Let's Talk About "Exhaustion"...

Oh, I know it's not one of their best songs, but the line "There is no romance, no glamour, in reality (WHAT?)" strikes me as something that isn't exactly profound, but is the sort of honest that can only be found in the sort of sad desperation of someone who is, well, exhausted.

Obviously the song is about what it is obviously about, what Tom Gabel seems to be writing about these days, being in a successful band.


So are you really listening?
I don't want any part of it.
I was worried and upset about what I'm gonna do without your genre acceptance.
Then it came to me:
You gotta turn your back and abandon it.

Again, it's nothing profound, but it is remarkably honest.

of course its honest! didn't he say walking is sitll honest? i think parts of this song influenced 'violence' its kinda similar topic in the verses i think

this song contains one of the best verses tom has written in my opinion...sucsk that it was never relased on any of thier own albums....

So let it burn in the front yard,along with everything I own.
Piled up and sprayed down with gasoline,
Soak the embers in the broken heads of my
guitars as we dance around in circles, torch ourselves in effigy.
Everybody jump up live, love longer

This along with Clap Clap, the other forgotten SFAFC demo, are two of my favorite Against Me! songs.

henotbusybeingborn wrote:

This along with Clap Clap, the other forgotten SFAFC demo, are two of my favorite Against Me! songs.

I agree. One is probably the most pessimistic, one the most optimistic. It makes no sense, and it's fantastic.

"im taking aim at you, as a focus and recipient of judgement"

one of my favs as well, although it could use a dash more spite, and a pinch more of angst. cook for 28 years at 98.7 degrees.

One of my favorites. I'm almost positive they played it at FUC in Philly way back when. I wish they would play it again. It has an awkward kind of energy to it. I like it alot.

I mean they definitely have played it before, at the very least on the live footage on the DVD, but i feel they stopped playing it when the demo got stolen? I really dont know though, just speculation.

Sometimes Tom's lyrics really just amaze me with their honesty, in a good way.

I agree with you guys - these songs are amazing - i love the line "your politics are easy to remember, especially when sung along a piece like this so ...'

does anyone have all the lyrics to the song? it's not on their site.

These are the lyrics that were posted on www.songmeanings.net:


There is no anger, just growing exhaustion and disgust.
No longer difference between.
A cynicism has been writing itself into my skin,
and I am sick to death of it.

So let it burn in the front yard,along with everything I own.
Piled up and sprayed down with gasoline,
Soak the embers in the broken heads of my
guitars as we dance around in circles, torch ourselves in effigy.
Everybody jump up live, love longer

So are you really listening?
I don't want any part of it.
I was worried and upset about what I'm gonna do without your genre acceptance.
Then it came to me:
You gotta turn your back and abandon it.

I'm taking aim at you; as a focus and recipient of judgment.
Well your politics are easy to remember,
especially when sung along to beats like this, so:
It's a dirty little secret about money?
It's a dirty little secret about poverty?
It's a dirty little secret about hunger?
Another little secret about war and brutality.

There is no romance, no glamour in reality.

What!?

There is no romance, no glamour in reality.

Cool! Thanks laurendelore! I'll have to bookmark that site.

Can anyone tell me what this line are all about (in your opinion):

It's a dirty little secret about money?
It's a dirty little secret about poverty?
It's a dirty little secret about hunger?
Another little secret about war and brutality.

I just can't understand how it's concerned with a previous lines.

See, these messages were posted (I think) before the band released the lyrics in 'Total Clarity' so they're not 100%.

Anyway, the lyrics actually are:

"So here's a dirty little secret about money, here's a dirty little secret about poverty,
Here's a dirty little secret about hunger, another little secret about war and brutality:
There is no romance, no glamour in reality."

ok but I still can't interpret it in the song's context

Well, as I see it, the song is about a total disillusionment with reality; a sense of nausea at the lack of beauty in the world ("There is no romance, no glamour in reality.") I think that's a little ironic considering how beautiful some of the lyrics are in this song.

There's also the theme of rejecting the music industry and genres ("Stoke the embers with the broken necks of my guitars as we dance around in circles", "Your politics are easy to remember, especially when sung along to beats like this.", "So are you really listening? I don't want any part of it"). There's also a lot of railing against the conservative punks whom opposed the constant change in Against Me!'s sound.

Overall, I think it's about a loss of the sense of self brought on by the events that happened between The Eternal Cowboy and Searching For A Former Clarity.

If that made any sense, you're lucky. My eye doctor made my eyes blurry and I can't read so well right now.