☝️ Key Points
- The song is about a person who feels uncomfortable and dissatisfied with themselves and the world around them.
- The protagonist feels excluded and doesn't fit into the mainstream behavior of people.
- They wish to publish alternative magazines and rebel against established systems.
- The chorus "I'm not sick but i'm not well" expresses the protagonist's ambivalence.
Interpretation
"Flagpole Sitta" by
Harvey Danger is a song about a person who feels uncomfortable and dissatisfied with themselves and the world around them. The first verse describes how the protagonist looks into visions and observes themselves in the mirror to see more clearly. In doing so, they recognize their own dark sides and the evil within themselves.
In the second verse, the lyrics show the protagonist's frustration towards society. They realize that only stupid people reproduce and populate the world. They feel excluded for not owning a television and not fitting into the mainstream behavior of people.
The third verse shows the protagonist's desire to express their opinion and go against the mainstream. They want to publish alternative magazines and rebel against established systems. They describe the desire to get piercings and stop time to free their mind.
The chorus "I'm not sick but I'm not well" repeats several times in the song and expresses the protagonist's ambivalence. They don't feel truly sick, but not well either. They suffer from the contradictions and suffering that surround them.
The lyrics of "Flagpole Sitta" thus show the inner restlessness and dissatisfaction of a person with themselves and the world around them. They express the desire to be different and fight against the norms and expectations of society.