Lyrics
i memorize the basics
making strange faces
tread slowly for i know
there’s a thousand miles to go
without blinking
i gravitate spacewards
find a home for the head
from my basement
no darkness ever left
this is the night
this is the sound
here comes the warm machine
such a warm machine
feeling warm
some days are playful
making play faces
but we will not let it through
the darkness and the sense
of being born to lose.
this is the night
this is the sound
here comes the warm machine
such a warm machine
this is the life
this is the ground
here comes the warm machine
such a warm machine.
if we never know we can only feel
i’ll take the help
i’ll take a slice
warm alright, now
’cause i feel alright
hey!
I memorize the basics, basics, basics
this is the night
this is the sound
here comes the warm machine
such a warm machine
such a warm machine
machine, machine, machine
About The Song
wtf does that word mean?:
tread [v.] a : to step or walk on or over b : to walk or proceed along : Follow
gravitate [i.v.] a : to move toward something b : to be drawn or attracted especially by natural inclination
spaceward [adv.] toward space
Band Thoughts:
“Warm Machine is a savior. Sometimes you want a chariot, a way out. ‘I memorize the basics’ is the opening line and that’s just an attempt to operate in the standard ways so you don’t step out of line b/c you fear how you are. But sometimes it’s difficult to fit in, and you want to escape from a certain situation you’ve gotten yourself in. You just wish something could come and lift you away and make you free.” -Gavin
‘Mine (escape) is to get inside or on top of some warm machine that will take you away to a place of solace’ – Gavin
“‘memorize the basics’, some degree of trying to understand how you’re meant to be. Putting yourself in context. So often, you feel right off the mark, so you attempt to conform but you know that you’re not pulling it off. Your suit is ill-fitting, and your shirt is actually just a bit too tight around your neck, but you’re trying to look like you’re meant to look. And that’s why the next bit goes, ‘tread slowly for I know there’s a thousand miles to go without blinking’. That thing of trying to keep stoic, as if you’re all right, when maybe you’re not. it’s a ‘save me’ song. The ‘I’m really trying to deal with it all’ song, which is where the line ‘I’ll take the help, I’ll take a slice’ comes from. A slice of help. That’s a weird image. ‘warm machine/war machine’ Yeah, I love that confusion, and the song has some of both, because that’s an integral part of it. So as long as it doesn’t get that treatment Springstean has with ‘Born in the USA’, which was an anti-war song and it got used o enlist people, I don’t want it to be taken as that.’- Gavin
“…the struggle to survive in ‘Warm Machine’.”- Gavin
“He’s got some great ideas for lines, like the descending line in the middle eight of ‘Warm Machine’.”- Nigel
“”Warm Machine” is sort of my stream of consciousness song. It’s a song about trying to fit in and changing body shape to try to be part of anyone. I like Charles Bukowski because he’s edgy. I’m not smart enough to know “proper, real” poets. I love Ginsberg, I love the French poets — Baudelaire, Rambaud. I love Patti Smith.”-Gavin
Staff Thoughts:
“Ok, I’ve got a bit to say about this song, actually. One. Computer Addiction. Does this song’s lyrics go hand in hand or what? I memorize the basics/making strange faces – Deep, huh? Also, this song sings very well with Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz. The chorus, anyway. I don’t know.”-Brandyn.
“My favorite song on the album. It just has this driving force. I had a Bush fan email me years ago, it was the most negative and nasty fan mail I’ve ever received. All because I shared my thoughts about this song. Bush has always stated they like that the fans take their own meanings out of what they write and they encourage us to do so. At times Bush has been vague about explaining the meaning behind their music because they want you to derive your own thoughts and feel the songs wouldn’t be the same if they were broken down ever single song lyric and meaning.
I was at the Miami show back in 1999 when Bush filmed the music video for this song. They had camera crews out in the crowd filming the fans and the song was even played twice so they could get footage of the band. It was all sort of magical. I have sort of related that experience coupled with many of the lyrics and have attributed the song’s elements to be about bush touring. It’s not a totally unreasonable idea or even offensive. So take what you like, just remember we are all here because we love Bush.”- Laura
Fan Thoughts:
” I have been a Bush Fan for many years. I am reading the quotes from band members about their music, I am intrigued. However, your little note about Warm Machine is Wrong. The song is not about them touring , they are not that dense. You seem to not understand, and thereby are making your opinion appear to anyone who reads that and takes it for the value to where you have written it. It looks like you KNOW that it is about something lame like them touring.. It simply is your OWN IDEA and you should say so much so that no one gets the wrong ideas. That could very well impact how Bush is seen by their fans. Do you really think the song is about touring??? Didn’t you read what the band says it’s about???They do not ever say it is about touring.. I am sorry you do not understand.” – disgruntled fan (staff note: this fan seemed to be verify pissed off about my opinion of this song. I believe Gavin is in part relating the song to touring. She, however, seemed to be enraged that my opinion could even be possible.. She, on the other hand, didn’t even state what she thinks its about. Maybe she thinks it’s about a clothes dryer like some others.?)