“Obscenery” by Queens of the Stone Age

Kicking off with the first verse, “Obscenery” seems to be diving into the world of appearance and how society paints this ideal picture of perfection (“Mannequins have flawless skin“). Josh Homme is having none of it, though. He is embracing his own freedom and individuality, not giving in to societal standards (“But don’t lobotomy, I’m happy and free“).

What is the meaning of “Obscenery”?

The chorus is a bit of a mind bender. The term “obscenery” isn’t a real word, but we suspect it is likely a play on “obscenity,” suggesting a distaste or criticism for something. The term “jihad” in the phrase “jihad me in obscenery” could imply a personal struggle or battle with this obscenity. The line “Born ruthless” probably means the speaker sees themselves as inherently tough or resilient.

“Hurrah
The obscenery’s f–king useless
Jihad me in obscenery
Born ruthless
Until your rivers run dry
And you’re caught in the middlе what you made
In the division of thighs
From the holе where the empathy used to be
Until your rivers run dry, f–k me stupid
And you’re caught in the middle what you made
Kiss it goodbye, f–k me stupid
Empty hole where the empathy used to be
In the obscenery is where you’re happy to be”

In verse 2, the lyrics touch on self-improvement (“Self-help, go on help yourself“) and seem to criticize those who wallow in their own problems (“You must be pleased with miseries you designed“). The “emotional amputees” bit could refer to people who’ve been deeply hurt in life and are struggling with the aftermath.

The chorus repeats, with the standout line “there’s no love for anyone who isn’t me” – suggesting a self-centered perspective or a disillusionment with others.

The outro implies a sense of urgency with lines such as “We really need to wake” and “We’re too fucking late“.

In the end, this song appears to be a wild mix of social commentary, personal reflection and some form of intimate or emotional struggle. “Enjoy the obscenery, goodnight” seems like a sardonic farewell to the madness of it all.

NOTE: At the end of the day, we should remember that meanings of songs can be highly subjective, so your mileage may vary!

Writing and Production Credits for “Obscenery”

All five members of Queens of the Stone Age receive credits for the composing of this song. We therefore have a writing credit that looks like this:

• Dean Fertita
• Jon Theodore
• Josh Homme
• Michael Shuman
• Troy Van Leeuwen

Queens of the Stone Age as a unit is also given production credits for “Obscenery”.

Release Date

On June 16th, 2023, the band released their eighth studio album, which they titled “In Times New Roman…”. “Obscenery” is one of the album’s ten tracks.