But A Fleeting Illness

[afleetingillness]

Here we are back to play the same old games
as if things never changed
the blood still tastes the same
ash to ash, back to back, and dusk to dusk
you look so upper-crust
so rich with broken trust
can you hear your conscience's crying
wash the fields of dead and dieing
ex-acquaintances
jogging over skulls and leg bones
drown the crunch out with your headphones
if you're so rich then pay for what you've done

under the influence
under the influence
keep me off the road when you're around me
under the influence
under the influence
my love, you make me sick

there you are a tool of their familiar game
your lies still smell the same
your kind are still to blame
upper class
this machine you've built to last
well you better spend it fast
I'm about to break the spell you cast
I'll bury you next to your ego
and mark the grave to burn when we go
up in flames again
and now I'm not afraid to kill this
you are but a fleeting illness
the emptier, the easier to break

under the influence
under the influence
keep me off the road when you're around me
under the influence
under the influence
my love, you make me sick

let the clock spin sweetly on it's way
and your face will blur and fade away
wash your hands, they reek of what you've done
just a fraud, just having fun

under the influence
under the influence
keep me off the road when you're around me
under the influence
so insignificant
my love you make me
oh, now dance for me you fucking puppet

[Mailliw]

"Under the influence...
Keep me off the road when you're around me"

This is in my opinion the wittiest of all say anything lines ever. It makes me laugh everytime I hear it.

[Scott]

Apparently someone had a substance issue right?

[Norgan]

This is one of those songs that I love so much, because on one level you can hear it as just one big middle finger to be thrown out, or you can examine it more deeply looking for some interesting insights.
I've also, especially with Max's older lyrics, loved turning it around on him. Maybe one part Max is was writing these words about another part of himself? Self-disassociation is both a pretty awesome mental disorder, and an even more awesome artistic tool.

[transylvanian]

It's a kiss-off/fuck-you song, ala the later songs "Admit It!!!" and "Eloise."
It translates to, "You're a bad person, and you make me a bad person, so get out of my life."
I love the blasé attitude of this person, using her headphones to drown out the crunch of the human bones she's walking on, i.e. carelessly hurting people. I've known people like that...

In high school, my mother always said that you're standing on a table. It's easier for people to pull you off the table than it is for you to pull someone up onto it.