What does World At Large mean?

Modest Mouse: World At Large Meaning

Tagged:   No tags, suggest one.
Album cover for World At Large album cover

World At Large Lyrics

Iceage heat wave, can't complain.
If the world's at large, why should I remain?
Walked away to another plan.
Gonna find another place, maybe one I can stand.
I move on to another day, to a whole new town with a whole new way.
Went to the...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 3rd 2007 !⃝

    This song is not about Isaac not wanting to work a freaking 9 to 5, it's about him trying to find his place in the world. He just keeps searching until he find what fits. He's not sure what he's looking for, he just keeps looking. Maybe he already found it (I didn't know what I had that day). I think ideally he wants to settle somewhere, but everytime he gets close, something calls to him. He's a loner. I mean, this song is brilliant. Beautiful. Did he want to love? Did he need to know? This song is like my life in a friggin nut shell. This isn't working out, this doesn't fit so let's float on to something else that does. (walk away to another plan) And it's not like he just gives up, he tries (work a little harder, work another way). The most beautiful is the ending: "My thoughts were so loud I couldn't hear my mouth. My thoughts were so loud."
    What? Isaac Brock have you been reading my soul?

  2. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 26th 2018 !⃝

    Love was a concept known to Isaac, it has slowly floated on, his life is constantly being pulled to new things because he hasn’t found his place. The things that go on in his life make him want to change, and he has no plan he just wants to find happiness. He hasn’t given up on love, only he no longer searches for it.

  3. anastazja.mikowski.5
    click a star to vote
    May 30th 2013 !⃝

    this song is about someone who is depressed the "cant complain" yet they can't stand it anymore so they keep drifting trying to find happiness. They're saying they're just going to "float on" kindof go with the flow deal with it act happy see where life takes him. they get settled down and the seasons go on and even though they kindof like it they miss theyre old habits and keeps wandering. They like songs about drifters because it comforts them to know theres others like them and that helps because at this point in life theyre starting to feel insane. (now this last part im not so sure about) then they realize life isn't going the way they want and they say life sucks it feels like this undertow is pulling me under, even the bugs are offing themselves, I cant enjoy the good stuff in life, I know this is wrong.... (and then they off themselves)

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 18th 2012 !⃝

    I think this song is talking about how someone with no hope or something of the sort, tries to look for something beautiful. Or special. They keep moving on going to different places. Not knowing what their looking for, or even knowing if they already have what they need. They keep going, with all they've got, even if it kills them.

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 6th 2011 !⃝

    This song is about someone who's not happy where they're at in life. Each "day" in the song represents a new place where they've moved in life. Whether it's to a new town, state, or simply new things going on in their life (life circumstances, etc.). "Work a little harder work another way" represents making the best of things and handling the situation as best as possible given the circumstances. Although there's no set life plan, things will be taken as they go. "The days get shorter and the nights get cold, I like the autumn but this place is getting old. I pack up my belonging and I head for the coast, it might not be a lot but I feel like I'm making the most" <---this paragraph symbolizes someone who is a dreamer. "I know that starting over is not what life's about but my thoughts were so loud I couldn't hear my mouth." Just picking up and going is harder done than said, so this person likes to take risks and chances in life. Although they have to start all over, it's ok with them and they're ready to do it. Sometimes we all feel like we need to just get away from everyone and everything we know and start all over from the beginning. Some of us do it, others only dwell on it and keep dreaming. It seems as if the person in the song went along and made his dream into reality.

  6. trowley
    click a star to vote
    Nov 19th 2009 !⃝

    i found it to be more that the world is so corrupted that he NO LONGER fits in any where. I think hes stepping back and analyzing it all. He means like if the world is acting and reacting to everything the way they are then why should he even try. hes just one person. its wayyy deep but so very common to feel like this.

  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 30th 2009 !⃝

    i think the anonomys guy is right, but id also like to add that hes searching for happyness even though he knows he will never find it. so he would rather kill himself searching for happyness than ...

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 30th 2009 !⃝

    i think the anonomys guy is right, but id also like to add that hes searching for happyness even though he knows he will never find it. so he would rather kill himself searching for happyness than ...

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 13th 2008 !⃝

    In my opinion this song is about him having no plan for his future and his lost. The world and his environment is changing and he doesn't know what to do. Time keeps moving so he does trying to find himself. He does like the fact of being a drifter though he doesn't have a plan. He doesn't know because he's thinking too much to know what he is saying a keeps moving on without knowing if he has found what he's been looking for and he trying to keep of with his surrounding cause they are changing so much. He doesn't feel sane if he is in the same place for too long. So he changes his plans even though he doesn't know what he is looking for.

  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 7th 2006 !⃝

    this song is about how he doesn't ever feel like he can fit into a 9 to 5 job, and needs to keep moving and experincing life. basically he doesn't want a job "I like songs about drifters - books about the same. They both seem to make me feel a little less insane." he likes them because he wants the asurence that he's not the only one.


More Modest Mouse songs »


 


Latest Articles

 


Submit Your Interpretation

[ want a different song? ]




Just Posted

Steve's Going to London anonymous
Yes I'm A Mess anonymous
Droppin' Plates anonymous
Rat anonymous
Cry for the Moon anonymous
And the Snakes Start to Sing anonymous
Gingerbread Man anonymous
Not Like the Movies anonymous
This Masquerade anonymous
Birthday Suit anonymous
Dollhouse anonymous
Death anonymous
Copy Cat anonymous
I Hate Jimmy Page anonymous
I Hate Jimmy Page anonymous

(We won't give out your email)