The Tragically Hip - Scared Lyrics Meaning
Scared
Analysis
This is literally a poem that tells about how humans can eliminate fear in a practical manner. It’s about the phenomenon “Scared”.
I’ll explain between the verses how I see it.
I could make you scared, if you want me to
I'm not prepared, but if I have to
He said, I can make you scared, it's kind of what I do
If you're prepared, here's what I propose to do
This defines the point of view of the subject of the poem “He”. He offers to explain what we can do about being “Scared”. He is not prepared, but will outline the solution if he can engage.
He now gives an example
You're in Russia and more than a million works of art
Are whisked out to the woods
When the Nazis find the whole place dark
They'll think God's left the museum for good
From the point of view of the Russian society in World War 2, the darkest days of the war were when the Nazi’s pushed deep into the heartland, and threatened a museum. The locals could only think of emptying the museum into the forest to hide the priceless treasures. They hope the Nazi’s will think everyone has left and move on.
I can make you scared, if that's what I do
If you're prepared, and if I have to
If I make you scared, and you pay me to
That's the deal, now here's what I can do for you
He has shown you how people are scared. He wants a commitment that you want to hear the answer. The answer follows.
Now there's a focus group that can prove
This is all nothing but cold calculation
That’s it. That’s the answer to the climate crisis, nuclear war, asteroids crashing into us, gamma ray bursts, pandemics, etc. Every single existential threat can be eliminated by following this strategy.
…yet most will continue to argue against acting in our own best interests…….
Tests have shown that suspicious are hostile
Their lives need not be shortened
Truth be told, they can live a long, long while
Tickled to death by their importance
Those who are hostile against acting in their own best interests can be ignored. Even if it is tiring.
If you can make me scared, if that's what you do
If I'm unclear, can I get out of this thing with me and you
If you feel scared, and a bit confused
I got to say, this sounds a little beyond anything I'm used to
If you are unable to see how you can act in your best interests, if you can’t see reason, then you frighten Him.
If you are still scared when you have been shown reason, then we have a communication failure.He cannot understand why individuals cannot see what he is saying.
He asserts the answer one more time.
There's a precious few that can prove at the root
This is all nothing but cold calculation
Clearly entranced, you're leaving back now
Defanged destroyer limps into the bay
Down at the beach it's attracting quite a crowd
As kids wade through the blood out to it to play
When those who are scared begin to see the solution, that there is no need to build these instruments of war, people will come to witness the destruction.
We allow our own children to swim in the “blood of others”, unaware or uncaring about the further destruction this means. We allow our children to swim in the hateful thoughts that let us create war without reason.
It is a frightening thought. Still, no one can hear Him.
Okay, you made me scared, you did what you set out to do
And I'm not prepared, you really had me going there for a minute or two
He said, you made me scared too, I wasn't sure I was getting through
I got to go
It's been a pleasure doing business with you
He gives up. No one hears him. He has given the solution, but everyone remains distracted by the magnitude of the problem.
He had thought he was going to explain it, but the recipient is unable to receive the answer. It frightens Him.
He departs the conversation, offering a kind thought.
The author is talking about a person who can solve all of Humanity's problems.
He said " I can Make you scared".
This is a person who can make you scared. He offers the scary idea of the Russian people, so driven by fear of the invading German army that they put all their valuables into the woods, hoping the Germans will be tricked by an already looted museum. It actually happened in Russia..
This person can make you scared, but instead proposes something quite different.
He proposes that cold calculation can solve every problem. Every threat can be controlled or eliminated.
No one hears Him, and so He asks if people are still scared. If you are, He says, then you make the author scared. The author then says He "wants out of this thing with me and you".
He doesn’t want to be scared, and doesn’t want to remain amongst those who continue to be scared.
People can't understand the concept that cold calculation can solve every problem and so they remain scared.
Until people understand we can solve our problems, humanity will remain scared. Conversely, when people take care of their problems in a practical manner, we will no longer be scared.
The poem suggests to me that we can have hope. Eventually, people will come to understand that we are not helpless.
Humans can create unlimited energy and resources. Nothing can stop us.
I think Gord Downie wrote this song to show that when humans are ready, we will use cold calculation to tell our children that there is nothing to fear. We will tell them we will control our environment and ourselves to prevent annihilation.
