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Passive Lyrics

Performed by A Perfect Circle
Review The Song (85)

Dead as dead can be
My doctor tells me
But I just can't believe him
Ever the optimistic one
I'm sure of your ability
To become my perfect enemy

Wake up and face me
Don't play dead 'cause maybe
Someday I will walk away and say
You disappoint me
Maybe you're better off this way

Leaning over you here
Cold and catatonic
I catch a brief reflection
Of what you could and might have been
It's your RIGHT and your ability
To become my perfect enemy

Wake up
(Why can’t you?)
And face me
(Come on now)
Don't play dead
(Don’t play dead)
'Cause maybe
(Because maybe)
Someday
(Someday)
I will walk away and say
You disappoint me
Maybe you're better off this way

Maybe you're better off this way (×4)
You're better off this (×2)
Maybe you're better off...

Wake up
(Why can't you?)
And face me
(Come on now)
Don't play dead
(Don’t play dead)
'Cause maybe
(Because maybe)
Someday
(Someday)
I will walk away and say
You fucking disappoint me
Maybe you're better off this way!

Go ahead and play dead
(GO!)
I know that you can hear this
(GO!)
Go ahead and play dead
(GO!)

Why can't you turn and face me?
(WAKE UP!)
Why can't you turn against me?
(WAKE UP!)
Why can't you turn against me?
(WAKE UP!)
Why can't you turn against me?
(GO!)
You fucking disappoint me

Passive-aggressive bullshit... (×12)

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F**king wow... | Reviewer: Jxuptosae | 4/25/12

I'm sure that something, or someone, literally being dead is not meant at all. Period. Hence the word "play". It would make a lot more sense if it was about somebody giving up. Especially in a relationship. (It need not be romantic.) Silent sulking is certainly passive-aggressive. It is about choices, and how in a relationship failing to take action, or being resentful are avoiding doing so. Who else would have the ability to control ones actions? Furthermore, should anyone have that right? No, hence... "It's your RIGHT, and your ability". Now, the doctor bit just refers to anyone with an informed opinion. Most people in a failing relationship that has resulted in the individuals involved becoming more distant will not be willing to address accept the observation of another. Hence, "optimistic one".

The "maybe you are better off this way" is acknowledging that there is only so much that anyone can do for another, and at some point, you have to leave them to their own devices. Taking it to mean that it refers to a permanent state is too much of leap.

It doesn't have shit to do with duality, multiple personalities, or most of this other nonsensical drivel.

Personal connection makes a song important, sure, but that doesn't mean that twisting phrasing to meet your purposes makes you interpretation right.

close enough. | Reviewer: Marthas | 2/5/12

the last line.. passive-aggressive bullshit. nuff said. it's about giving a cold silence treatment.. who'd love that? but feel free to find yourself in another way in this song..

subconcious | Reviewer: Anonymous | 1/11/12

this song is only about the human subconscious...this sort of theme has been seen on many other Maynard's song...as in TOOL...the PART OF ME song or PUSH IT or JAMBI... he pays a lot of attention to the battle between our conscious and subconscious...in this song he tries to go through a psychological aspect and defies the passive-aggressiveness by pointing at his subconscious saying it can be a PERFECT enemy but it doesn't act or evolve....it just weaken us...it can help us to become perfect all the while it doesn't...it's obsessed with all it's memories ( that's why in the song it mentions the doctor , because a psychiatrist always go through our experiences and past to find a solution )...although i have to say, since 10000 days album of tool...maynard seems to have revised his opinion and in JAMBI he praise his Sub conscious saying it can grant any wishes we want...we just have to prepare the circumstances so it can evolve...anyhow this is pretty damn good song...it contains a lot of memory for me and beside it's about one simple fact, the endless struggle in our mind ( Cause maybe(((MAYBE ))) someday i'll walk away ) ...that's the most conclusive sentence in this song!

Father-son struggle | Reviewer: Gordon | 12/18/11

It's so obviously a father standing over the body of his dead son at the morgue. His son should be fighting him (for independence), but he is dead, but the father is ever optimistic (denial). Ultimately the grieving father realizes that if his son were alive he'd be telling his son "you F'n disappoint me" and that's when he says, "maybe you're better off this way" but that is an unthinkable thought. That his son is dead is unthinkable! "Get up and face me!"

Passivity | Reviewer: Zoey666 | 12/6/11

I think that this song is pretty straight forward, he is talking about passive- aggressiveness whether his( "dead as dead can by my doctor tells me", than later in the song he says "don't play dead") or someone else's, and how it frustrates him.
" Wake up and face me , dont play dead"
When someone's passive aggressive they just don't deal with the problem or the conflict so they avoid it.
I think he is just saying how passive aggressiveness angers him.

Well... | Reviewer: Anya | 10/8/11

In my opinion the song is about someone who is so used to getting into fights with others that when he picked a fight with another person and they wouldn't fight back he felt frustrated. This can be shown at "someday I'll walk away", he hasn't backed down yet even though there is nothing to face. This can be reflected about society in a similar manner, instead of fighting they just go to a lawyer as a form of "passive-aggression". It could also just be reflected that he is indeed suffering from dual-personality... Either or really.

Call to Arms | Reviewer: Jon | 8/23/11

I read a few reviews and I somewhat disagree. I feel like people are trying to find some hidden meaning in the lyrics of the song, but I think based on his style maynard intended it to poetically apply to many things.

However overall I believe he is just pissed off at people not doing anything with their lives, sitting around and not doing shit. He never went to any doctor, it's just a figure of speech. He's being very sarcastic throughout the song. He obviously doesn't think they're better off being passive asswipes but he's pretty frustrated and at his limit with putting up with their bullshit. It probably applies to many people he's met, whether it's been actual passive-aggressive attitudes expressed toward him (i.e. gossipping negatively behind his back), or people just not telling him the truth and being upfront and to his face or not expressing any negative emotions they have to him directly. He wants to hear it himself. He's probably just really sick with a lot of people he knows being pussies. But more than anything, I feel it's call to the millions of lifeless americans (or anyone) to rise up and live and have passion and energy and to stop being cowards.

I feel like this is the prevalent meaning mostly by bringing all of his other songs/lyrics into mind and his overall feelings toward society and how people should live, how people should treat each other.

My Ex | Reviewer: Andy | 8/21/11

This song reminds me of my X. After years of knowing each other and being together she lacks the courtesy to say i'm sorry, she won't face me or talk to me after she ran off with another guy. I'm tired of her stupidity and I know her well enough that I know that not talking to me is eating her up inside. She will keep hiding behind her vail until its too late and I am gone. She's fucking disappointing.

Drug Addict | Reviewer: Anonymous | 7/30/11

I think the song is about a drug addict friend, who disappoints because he can't be a good friend when his drugs take precedence- and become more important than friendship. But I think "The Outsider" is about the same thing..

Moonlit | Reviewer: Anonymous | 7/11/11

I think this lyrics is about depression, and he went to a psycologist and the psycologist told him that you are dying and you are totaly lost, like many other psycologist, but the person in the lyrics, knows what is wrong with him. I think the whole lyrics is saying not to lose your faith, and go ahead and face anything comes in your way. and I think that it has nothing to do with ex-girlfriends or a dead mother or ... .

Moonlit | Reviewer: Anonymous | 7/11/11

I think this lyrics is about depression, and he went to a psychologist and the psychologist told him that you are dying and you are totaly lost, like many other psychologists, but the person in the lyrics, knows what is wrong with him... I think the whole lyrics is saying not to lose your faith, and go ahead and face anything comes in your way. and it has nothing to do with ex-girlfriends or a dead mother or ... .

Well.... | Reviewer: Israel | 6/27/11

I don't think he's literally dieing or even near a doctor. I think he's just stating how optimistic he is. Then comparing his optimism to the person playing dead, pretending they're hurt or hopeless and weak. He's a close friend to them, trying to be there for them but they continue to push him away. He only sees the good, trying to get the friend on his side. Then finally says "maybe you're better off this way". It's just a depressed friend. The morale of the song is you can't help the people who don't want it. No matter how bad they need it. I swear, this same friend must be in his song The Outsider. Just my take on it. Seems to make sense.

What I think... | Reviewer: ShadoKitti | 6/7/11

I think this song is about a guy with a very nice girlfriend. He found out that she had cheated on him and he left her (Your ability to become my perfect enemy.). Then he found out she had a strange disease and died... (Wake up and face me, don't play dead...)

passive-aggressive bullshit... | Reviewer: Anonymous | 3/25/11

My take is that its about a person's duality. Say he goes to a doctor and the doctor helps him deal with this dark side. He is now stronger but empty with nothing left to fight and he becomes lost and wants the other side awakened so he can fight it. So he is left with this anger and hopes that this side will rise again to fight. He's saying that, "maybe you're better off this way" as in this bad part is better off dead but he needs to fight it to live with himself. and so on. That's my take.


My vision from the inside out | Reviewer: Mich | 3/23/11

My thoughts....he is disappointed and angry at someone who should have been the most important person in his life. Someone who should have shown him unconditional love but never did and only showed by hatred. I see a vision of an abusive parent and them being so weak and small that they can't face the destruction they have caused the child (now the child inside the adult). Nothing more than a coward, yet was seen as something so big and important in the child’s eye. Now grown up and feeling empowered it is too late to stand up for himself…because the parent is now dead. This vision connects with the relationship I use to have with my father. I would long for the day that he would die yet I felt this need to take care of him and only want him to be happy. A sick relationship I had with him, many years of counseling and being able to understand (although it can still hurt) has helped me grow as an adult and not repeat the cycle with my own child. That is what I interpreted.


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------ Performed by A Perfect Circle

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------ 05/26/2012

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