Chimaera Lyrics
You took a time bomb and a case of crackers
And you made a maelstrom of organic debris
Then you took a work bench and a rusty anvil
And you polished them for everyone to see
[Chorus]
You have created an unhealthy monster
Yet you're nowhere, but nowhere to be found
So I guess I'll just cope with my provisions
From now until the day they lay me down
[Verse 2]
You took a baboon and made him perfect
You took a lion and stripped him of his pride
Then you took a million more varieties, a scalpel, and a sartory
And you stitched up a horrible surprise
[Chorus]
You have created an unsocial monster
Yet you're searched for all over the globe
And most believe that things could sure be better
If you'd come down here and tell us what you know
[Bridge]
Who is to blame for this? Someone tell me please
His handiwork is flawed and it's there for all to see
Mutations, aberrations, and blatant anomalies
They multiply and give rise to this monstrosity
[Verse 3]
You took the most abundant, smallest bits of matter
And you instilled them with affinity
And then you stratified accumulations
Weeded out bad variations
Blended up your unique recipe
[Chorus]
You have created a powerful monster
With direction and purpose all its own
And if you were here, would things be any different?
Or are you just a mosaic of thoughts alone?
About
One of Bad Religion’s many songs contemplating the divine, “Chimaera” uses its namesake creature as a metaphor for humanity.
In Greek mythology, a chimaera (sometimes “chimera”) is a monstrous beast incorporating parts of several other creatures, such as lions, goats, and serpents. Throughout the song, Greg Graffin accuses the Creator of cobbling mismatched elements together in order to make the human race.
“Chimaera” begins as an open letter to God, depicting the shoddy process and handiwork that must have led to humankind’s creation and current condition. From there, Graffin speculates on whether the world would be a better place if God were undeniably real and present, leaving the monologue in order to ask an aside of his human listeners (“Who is to blame for this? Someone tell me, please.”).
Finally, the song returns to the open letter format, and closes on the question of whether it is even productive to speculate on these things. Like many Bad Religion songs, it asks more questions than it answers, inviting the listener to draw their own conclusions.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 1.Generator
- 3.No Direction
- 4.Tomorrow
- 8.The Answer
- 10.Chimaera