Ones and Zeroes - Jack Johnson
'Ones and Zeroes' suggests a jumble of numbers and could possibly be significant in the song as a metaphor as there is no escape method from the inevitable. The numbers would be jumbled to show mess and dis-organisation - portraying the inevitable, in this case death, as it grabs a hold of you and there is no returning to 'life'.
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| 'Jumble of Numbers' - illustrating the feeling I get from the song. |
I also know that the song is about the artist as they use 'me' and 'I', referencing first person speech and lyrics.
'There's a black hole pulling me in. I slowly bend till I see the back of my own sins. I stole my soul from myself now I wonder.'
'Black hole' shows something that is a mystery and never-ending as there is no determination as to where it leads which could be a metaphor for the apparition between life and death as there is uncertainty between where a person could go to. Also as it is 'pulling me in', it shows that there is a certain force dragging him towards the black hole - meaning that a force greater than man is present; 'Death'. The next line could state the determination of hell as the person sees 'the back of my own sins'. Furthermore, this supports the idea of death as a sin could be seen as a crime, for a non-religious person, that others have to pass judgement on. As he is bending it could show the slipping away of his life and how he will eventually just be another dead person. Then he 'steals his soul from himself' - soul; the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal - which suggests that if he removes it himself, rather than 'death', a part of him will live on even after his body physically dies.
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| 'Inevitable of Life and Death'. |
'Wonder - is there somebody with a perfect plan. That goes boom when it's stamped and we could understand. How the gods of old used to clap their hands to make thunder.'
'perfect plan' supports the idea of 'death' as there is 'somebody' who is determining the fate of him. This could be the reason that he has removed his soul; so that 'death' doesn't take it first. He is also 'wondering' which means that he could be contemplating the pros and cons of the situation and how he is going to deal with it - determining the removal of the soul. Then the plan goes 'boom' when it is 'stamped' and they understand' meaning that 'they' could be dreaming or it could all be the construct of human perception. This means that they are just thinking of the future and what is a preconceived idea of society. When the 'gods of old used to clap their hands', it could mean that there is a greater force than 'death' itself that can help this situation and that the thunder destroys the idea, however, it still remains in the mind. Alternatively the 'gods' could be parents as the next line basically states that they are carrying out the actions of that of the 'gods'.
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| The idealism of Gods. |
'So we're clapping and we're laughing like it was so absurd. In the future we'll be laughing at who we were right now. As man plays god with the land that he plunders.'
As they are 'clapping...laughing' they are copying the actions of the 'gods' to banish this idea of 'death' and how it is inevitable. They are continuing with their lives and living as they should. The following line supports this as in the 'future' they'll be laughing about what they are doing now, it shows that they have their life ahead of them and they were/are more focused on dying which isn't how they should think. Moreover 'As man plays god' it means that more than they are carrying out the actions and that there is a sense of togetherness on the subject matter.
'To the one unknown no one can know nor see. That's resistant to greed. If we listen to time after time, time can never go under.'
This gives the audience a concept of time and how it has passed as they are talking about the 'unknown' - they know that death is certain but how, when, where, what and why is unknown. Then the 'resistant to greed' shows how they have to restrain themselves from wanting to know the answers to these questions . Also 'never go under' supports this as, if they just let time pass they can never enter this oblivion and the idea of 'death' and it allows them to enjoy and prosper in the time that they have. This relates back to the title as the numbers create this oblivion and they create the 'death'.
'There's this vine trying to climb. Through the window into my life. I don't mind. I don't mind. I don't mind. There's this wine trying to find. Its way from the bottle into my mind. In my mind. In my mind. In my mind.'
This is the chorus and it basically concludes my ideas as there is that force, being the 'vine' or the 'wine' that is trying to drag him away - therefore it could be about a relationship, where one is on the threshold of death. This tells me that he doesn't mind but the other person wants him to say and maybe 'they' are the memories that his partner has that he is remembering before passing onto the next stage in life.
'And so this vine is trying to climb. Through the window into my life. To bring me symmetry. And memories of a backlit breeze. Back into a dream on the ground. Looking up at the sun coming down.'
This marks the beginning of the second verse and continues with the force that is shown through the 'vine'. It is supposedly going to bring him 'symmetry' which is, in this concept, a perfect connection but is juxtaposed by this idea of 'death' as we associate it with more words to show horror or fear. However, the symmetry could be the apparition between life and death and how it is symmetrical but the fate is decided by the force. Again, we have the occurrence of 'memories', showing this reminiscing of the good times before passing on; afterlife.
'Into a world of boys and girls. Are holding handheld devices. While they're eating and they're sleeping. And they're dreaming of the prices. We'll be paying down the line. When the ice melts maybe it will turn to wine.'
This tells me that there are already people there 'world of boys and girls' - showing the people that have previously died and that they are happy as they are 'holding handheld devices' 'sleeping and they're eating'. As well as this, it shows that life continues as normal; even after death. This is because they're paying for things and their is a natural environment as there is 'ice' is present.
'And all the greatest of the heroes started jumping from the books. They started wearing ones and zeros. Looking more and more like crooks. They stole the sunlight from the future. Took a sip, drained half the glass, and put it back.'
The 'heroes' could show the lighter side of 'death' and potentially be greater beings, similar to god that defy 'death' by wearing 'ones and zeroes' as that is the jumble of the inevitable - making the whole song a metaphor for the divine beings. However, this then turns against them as they 'look like crooks' showing that the 'ones and zeroes' have changed them and made them into worshipers of 'death'. This is supported by 'stealing the sunlight from the future' - they are taking away a light source that keeps us, as humans, alive. So therefore, they have become a part of 'death' as by doing this they determine the fate of others.
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| This idealism of 'Death' as an actual being. |
'And a lot of people like to have a feast. Not so many could stomach the killing. Lot of traffic on the streets, so who's really doing all the drilling. Keep on filling what can never be full. My imagination has got a hold on me.'
This concludes the whole idea of it being a memory as 'imagination' is used to describe what has happened. It shows that this is just a phase in life that people go through and that it is something that cannot be helped. He has though about the whole inevitability of dying and accepted that there is no escape - resolving the situation and concluding the story.
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| 'Imagination has no bounds' - my interpretation of the human imagination, image expresses this. |
'There's this vine trying to climb. Through the window into my life. I don't mind. I don't mind. I don't mind. There's this wine trying to find. Its way from the bottle into my mind. In my mind. In my mind. In my mind.'
The chorus comes back again and then the song finishes. It is significant at the end as it concludes the events and takes us back to real time and reality. This has given me a really interesting perception of the song and has made me realise that the lyrics give the song a real perspective of life and how Jack Johnson has viewed it. However, this is my interpretation of the song and is not a definite thing, it has given me a few ideas for my own music video and what I can do.
This analysis has allowed me to use the artists' ideas as a starting point and to further develop those ideas, even though it is my own interpretation of the song, there is still a definitive meaning, this is just the way that I view this. This will further help me to do my own video because it can give me general ideas as to what to include as well as thinking about the audience and what conventions they expect from this genre.
