Pearl Jam - Nothingman Lyrics

Pearl Jam
Live On Two Legs
Nothingman
Once divided there's nothing left to subtract.
Some words when spoken can't be taken back.
Walks on his own with thoughts he can't help thinking.
Future's above, but in the past he's slow and sinking.
Caught a bolt of lightning. Cursed the day he let it go.

Nothingman... (x2)
Isn't it something, nothingman?

She once believed in every story he had to tell.
One day she stiffened. Oh yeah. Took the other side.
Empty stares from each corner of a shared prison cell.
One just escapes. One's left inside. Oh well.
And he who forgets will be destined to remember. Oh, oh, woh...

Nothingman... (x2)
Yeah, isn't it something, nothingman?

Oh, she don't want him.
Oh, she won't feed him after he's flown away. Yeah.
Oh, into the sun. Yea, into the sun.
Burn, burn, oh burn...
Nothingman... (x2)
Oh, isn't it something, nothingman?
Oh, nothingman. Nothingman...
Oh, coulda' been something, nothingman.
Oh, ohh... ohh..

• Anonymous

  this song is about a relationship after its ended from his point of view;
  from his side, he knows how bad he messed up because he feels like she was amazing "a bolt of lightening". She was once in a lifetime and now he curses the day he let her go.
  He thinks back to where it went wrong and just remembers that she used to laugh at his jokes, but one day it just changed.
  Their home became a shared prison cell.
  Finally at the end of the song, he knows they'll never get back together.