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Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues Lyrics

Artist: Fleet Foxes

Album: Helplessness Blues

Genre: Folk

I was raised up believing I was somehow unique*
Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see
And now after some thinking, I'd say I'd rather be
A functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me

But I don't, I don't know what that will be
I'll get back to you someday soon you will see

What's my name, what's my station, oh, just tell me what I should do
I don't need to be kind to the armies of night that would do such injustice to you
Or bow down and be grateful and say "sure, take all that you see"
To the men who move only in dimly-lit halls and determine my future for me

And I don't, I don't know who to believe
I'll get back to you someday soon you will see

If I know only one thing, it's that everything that I see
Of the world outside is so inconceivable often I barely can speak
Yeah I'm tongue-tied and dizzy and I can't keep it to myself
What good is it to sing helplessness blues, why should I wait for anyone else?

And I know, I know you will keep me on the shelf
I'll come back to you someday soon myself

If I had an orchard, I'd work till I'm raw
If I had an orchard, I'd work till I'm sore
And you would wait tables and soon run the store

Gold hair in the sunlight, my light in the dawn
If I had an orchard, I'd work till I'm sore
If I had an orchard, I'd work till I'm sore
Someday I'll be like the man on the screen


Add Song Meaning

  • Nolan James Russett

    yes

  • Diana Barnes

    On my copy of the CD it goes...'unique in each way you conceive' not: ' can see'. It looks as if it's written by a one-legged spider with a scratchy nib, but I can work out bits here and there! I love this song, especially the unaccompanied intro.

  • Farideh Alagheband

    This song, it's lyrics speaks magnitudes for people like me who are desperately searching for ways to change their lives in order to do something of personal significance for a living...for example by helping the planet/environment/nature. It moves me in more ways than I can possibly express. Beautiful!

  • Gina Ødegaard

    Lovely, lovely, lovely.

  • Kelvin Hildebrandt

    I just heard this song on Folk Alley. I plan to grow an orchard, and I know the dizziness of which this songwriter speaks. Very moving song.

  • Kevin Colbert

    good song.

  • Victoria Martinkus

    so good!

  • Maurice R. Miller

    Gives me the chills.

  • Curt Hobbs

    LIKE

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