We Built a Monster
Unleashing the Monstrous Truth: Thea Gilmore's Revelatory Anthem
Lyrics
Stretched between the lamplight and the cigarette ash
Metaphorical representation of a location caught between the light of lamplight and the remnants of burnt cigarettes, suggesting a transitional or uncertain state.
In the corner of the city where the markets crashed
Refers to a specific corner in the city where economic markets have collapsed, indicating a place of hardship or decline.
There are boxes of the lonely here and fires of hope
Describes a place with both isolated individuals ("boxes of the lonely") and optimistic elements ("fires of hope").
We built a monster
Declaration that a monstrous entity has been created, likely symbolizing a negative and powerful force.
We built a monster
Repetition for emphasis on the creation of the monstrous entity.
You can take a bit of red a bit of white and blue
Suggests taking elements from different cultures (red, white, and blue) and bringing them together, potentially highlighting a mix of ideologies.
From across the Atlantic laying trails to you
Refers to influences from across the Atlantic Ocean and their impact on the mentioned location.
A little flash of lightning and some bully boy charm
Mentions the use of charm and power dynamics in the creation of the monster.
We built a monster
Reiteration of the assertion that a monstrous entity has been constructed.
We built a monster
Repetition for emphasis on the creation of the monstrous entity.
This thing can cross oceans in its seven league boots
Describes the monster's ability to traverse great distances rapidly.
It can chew the money tree right down to its roots
Depicts the destructive capability of the monster, particularly in relation to financial structures ("money tree").
The ship of a state can go under in minutes
Uses the metaphor of a sinking ship to emphasize the potential rapid downfall of a state or system.
You don't know the flood is coming until you're swimming in it.
Highlights the unawareness of imminent danger until one is deeply involved or affected.
It ain't come from the hungry, it ain't come from the bored
States that the monster did not originate from poverty or boredom, nor is it associated with historical struggles ("grapes of wrath").
It ain't tramping out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored
Rejects the idea that the monster is a product of societal hardships, introducing the notion of its internal existence.
It spins like a tequila worm inside all of us
Compares the destructive nature of the monster to a tequila worm, implying a corrosive influence within everyone.
We built a monster
Reiteration of the assertion that a monstrous entity has been constructed.
We built a monster
Repetition for emphasis on the creation of the monstrous entity.
It can breathe its greed into innocent souls
Describes the monster's ability to corrupt innocent individuals and influence their desires.
It can raise up armies, it can blow 'em full of holes
Points out the monster's capacity to assemble and destroy armies, suggesting both creation and destruction.
It can dress for occasion if occasion demands
Suggests the adaptability of the monster, able to conform to different situations or occasions.
There is power in the chase, there is power in the hand
Acknowledges the power held in the pursuit and control, emphasizing the influence of the monster.
So the city flickers on like a reeperbahn night
Describes the city's atmosphere with vivid imagery, likening it to a lively night in a specific district (Reeperbahn).
Hissing like a wildcat just about to fight
Uses animalistic imagery to depict the city's tense and ready-to-fight atmosphere.
And it mutters that we rule by ladders of degree
Suggests a hierarchical structure in the city, ruled by levels of social status or authority.
We built a monster
Reiteration of the assertion that a monstrous entity has been constructed.
We built a monster
Repetition for emphasis on the creation of the monstrous entity.
We built a monster
Final repetition for emphasis on the creation of the monstrous entity.
We built a monster
Reiteration of the assertion that a monstrous entity has been constructed.
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