New Gods by Grimes Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Cryptic Hymn of Modernity

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Grimes's New Gods at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Oh, you’re all I know
But what can I do if I can’t see you?
It’s too bright
Broken glass that shines like northern lights
So I pray, but the world burns
And still, you need to come first
So I don’t know where you stand

Are you a man?
Are you something I can’t stand?

Hands reaching out for new gods
You can’t give me what I want

But what do I know? Oh
What do I know?
I wanna let go, I
I wanna, wanna, wanna let go

I wear black eyeliner, black attire, yeah
So take me higher and higher and higher

But the world is a sad place, baby
Only brand new gods can save me
Only brand new gods can save me
Oh, oh, oh
Only brand new gods

Hands reaching out for new gods
You can’t give me what I want
Hands reaching out for new gods
You can’t give me what I want

In the ethereal soundscape of Grimes’ music sits ‘New Gods,’ a track that echoes with the modern disillusionment and the search for something greater, something purer in the polluted firmament of today’s society. Across the canvas of her synth-layered song, the artist paints a stark reflection on contemporary life, faith, and the idols we conjure to make sense of an increasingly senseless world.

With her characteristic blend of airy vocals and dark, atmospheric production, ‘New Gods’ coaxes listeners into a reverie of thought, all while holding a mirror to the fragmented shards of our collective psyche. Here, we delve into the layers of meaning enshrouded within the lyrics, seeking understanding in the gleam of Grimes’ proverbial ‘broken glass that shines like northern lights.’

Diving Into the Divine – The Search for New Idols

The chorus succinctly encapsulates a central theme of ‘New Gods’: a plea for new deities in the midst of chaos. This isn’t just about a literal god or gods, but rather an allegory for the principles, figures, or systems of belief that human beings turn to for meaning and salvation. It’s a poignant comment on how traditional structures seem inadequate for the complexities of modern existence and the vacuous nature of our collective moral compass.

In this context, ‘Hands reaching out for new gods’ can be verbalized as a metaphor for the human condition—our perpetual stretching towards something, anything, that can satiate our insatiable hunger for purpose and understanding. Ironically, the hands reach but repeatedly come back empty because ‘You can’t give me what I want.’ The track is a bleak acknowledgment of the disillusionment felt when old gods, be they religion, relationships, or role models, fail us.

A Personal Pilgrimage or a Universal Quest? – Reflections on Isolation

The opening lines of the song serve as a quiet confession of solitude and the ensuing frustration when Grimes croons, ‘Oh, you’re all I know, But what can I do if I can’t see you?’ There’s an ambiguity here—is she speaking to a lover, to a deity, or to herself? This conundrum sets the stage for a personal journey that intersects with a universal narrative; the struggle to maintain relationships with our objects of worship in a world that’s growing increasingly opaque.

Moreover, the reference to the world’s burning while still needing something to come first alludes to the paradox of modern life. We are faced with global catastrophes, yet the individual’s quest for personal fulfillment, recognition, or love often takes precedence. Grimes is encapsulating in her lyrics the quintessential human conflict between self and the greater good.

Unveiling the Hidden Meanings – The Lament of Our Time

Deeper layers of ‘New Gods’ reflect the existential despair and spiritual vacancy of an era defined by superficiality and relentless pursuit of the novel. Grimes confronts this emptiness head-on by both embracing and challenging it—’I wear black eyeliner, black attire, yeah’ could be read as both acceptance of her own participation in the artifice and a yearning for elevation ‘higher and higher’ beyond it.

The stark declaration that ‘Only brand new gods can save me’ uncovers the trap of thinking that the next innovation, relationship, or trend holds the key to redemption. In doing so, Grimes offers a dark prophecy: the new gods we create in our attempts to escape the apocalypse of the mundane may be just as hollow as the old.

Revelation and Despair – The Poignancy of ‘I Wanna Let Go’

Possibly the most disarmingly honest moment in ‘New Gods’ comes with the simple admission, ‘I wanna let go.’ It’s a moment of universal resonance: the desire to be released from the burdens we carry, from the relentless pressure to find or become something more. This line unfolds as both a cry for help and a declaration of intent; an acknowledgment of past failures, but also the resolve to move beyond them.

Thus, the track becomes an anthem for the forlorn, for those brave enough to abandon false idols and face the abyss, hoping that in the act of releasing, they find the freedom they seek. It’s a reminder that sometimes, relinquishing control is the only way to find any sense of control at all.

Dissecting the Memorable ‘Are You a Man?’ – Defying Roles and Expectations

One cannot ignore the haunting inquiry that Grimes posits in the song, ‘Are you a man? Are you something I can’t stand?’ This line cuts to the core of contemporary gender debates and identity politics—it’s a challenge to the listener to confront their own conceptions of masculinity, femininity, and the roles we play. It conveys the confusion and dissatisfaction with prescribed norms, and it’s emblematic of the broader quest of ‘New Gods’ to find authenticity in an inauthentic world.

By questioning the very identity of her supposed savior, Grimes transcends the individual and speaks to society at large. It’s a refusal to accept the roles handed down by the old gods, and a beckoning towards a future where what we are is defined not by societal expectations but by personal truth. In the song, the new gods are not just deities or idols, but also new paradigms of being.