087. Continental Shelf
Viet Cong Lyrics


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When all is said and done
You'll be around until you're gone
Crystallized, cancelled eyes
Illegitimate merchandise
Don't want to face the world
It's suffocating (suffocating)
Undesirable circumstances
I can't feel, no I can't feel

Fingertips in the fountain
Fondle liquid gold
Ice on the horizon
The skyline folding in
Nothing is beginning
Edges falling off of themselves
And the water is draining
Off the continental shelf

Check your anxiety
No need to suffer silently
Convulsion vibrating
Being violated (violated)
Don't want to reminisce
I can't remember (can't remember)

Fingertips in the fountain
Fondle liquid gold
Ice on the horizon
The skyline folding in
Nothing is beginning
Edges falling off of themselves




And the water is draining
Off the continental shelf

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "05 Continental Shelf" by Viet Cong paint a picture of a weary and alienated individual who is struggling to cope with the suffocating and undesirable circumstances of life. The song suggests a sense of detachment from the world and a loss of emotional connection with it. The opening line "When all is said and done, you'll be around until you're gone" conveys a feeling of inevitability and resignation towards the future. The phrase "cancelled eyes" can be interpreted as a metaphor for a sense of numbness and detachment from reality, where nothing seems to matter or affect the person anymore. The line "Illegitimate merchandise" suggests that the person feels like an unwanted or disowned possession.


The chorus serves to expand on the sense of suffocation and detachment described in the verses. The repetition of the word "suffocating" and the phrase "Undesirable circumstances" emphasize the unbearable weight that the person is experiencing. The line "I can't feel, no I can't feel" implies a sense of apathy and numbness towards the world, where nothing seems to stimulate any emotion or reaction.


The second verse depicts a surreal and almost dream-like landscape, where the "fingertips in the fountain" symbolize a desperate attempt to hold on to something of value. The lines "Nothing is beginning, edges falling off of themselves" suggest a sense of disillusionment and decay, where the world is disintegrating around the person. The song ends with the poignant image of "water draining off the continental shelf", implying a sense of impending doom and loss.


Line by Line Meaning

When all is said and done
After everything has been communicated and achieved


You'll be around until you're gone
You'll exist until you die.


Crystallized, cancelled eyes
Frozen, powerless eyes.


Illegitimate merchandise
Unlawful, deceptive goods.


Don't want to face the world
Unwilling to confront reality.


It's suffocating (suffocating)
It's crushing and oppressive.


Undesirable circumstances
Undesirable conditions.


I can't feel, no I can't feel
I can't experience emotions.


Fingertips in the fountain
Fingertips submerged in the water source.


Fondle liquid gold
Touching and enjoying valuable liquid.


Ice on the horizon
Ice visible in the distance.


The skyline folding in
The outline of the horizon is collapsing inwardly.


Nothing is beginning
There is no start to anything.


Edges falling off of themselves
The boundaries are peeling away on their own.


And the water is draining
The water is flowing away.


Off the continental shelf
Away from the shelf of the continent.


Check your anxiety
Examine your unease.


No need to suffer silently
No requirement to endure silently.


Convulsion vibrating
Intense shaking.


Being violated (violated)
Being mistreated.


Don't want to reminisce
Don't want to recollect.


I can't remember (can't remember)
I cannot recall.




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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