Oblivius by The Strokes Lyrics Meaning – Navigating the Labyrinth of Discontent
Lyrics
It’s not my midnight yet
Act like a wolf but think like a sheep (Wall Street)
Unchain me
Cause this is my bank advice
We’re gonna give it back to you, some other day
Take off from the runway
Thinking of a sad day
Racing down the highway
Looking at me sideways
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
Unchain me, it’s time
I know the way uptown
Unchain me
I’m waiting for the time
To get you with your pajamas on
Take off from the runway
Thinking of a sad day
Playing with his new toys
Looking at the sad boys
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
And we take what we hide from them
And then say
“What do you want from me?”
Don’t wait so long
Way too long
They wait too long
I can’t stay awake too long
You never wait for some
Other generation
I’ll wait somewhere alone
Get it in your head
Get out of my way
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
What side you standing on?
Ohhhh
The Strokes have long been heralds of the modern rock revival, wielding their garage band roots and injecting them with a contemporary edge. ‘Oblivius,’ a standout track from their 2016 EP ‘Future Present Past,’ serves as a lamenting narrative that bridges the personal with the socio-political, distilling it into a catchy yet profound anthem for the disenchanted.
Frontman Julian Casablancas delivers lyrics that paint a portrait of internal struggle and societal disillusionment. The song is a juxtaposition of dynamic shifts, from contemplative lulls to fervent crescendos, encapsulating the emotional volatility of today’s world. Beneath its vibrant surface, ‘Oblivius’ is a microcosm of conflict, calling into question where one’s loyalties and beliefs truly lie.
Unchained Rhythms: The Clash with Conformity
The song kicks off with a plea for liberation, ‘Unchain me,’ suggesting a yearning to break free from the shackles of societal expectations. The reference to midnight not yet arriving implies a future turning point or moment of reckoning still ahead. Delving deeper, ‘Oblivius’ uses the metaphor of the wolf and sheep, a nod to Wall Street machinations, to evoke the duplicitous nature of modern society.
This opening juxtaposes the primal with the passive, inferring that even the most predatory among us may be conditioned to follow rather than lead. Casablancas crafts an existential quandary out of daily routine, one where each moment is a struggle between following one’s instincts or the herd.
Runaway Thoughts on a Sad Day: The Tyranny of Routine
‘Take off from the runway / Thinking of a sad day’ could be interpreted as the urge to escape the mundane, only to be haunted by the inevitability of gloom that lurks just beyond. There’s a profound restlessness that permeates these lines, suggesting that no matter how fast one moves, emotional baggage remains a steadfast companion.
As the song accelerates like a car racing down the highway, it captures a sense of urgency and directionless motion—a candid metaphor for the ceaseless pace of modern life, where we’re all looking ‘sideways’ at each other, competing in an endless comparison.
Choosing Sides in a Divided World: The Song’s Hidden Meaning
Repeatedly the song asks, ‘What side you standing on?’ This relentless query acts as the core of ‘Oblivius,’ inviting listeners to consider their place in a fractured world. It’s a call to self-assessment, an urging to pick a lane in the face of moral ambivalence. Casablancas is challenging the bystander effect, prodding the passive to become participants.
There’s a deeper resonance here too, with the oft-political nature of music—’Oblivius’ doesn’t just serve as a personal narrative, but as a subtle indictment of the political apathy and polarization plaguing our times. Choosing a side takes on a weighted significance against the backdrop of contentious issues and the battle for societal progress.
The Inertia of Generations: A Cry for Evolution
‘You never wait for some / Other generation,’ sings Casablancas, a nod to the impatience and immediacy that defines contemporary culture. It’s an acknowledgment of generational divides, where the young inherit challenges from the old, and the push for change is a constant, pressing demand.
This impatience is, however, tempered by a resolve to find solitude (‘I’ll wait somewhere alone’), suggesting that the wait for societal change can be a solitary journey, one that requires both individual conviction and societal action. ‘Oblivius’ challenges listeners to embrace this dual role.
Memorable Lines that Cut Deep: ‘I can’t stay awake too long’
Potent and resonant, ‘I can’t stay awake too long’ is emblematic of the fatigue that comes from a heightened state of awareness in a tumultuous world. It’s a haunting admission of the toll that constant vigilance can take on the psyche – an exhaustion that arises from the struggle to stay informed, empathetic, and engaged.
This line epitomizes the zeitgeist of the digital age, where the flood of information never ceases, and the pressure to be a part of the conversation is relentless. ‘Oblivius’ provides an anthem for those who feel overwhelmed by the rapid pace of change and the demand for perpetual participation in the social dialogue.
