The official video: (Cloud Nothings - Stay Useless)
The second single from the album "Attack on Memory" was "Stay Useless," released December 9, 2011, and received a Best New Track designation from Pitchfork Media.
Lyrics:
Can I see, what’s going wrong with me?
I used to have it all, now I’m alone
I’d never say, I’m better off this way
I need something to do, somewhere to go
I need time to stop moving, I need time to stay useless
I need time to stop moving, I need time to stay useless
I need time to stop moving, I need time to stay useless
I need time
How can I feel, so utterly unreal?
Like nothing I could do, would make things change
I’m stuck in here, and I’m tired of everywhere
I’m never gonna learn, to be alone
I need time to stop moving, I need time to stay useless
I need time to stop moving, I need time to stay useless
I need time to stop moving, I need time to stay useless
I need time
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
I need time to stop moving, I need time to stay useless
I need time to stop moving, I need time to stay useless
I need time to stop moving, I need time to stay useless
I need time
Analysis: The title "Stay useless" instantly connotes an unsettling sense of idle tranquillity, from which the individual in question cannot escape. It is a frank, and self depreciating portrait of a familiar kind of anhedonic ambivalence. The lyrics, in their entirety, describe a youth struggling to find their place in society, but could be interpreted in a multitude of ways due to the ambiguous nature of the song. Dylan Baldi, the lead vocalist and writer of the song, was seeking a reason to leave college and make a living in such a way that was more befitting of his interests. This song seems to reflect this notion, both lyrically and visually (in the official video). The official video offers an insight into the life of a youth, which is made clear through the mise-en-scene we as an audience are resented with. For Example, the video contains a yellow school bus which is an iconic American symbol representing the educational system. This in addition to the costume of the character; a hoodie, which instantly signifies youth shows what stage of life the individual is in. This may explain why he is going through the struggles presented in the song.
"all" - The lyrics surrounding this suggest an element of loneliness that consumes him, that he cannot get rid of despite his efforts. "All" refers to what he has lost, which in relation to the word alone, suggests a loss of people. These people may include a partner, family, or friends. It also makes the audience question why he is alone.
"alone" - This implies the loss of a support system. Mental illness is taboo, and it is a possibility that the individual feels this way because he feels as though it cannot be discussed. Other people don't seem to understand what he is going through.
"Stuck in here" - This makes the audience question exactly where "here" is. It could denote a literal, and specific place, or a a bad head-space. It could be a reflection of the way his career is going
"tired" - The individual in question feels physically and mentally drained.
"utterly unreal" - What is happening seems uncontrolable. The individual may feel as though they are in disbelief that they have been struck with such an illness. It also connotes the idea of out of body experiences, and moving through life feeling ungrounded.
"Like nothing I could do would make things change" - Here, there is an implied theme of mental illness with a distorted sense of reality. It leads the audience to question if he has tried to change things, or if he feels so helpless that nothing change in order help him. People often feel helpless when suffering with mental illnesses.
"I need time to stop moving" - This connotes the idea that he is 'moving' but his actions feel useless. He needs this time to reflect on his life, and his career, and some 'down-time' to process what is going on in his life. It is possible that this shows how, as a youth, he feels like he is made to make important decisions that will impact greatly on his future. This concept is reinforced by the repetition of "I need time". Feeling Helpless, he needs this time.
"I need time to stay useless" - The use of the word "stay" suggests that the individual already feels useless, and he wishes to stay this way. By stating that he "needs" time dramatises the song, showing it is empirical that he gets this time in order to sort what ever he is trying to sort out.
Lyric Timings:
0 - 24s
Instrumental
-26s Can I see
-29s what’s
going wrong with me
-31s I used to
have it all
-35s now I’m
alone
-38s I’d never
say
-41s I’m better
off this way
-43s I need
something to do,
-46s somewhere
to go
-48s I need
time to stop moving,
-52s I need
time to stay useless
-55s I need
time to stop moving,
-58s I need
time to stay useless
-1m I need time
to stop moving,
-1m 3s I need time
to stay useless
-1m9s I need time
-1m12s How can I
feel
-1m 14s so utterly
unreal?
-1m 17s Like nothing
I could do
-1m 20s would make
things change
-1m 22s I’m stuck in
here
-1m 25s and I’m
tired of everywhere
-1m 28s I’m never
gonna learn
-1m 31s to be alone
-1m 34s I need time
to stop moving,
-1m 37s I need time
to stay useless
-1m 39s I need time
to stop moving,
-1m 42s I need time
to stay useless
-1m 45s I need time
to stop moving,
-1m 48s I need time
to stay useless
-1m 53s I need time
-1m 59s Oh, oh, oh
-2m 4s Oh, oh, oh
-2m 10s Oh, oh, oh
-2m 14s Oh, oh, oh
-2m 18s I need time
to stop moving,
-2m 21s I need time
to stay useless
-2m 23s I need time
to stop moving,
-2m 26s I need time
to stay useless
-2m 29s I need time
to stop moving,
-2m 31s I need time
to stay useless
-2m 37s I need time
-2m 37s I need time
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