Hell in Music

They might be giants wrote a song called 'Hopeless Bleak Despair'. Interesting song, but our hero goes to Hell at the end. Here are the lyrics, and would like your thoughts on what this song might mean.



They Might Be Giant
Hopeless Bleak Despair'

I never knew what everybody meant by endless, hopeless bleak despair
Until one day when i found out
The first time i ever left my house
It saw me and followed me home
And stayed with me for my whole life

For years and years i wandered the earth
Condemned to a life of bleak despair
Then one day i looked around and found
It had disappeared

Hopeless bleak despair
It was always there
And then one day it disappeared
In a puff of smoke
In an unceremonious way
One day it disappeared

All i had ever wanted in my life was only to be free of it
It drove away my family
It made me lose my job
Whenever anybody saw it
They'd say get out of here

For years and years i wandered the earth
Sick of my life, looking forward to death
Then one day i looked around and found
It had disappeared

Hopeless bleak despair
It was always there
And then one day it disappeared
In a puff of smoke
In an unceremonious way
One day it disappeared

For years and years I wandered the earth
Until i died and went to hell but my
Despair had ascended to heaven
That's how i finally got rid of it

Hopeless bleak despair
It was always there
And then one day it disappeared
In a puff of smoke
In an unceremonious way
One day it disappeared
-------------------------

Why so much bleak despair? Does he really go to Hell and why? Did his bleak despair really get to go to Heaven?

ES

Last chance to consider this song. I'd really like some feedback on this subject... but no one is taking a bite.

ES

Originally posted by Phlabibit
Last chance to consider this song. I'd really like some feedback on this subject... but no one is taking a bite.

ES

Sorry, I can't help you out here. I don't have any idea what they're going on about. At first I thought it was going to be about some sort of existentialist dread, but I don't think that's right.

Originally posted by rwingett
Sorry, I can't help you out here. I don't have any idea what they're going on about. At first I thought it was going to be about some sort of existentialist dread, but I don't think that's right.

It's irony.

As a former songwriter, I can only guess that the lyricist may have had little intention in conveying meaning in this song in the broadest sense. It may mean something only to him/herself. I can't get a clear feeling on it at all.

As writers of the song "Violin," some of the words to which are:

"One quarter of George Washington's head
Half of George Washington's head
Three quarters of George Washington's head
All of George Washington's head..."

I think it's possible that it's beyond easy comprehension.

😉

I thought about it for a while, buit couldn't really come up with anything. Maybe the black despair is something to do with knowledge? Knowledge of what, I don't know, maybe just nowledge itself (tree of knowledge good and evil, apple, leaving the garden of eden etc.).

That's all I could come up with to be honest. Not great lyrics really, there doesn't seem to be any depth to them, unless that depth is so deep I'm missing it entirely.

Thanks guys. The song sounds better than it reads, perhaps. They Might Be Giants is a rather strange band. You either love them, hate them, or have never heard them. I know of only one person that didn't like them, and changed their mind after being bombarded with their music at work. They actually don't like the fact that they now love the music!? Go figure.

Anyway, I think the song is a lot to think about... and I am sure the true meaning is in it someplace. If I had to guess, is it perhaps saying you can suffer your whole life for no reason? I'm really still not sure why the Hopeless Bleak Despair gets to go to Heaven...

I just listened again, and am no closer to an answer.

ES

Originally posted by Phlabibit
Thanks guys. The song sounds better than it reads, perhaps. They Might Be Giants is a rather strange band. You either love them, hate them, or have never heard them. I know of only one person that didn't like them, and changed their mind after being bombarded with their music at work. They actually don't like the fact that they now love the music!? ...[text shortened]... k Despair gets to go to Heaven...

I just listened again, and am no closer to an answer.

ES

No, the song is about depression, the problem for the protagonist is that his depression defines him so having escaped it his life has no meaning. So he goes to hell and his despair - the true him which he has cast off - goes to heaven.

Originally posted by DeepThought
No, the song is about depression, the problem for the protagonist is that his depression defines him so having escaped it his life has no meaning. So he goes to hell and his despair - the true him which he has cast off - goes to heaven.

Good user name, I'm sold.

ES

Originally posted by Phlabibit
They might be giants wrote a song called 'Hopeless Bleak Despair'. Interesting song, but our hero goes to Hell at the end. Here are the lyrics, and would like your thoughts on what this song might mean.
[b]


They Might Be Giant
Hopeless Bleak Despair'

I never knew what everybody meant by endless, hopeless bleak despair
Until one d ...[text shortened]... ir? Does he really go to Hell and why? Did his bleak despair really get to go to Heaven?

ES[/b]

A songwriter knows what his song means to him, but the larger question is, 'does this song carry any truth, or describe the truth?'

My answer to that is yes and no.
Born into a fallen world, being sinners with 'righteousness like philthy rags' we are faced only with said bleak despar. That part is true, but the song leaves out the good news, and confuses things in the end.

Yes, some people will go to hell, but despair will not be found in heaven. There, there will be "no more tears'!