Ten Thousand Lines

Electric President's song 'Ten Thousand Lines' paints a vivid and unsettling picture of a dystopian future. The lyrics describe a world where human progress has led to a cold, synthetic existence. The opening lines, 'We paint the future from this bedroom. With lots of progress; cold and heartless,' set the tone for a narrative that critiques the dehumanizing effects of technological advancement. The imagery of 'thousands of wires' and 'thousands of eyes' suggests a society under constant surveillance, where privacy is a relic of the past.

The song delves deeper into the consequences of this synthetic world, highlighting the absence of natural elements like the sun, replaced by 'radiation.' The lyrics, 'No sun. Just radiation here. Get it by the lungful,' evoke a sense of suffocation and decay. The mention of 'creaking sounds in your bones' serves as a metaphor for the passage of time and the physical toll of living in such an environment. The song's narrative suggests that this future is not just a possibility but a reality that has already taken hold, as evidenced by the lines, 'They've got your name. They've got your number. They've got your hopes, your dreams, your future.'

The chorus, 'Ten thousand lines run from our minds. And ten thousand plans spread from our hands,' reflects on the collective responsibility for this dystopian outcome. The repetition of 'oh no' underscores a sense of regret and helplessness. The song concludes with a sobering realization: 'And now we can see just where we stand.' This final line serves as a wake-up call, urging listeners to reflect on the direction in which society is heading and the potential consequences of unchecked technological progress.