Mathletics by Foals Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Veiled Commentary on Youth and Rebellion
Lyrics
This is our spear
It’s on track to call yourself
A hero now
A hero then
You come on yourself like some way
Go sideways
Wait late there
Like some kind of ocean takes you there
Takes you there
Takes you there
Takes you there
[Chorus]
Turning the
Academy down
Academy down
Academy down
The hood
To turn it down oh
To turn it down oh
To turn it down oh
Turning the
Academy down
Academy down
Academy down
The hood
C-count me out oh
C-count me out oh
C-count me out oh
Side way
We’ll go sideway
Calling all kids
On
And on
And on and on and on and on
Side way
We’ll go sideway
Calling all kids
On
And on
And on and on and on
And on and on and on
And on and on and on
And on and on and on
Go sideway
Go sideway sideway sideway
Wait to twelve
For sideway
For sideway sideway to show
Show himself
For sideway
For sideway sideway sideway
Wait to seven
Wait to seven
Wait to seven
To seven to seven to show
[Chorus]
Foals’ track ‘Mathletics’ from their early discography remains a cryptic anthem of youthful angst and rebellion. With lyrics that paint a picture of defiance and a desire to escape the conventional, the song carries a spirit that resonates with the non-conformist energy of a generation.
Yet, beneath the surface of its seemingly straightforward call to the ‘kids,’ ‘Mathletics’ harbors a depth that is worth dissecting. Stripping back the guitar-laden exterior, we explore the nuanced lyrics to unearth the profound meaning entangled within the verses of this cult favorite.
A Clarion Call to the Misunderstood Youth
The repeated rallying cry ‘Calling all kids’ in ‘Mathletics’ isn’t just a shout into the void. It’s an invocation for the misunderstood, the sidelined, and those who veer off the beaten path. Foals doesn’t just sing to an audience; they summon a tribe. A tribe that thrives on pushing boundaries and shattering the status quo of societal expectations.
This isn’t just about teenage rebellion; it’s a deeper commentary on the push for individuality in a world that often values conformity above all. The lyrics charge the listeners to arm themselves with their uniqueness – their ‘spear’ in the fight against homogeneity.
Rejecting Institutionalized Education
The chorus hits with a powerful rejection of established education systems – a metaphorical ‘turning the Academy down’. The insistent repetition and the overlay of raw guitars bolster the song’s central theme of dissent against traditional structures of learning and knowledge.
In ‘Mathletics’, Foals isn’t simply decrying school, but rather, they’re questioning the very nature of what we’re taught to value. It’s an audacious prod at the rote learning and the pressure cooker of academic achievement that often leaves little room for creativity and original thought.
Diving into the Ocean of the Unknown
Lines such as ‘Like some kind of ocean takes you there’ evoke a sense of surrender to the vast, unchartered territories of life outside conventional frameworks. The ocean is a symbol for the great unknown – a place of both fear and freedom where one goes to ‘find themselves’ away from the clutches of the Academy.
This beautifully rendered imagery invites listeners to embrace the uncertainties of breaking away from predefined paths. It suggests a dive into the deep end, a choice to swim against the currents of societal pressures in the pursuit of self-discovery.
Incessant Rhythms and the Mantra of Perseverance
The onomatopoeic ‘Go sideways’ and ‘Wait to seven’ work as mantras throughout the song. These words, set against the backdrop of the band’s urgent rhythms, create an almost hypnotic chant that exhorts listeners to persist, to keep moving, even if it means moving sideways instead of forward.
This part of the song encapsulates the often cyclical and indirect journey of self-actualization. It’s a nod to the idea that progress isn’t always linear and highlights the importance of endurance when you’re pursuing a path less traveled.
Peeling Back Layers to Uncover Hidden Meanings
‘Mathletics’ is a mosaic of ambiguity and metaphor that demands a deeper reading. The coded messages within the lyrics speak to the existential restlessness of youth, the search for identity in a sea of numbers and equations that is often the academic experience.
As the song reaches its crescendo, ‘to show, to show himself’, there’s a sense of awakening, a yearning for authenticity that defies the cold calculative ‘mathletics’ of societal expectations. It’s an ode to the inner self waiting to be revealed after shedding the constraints of the outer world.
