Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Incomplete" by
Bad Religion describe the feeling of incompleteness and lack of fulfillment in life. The band uses various metaphors and imagery to convey these emotions.
The lyrics begin with the lines "Mother, father, look at your little monster, I'm a hero, I'm a zero". Here, the singer expresses feeling both like a hero and a failure. He perceives himself as the target of the worst joke in history and as an "incomplete castle without a key, a city without a door, a prayer without faith, a show without evaluation".
Another image used is that of "sex without fury", indicating that despite the physical act, there is no passion or fulfillment. The singer also feels like a "creeping gray memory", suggesting that he is just a vague and insignificant memory.
In the second part of the song, the singer asks a doctor to heal him and search for the cause of his condition. He compares his suffering to bullets shattering glass in a silent film. This suggests that he is being struck by an invisible force that is destroying him.
He describes himself as "a trap without a spring, a temple without a god, a jack without a king, the tip of your tongue". These metaphors illustrate that he feels incomplete and empty.
The lyrics end with the words "Tell Saint Peter not to bet on me, I am a naked obsession, a good intention gone bad". Here, the singer expresses that he has no hope for success or redemption, as he perceives himself as a mere obsession that has turned negative.
"Incomplete" thus addresses the theme of incompleteness and lack of fulfillment in life. The band uses a variety of imagery and metaphors to express these feelings.