Mandarine
Twenty-First Century Woes
Lyrics
They billed it as the future. twenty-first century
Refers to the anticipation of a promising future in the 21st century.
Old problems growing more problematic exponentially
Describes how existing issues are escalating rapidly and becoming more complex.
Grew up buying plastic toys, now plastic fills the ocean
Reflects on the environmental impact of consumerism, especially plastic pollution in oceans.
They trying to sell us on bitcoin
Criticizes the promotion of bitcoin despite its environmental concerns and reliance on physical mining.
Digital mining that still needs physical mining
Highlights the paradox of digital mining requiring physical resources.
Traditional tyrants rigging the game
Addresses the presence of traditional oppressive forces manipulating the system.
New money, old
Draws a parallel between new and old money, suggesting similarities despite apparent differences.
It's a crypt all the same
Refers to the secrecy and complexity of financial systems, especially in cryptocurrency.
You tryptophan sleeping, opiates in the vain
Mentions sedation through substances like tryptophan and opiates.
They'll build a million cages but won't rehabilitate one, run
Expresses cynicism about the focus on punishment rather than rehabilitation in society.
Oh I've been running
Describes the speaker's continuous effort to escape challenges but feeling inadequate.
But not fast enough
-Oh I've been running
-Not fast enough
-They billed it as the future. twenty-first century
Repeats the theme of high expectations for the future contrasted with escalating problems.
Old problems growing more problematic exponentially
-I'm stressed the fuck out from subscriptions I pretend to need
Stresses the mental burden of unnecessary subscriptions and the negative impact of social media.
On a social feed resembling end of human centipede
Compares the online environment to the grotesque image of a human centipede.
Entropy, but the express lane
Introduces the concept of entropy and uses a supermarket metaphor to depict shared pain.
Fifteen items or less, yeah but they all express pain
-Collecting the best strains and variants
Describes the pursuit of pleasure and experience, even in chaotic or destructive situations.
It's quite an experience
-Live-streaming from inside a burning chariot
-It's very lit
Humorously describes a situation as "very lit" despite its negative aspects.
Oh I've been running
Reiterates the theme of running away, suggesting a need for a temporary pause and reflection.
But not fast enough
-So sit tight for a minute
-And maybe catch your breath
-So light on my feet
Expresses a desire for freedom and detachment from earthly concerns, with a hint of risk.
I'm gonna float away to heaven, no safety nets
-It's a real good thing baby
Emphasizes the inability to pause time and the importance of seizing the present.
Cause you can't pause time
-And there's a million different reasons
Addresses the challenges and external influences that can alter one's perspective.
That the season of the witch will try to change your mind
-And how do I even identify
Questions self-identity and compares it to advanced technologies and data analytics.
I Boston dynamics
Associates the speaker with advanced technologies, data, and societal expectations.
I Cambridge analytics
-I scroll, I slow
-Eyes fixed on an image
-Beauty in the eye of the beholder
-Behold, a behemoth data-holder
-They know if you're into NFTs or nikes
Touches on surveillance and judgment based on personal preferences and sexual orientation.
If thick or skinny excites me
-If my own sexuality's more on a spectrum
-Than I'd admit or realize even
-Hypebeasting
Comments on societal priorities, celebrity culture, and the triviality of certain information.
Celebrity gossip, more than politics
-In this culture war, we all exist
-Hollowness, wait
-How the fuck do I know who Tom Holland kissed, yo
-Wanda shit
References popular culture, suggesting individuals create their own narratives.
We all the stars of our own Westview
-Put the successful on a pedestal
Critiques the imposition of visions by successful individuals and the ensuing discord.
Who impose they vision on the community
-That starts to glitch under individual scrutiny
-Truthfully, these creed thoughts
Asserts that certain thoughts or beliefs should remain private, comparing to Dr. Dre's "Detox."
Should never be released like Detox
-Eavesdrop and let me blow you mind (no doubt)
References eavesdropping and persistence in pursuing personal goals despite obstacles.
I go for mine (they hold out)
-Always have and always will too
Emphasizes the speaker's commitment to personal pursuits regardless of external factors.
New money, old, it's all the same
Reiterates the idea that wealth, whether new or old, poses challenges and potential harm.
Have none, that's gonna kill you
Explores the consequences of having or lacking resources and the precarious balance between survival and decline.
Have some, you can get more
-Stakes high when it's just a lil' food
-Between surviving and perishing
-I'm past my best by date, how embarrassing
-Just throw me in the compost
Metaphorically conveys a sense of being past one's prime and facing embarrassment or decline.
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