The repetition of this line expresses the feeling of being excluded or pushed away from a group or person.

Feed me a thought of pretending who we are, Then I'll be stuck being someone else.
This lyric talks about how pretending to be someone else can result in losing oneself and becoming disconnected from their true identity.

We'll stay for a while in a place you dreamed about, Then we'll come down in a waterfall.
This line talks about how expectations and dreams can lead to disappointment when they don't pan out as expected, leaving one feeling let down.

It's a wonderful day here Where the colours are faded out.
This line repeats at the end of the song, expressing a sense of melancholy or sadness despite the beauty of the day.

What would you say if I told you everyone's been doing the same things to waste their lives?
The song ends with a rephrased rhetorical question that asks how people would react if they knew everyone was squandering their lives in the same way.

It amazes me how they all die in the shallow end.
The song ends with a line that is similar to the second line, once again expressing the singer's amazement at how people get caught up in the superficial aspects of life.

That's how it feels to be burning out.
The song ends with a rephrased chorus line that emphasizes the feeling of exhaustion and burnout.

Contributed by Adrian T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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