Coma

Stone Temple Pilots' song 'Coma' delves into the complexities of emotional numbness and the facade people often maintain to hide their true feelings. The opening lines, 'Tar and feathers hide your feelings / If you even know the meaning,' suggest a sense of masking one's emotions, possibly to the point where the individual is no longer in touch with their own feelings. The mention of a 'high road' being overrated and leaving a 'guru out there hangin'' implies a disillusionment with moral superiority and guidance, hinting at a betrayal or abandonment of one's principles or mentors.

The chorus, 'Don't stay / Don't stay,' serves as a plea or warning, perhaps to avoid falling into the same traps of emotional detachment and insatiable desires. The lyrics 'Your appetite's insatiable / Devouring one thousand souls' paint a picture of a relentless, consuming need that leaves destruction in its wake. The reference to 'The princess and the whore. The lady.' juxtaposes purity and corruption, suggesting a duality in human nature and relationships.

The song's refrain, 'Nobody sees it / Nobody hears it / Nobody breathin' in a coma,' underscores the theme of isolation and invisibility. The idea of being in a 'coma' metaphorically represents a state of emotional paralysis, where secrets are kept and true desires are hidden. The final lines, 'Desire fills the lonely craving / So many trampled-under footwear / But more to fill the trophy cases,' highlight the emptiness of material or superficial achievements, suggesting that despite outward appearances, there is a deep, unfulfilled longing within.