All in Vain
Echoes of Unfulfilled Wishes: Chumbawamba's Melodic Reflection
Lyrics
I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish (Repeats)
The speaker expresses a strong desire or hope, repeating it for emphasis.
But it's all in vain (Repeats)
The wish mentioned earlier is futile or unsuccessful.
Different colors, different faces
Diversity is highlighted, possibly referring to people with different backgrounds and appearances.
Different schools in different places
Mention of various educational institutions in different locations.
Scour the morning papers, all in vain
Searching the morning newspapers for information, but the efforts are in vain.
Evening after, who remembers?
Evening time passes, and memories are forgotten or disregarded.
Say your prayers for the great pretenders
Prayers are offered for those who pretend or fake their identity.
I see nothing but flowers, all in vain
The speaker observes only flowers, possibly symbolizing beauty or transience, with no real substance.
I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish (Repeats)
Repetition of the wish, reinforcing its importance or intensity.
But it's all in vain (Repeats)
The wish remains unfulfilled, emphasizing the sense of futility.
All the gravestone elegies
Mention of gravestone inscriptions and memories of people the speaker never met.
I-never-met-you memories
Memories that exist only in the speaker's imagination.
And every T.V. picture, all in vain
Television images are futile or meaningless.
All your questions, deep as skin
Questions are as superficial as skin, possibly indicating shallow inquiries.
separate worlds to put them in
There are separate worlds for these questions, suggesting division or lack of understanding.
Another might-have-been, all in vain
Reference to missed opportunities or unrealized potentials.
I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish (Repeats)
Repetition of the unfulfilled wish, underscoring its futility.
Color blind as tse-tse flies
Comparing color blindness to tse-tse flies, implying an obliviousness to differences.
Sucking all our difference dry
Indicating that differences are being drained or eradicated.
And as we sleep they multiply (Repeats)
While sleeping, differences multiply without notice.
All in vain (Repeats)
Reiteration of the futility expressed earlier, suggesting a sense of hopelessness.
Multiply (Repeats)
Repetition of the idea that differences are multiplying, emphasizing the inevitability of this process.
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