Comfortably Numb
Van Morrison Lyrics

Hello
The singer is trying to establish contact.

Is there anybody in there?
The singer is asking if anyone is there to hear him.

Just nod if you can hear me
The singer is asking the listener to give a nonverbal response if they can hear them.

Is there anyone at home?
The artist is asking if the listener is present and aware.

Come on, now
The artist is urging the listener to respond.

I hear you're feeling down
The singer has heard of the listener's emotional state.

Well, I can ease the pain
The singer claims they can relieve the listener's discomfort.

And get you on your feet again
The artist can help the listener recover from whatever is ailing them.

Relax
The artist is trying to calm the listener.

I need some information first
The artist attempts to gather necessary details in order to properly help the listener.

Just the basic facts
The singer is only asking for fundamental information.

Can you show me where it hurts?
The artist is asking the listener to pinpoint where they are experiencing pain or discomfort.

There is no pain, you are receding
The listener's pain is decreasing.

A distant ship's, smoke on the horizon
The singer uses a metaphor for what the listener is experiencing.

You are only coming through in waves
The listener's state of being is sporadic.

Your lips move but I can't hear what you're sayin'
The artist cannot understand the listener.

When I was a child, I had a fever
The artist is reminiscing about a past illness.

My hands felt just like two balloons
The singer uses a simile to describe the physical sensation they experienced during the past illness.

Now I've got that feeling once again
The singer is experiencing a similar sensation once more.

I can't explain you would not understand
The artist believes the listener cannot relate to their current feeling.

This is not how I am
The current situation is not representative of the artist's usual self.

I have become comfortably numb
The artist has accepted and become accustomed to their present state of being.

Okay
Acknowledgment or affirmation by the singer.

Just a little pinprick
The artist is describing a small amount of physical pain.

There'll be no more, ahh
The physical discomfort will end soon.

But you may feel a little sick
The singer warns of a possible side effect of the treatment.

Can you stand up?
The singer is checking to see if the listener is able to move.

I do believe it's working, good
The artist is pleased with the results of the treatment.

That'll keep you going through the show
The artist believes the treatment will allow the listener to make it through the rest of whatever is going on.

Come on it's time to go
The singer is encouraging the listener to move on or leave the current situation behind.

When I was a child, I caught a fleeting glimpse
The singer has a memory of something they cannot fully remember.

Out of the corner of my eye
The fleeting glimpse was observed peripherally.

I turned to look but it was gone
The moment or memory disappeared quickly.

I cannot put my finger on it now
The artist still cannot fully articulate or remember the event.

The child is grown, the dream is gone
The singer has grown up and moved past the dreams of their youth.

I have become comfortably numb
The artist is content with their current state of apathy.