Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “Bottom Feeder” by Motion City Soundtrack
“Bottom Feeder” by Motion City Soundtrack is an engaging, melodic exploration of a person’s attempt to come to terms with their place in the world.
The lyrics tell the tale of a person who has been oppressed and beaten down, feeling lost in the dark abyss, always on the outskirts “casting their nets out into the depths”. In their vulnerability and confusion, they lose all sense of direction and find themselves “stuck at the bottom of the food chain”. Despite this despair, they remain hopeful, singing “I change with the weather, I take what I need, I won’t wait forever […] I sink to the bottom, I’m never gonna stay there”. The chorus encourages resilience and determination against an apathetic and indifferent system. In the chorus, the narrator reasons with readers, stating “I’ll come back up for air soon enough”. Acknowledging the darkness they’ve been thrown into but emerging from it, the narrator emphasizes their ability to never give in to defeat.
In this post-industrial and isolated world, the protagonist refuses to accept their current lot in life. Refusing to become yet another “bottom feeder” surrounded by people who choose to live their lives like robots, the lyrics extol a sense of drive and courage, a push to become something more. Even when faced with innumerable obstacles, the protagonist finds their way out of the darkness and to the light. Even though it’s a long and difficult road, with courage and persistence, they make a break from the world that’s been holding them down emphasizing a sense of freedom and liberation. In the end, the protagonist sings “I’m not dying, I’m just getting tired”, signifying that while they have reached a point of exhaustion, they will never give in or back down.
“Bottom Feeder” by Motion City Soundtrack is a captivating, inspiring anthem of determination and resilience, leaving the listener with a sense of courage and the strength to stay optimistic during challenging times. In the end, its message is one of growth and hope, a reminder to never give up against the tide of an indifferent world.