Introduction: The song was initially released to fans that had pre-ordered the album on 29th October 2021 (it had originally been planned for Nov 1st) with artwork by Simon Ward.
A reference to the Marillion album Less is More, as well as the well-known expression?
'Consumption'
In the context of the song, it is pretty obvious that the literal meaning of the word is in the sense of consuming resources and rampant consumerism. However, historically, 'consumption' was also another name for a significant cause of death, namely tuberculosis or 'TB', so named for the associated weight loss, which gave the impression of the disease 'eating' the victim. In the majority of cases, TB is associated with lung damage.
Tuberculosis is still prevalent in parts of the world, but in the developed world is rare (fewer than 1 in 10,000), though it is a major killer globally (1.5 million deaths), second only to COVID-19 in 2020.
Songs with a link have explanations.
- Introduction
- Be Hard On Yourself
- Reprogram The Gene
- Murder Machines
- The Crow and the Nightingale
- Sierra Leone
- Care
Hard (hah!) not to see parts of song as a direct callback to that horrible Jess Glynne song "Don't Be So Hard On Yourself":
ReplyDeleteThere are several direct lyrical callbacks: "Let's go back to simplicity", "Everyone trips, everyone falls", and so on.
Perhaps it's a tribute. Or perhaps it's a sarcastic riposte to saccharine, well-behaved blandness - whatever about the orchestration of that song, the kind of advice being dispensed ("You're beautiful! It's OK, you're trying your best and that's all anyone can do!") is simply not good enough when confronted with serious and defining issues (climate change, elections of fascist presidents, decaying and miserable relationships).
It's telling us all to take care of the planet. Simple message. Amazing song. I love it 😁
ReplyDeleteMore brilliant lyrics from H & wonderful music. It’s simple, we need to start leading simpler lives, instead of sucking the life out of the planet. Flash holidays, living the high life, spend spend spend & greed are killing it. The politicians need to set the example, but that’ll never happen!!!!
ReplyDelete"Something to pull the sheep across the field / Bag of grass and straw” and "The monkey wants a new toy" seem to tie in with a similar notion as in the ‘Dr. Frankenstein’ section in Reprogram the Gene, that we’re constantly being lured with ‘new and improved’ versions of things and products, whether falsely or not, through advertising and marketing, to keep us buying and (over)consuming. “How can it keep growing?, in the same context, seems to refer to the idea that nothing can keep growing indefinitely without at some point causing damage to things that are in its way or path. This notion, that only two among nine planetary boundaries need be crossed to arrive at critical tipping points, was developed in a non-fiction book titled ‘Doughnut Economics’ by Oxford economist Kate Raworth, whose views have gained some popularity among environmental and climate activists.
ReplyDelete“The only way forward is to fall over” could refer to the phenomenon of lemmings running towards the edge of cliffs and throwing themselves over, sometimes by the populations, onto certain death. Although scientists still haven’t found the definitive answer to this puzzling behaviour, the common theory is that the animal’s frenzied kamikaze is caused by over-population and/or possible degeneration and ensuing stresses.
ReplyDeleteWhile it’s popularly believed that lemmings are wont to chuck themselves off cliffs, it’s not true. Migratory lemmings can die in large number as a consequence of trying to swim distances that are too great for their meagre capabilities, but don’t deliberately try and die. That was a scene staged by Disney for a documentary - it didn’t even use a variety of lemming that was migratory!
DeleteThat doesn’t preclude h thinking it to be true, of course, but unless there’s evidence the line might mean that, I can’t publish it.
You're right, it's an urban myth caused by Disney. I'd never read that, perhaps h didn't either :D
DeleteWhat scientist did find out, is that because of their reproduction rate, overpopulation occurs frequently and lemmings sense this. Large groups then migrate to other habitats, where they have more space. During this trek, accidents do happen and large numbers have been soon to drop off unexpectred cliffs or drwon in rivers, but it has nothing to do with suicide.
"to fall over", could of course allude more generally to being at a brink and having nowhere to go but down. Would fit nicely, no need for urban myths ;)
DeleteSuch inspired and meaningful lyrics from a beautiful, powerful, magical album.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite album of all time - have not stopped playing it since it’s release on
4 March