Incapable Of Love

The Underground Youth's song "Incapable Of Love" is a poignant and chaotic reflection on the state of modern society. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a world in turmoil, using a series of stark and disturbing images to convey a sense of disillusionment and despair. The song opens with the image of a television screen flashing scenes of burning churches, setting the tone for a narrative that explores themes of violence, destruction, and moral decay. The sky blurring in waves as flames lick the stars suggests a world on the brink of collapse, where even the heavens are not immune to the chaos below.

As the song progresses, the imagery becomes even more fragmented and surreal. The mention of a cowboy shooting a red man and a starlet flicking her hair juxtaposes historical violence with superficial glamour, highlighting the absurdity and cruelty of human behavior. The diver diving into an abyss as black as Malevich's square references the Russian artist Kazimir Malevich's famous painting, symbolizing a plunge into the void and the loss of meaning in contemporary life. The unicorn taking flight adds a touch of fantasy, perhaps representing a longing for escape or a return to innocence.

The latter part of the song shifts focus to more specific instances of societal failure. The seizure and resale of drugs to the vulnerable insane, the shedding of tears, and the mounting of a victim's head by a hunter all point to a cycle of exploitation and suffering. The image of a policeman shooting a young man and a child running from war underscores the pervasive violence and injustice in the world. The suited man looking down on lands he claims he never saw represents the detachment and denial of those in power. The repeated refrain, "Incapable of love," serves as a damning indictment of a society that has lost its capacity for compassion and empathy.