Pun and Euphemism

PUN

11 am By: Incubus

Seven am;
The garbage truck beeps as it backs up
And I start my day thinking about what I've thrown away.
Could I push rewind?
The credits traverse, signifying the end
But I missed the best part.
Could we please go back to start?
Forgive my indecision

Then again, Then again, Then again, you're always first when no one's on your side
But, then again, a day will come when I want off that ride.

Eleven am,
By now you would think that I would be up
But my bedsheets shade the heat of choices I've made
And what did I find?
I never thought I could want someone so much
'Cause now you're not here and I'm knee deep in that old fear.
Forgive my indecision... I am only a man.

Then again, Then again, Then again, you're always first when no one's on your side
But, then again, a day will come when I want off that ride.

Twelve pm and my dusty telephone rings.
Heavy head up from my pillow, who could it be?
I hope its you.

Then again, you're always first when no one's on your side
But, then again, the day has come and I want off that ride.

In this song, Incubus uses a pun with the term “thrown away.” The singer refers to a garbage truck taking away his trash, but also marking how parts of his life have been turned into waste.

Dig By: Incubus

We all have a weakness
But some of ours are easy to identify.
Look me in the eye and ask for forgiveness;
We'll make a pact to never speak that word again
Yes you are my friend.

We all have something that digs at us,
At least we dig each other
So when weakness turns my ego up
I know you'll count on the me from yesterday

If I turn into another
Dig me up from under what is covering
The better part of me
Sing this song
Remind me that we'll always have each other
When everything else is gone.

We all have a sickness
That cleverly attaches and multiplies
No matter how we try.

We all have someone that digs at us,
At least we dig each other
So when sickness turns my ego up
I know you'll act as a clever medicine.

If I turn into another
Dig me up from under what is covering
The better part of me.
Sing this song!
Remind me that we'll always have each other
When everything else is gone.

Oh each other....
When everything else is gone.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, ohh
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh

If I turn into another
Dig me up from under what is covering
The better part of me.
Sing this song!
Remind me that we'll always have each other
When everything else is gone.

Oh each other....
When everything else is gone.
Oh each other....
When everything else is gone.

In this song, Incubus uses the word “dig” as a pun. Used here, this word can have multiple interpretations. For example, it could refer to an annoyance, actually “digging” up something, recovering hidden traits, etc.

EUPHEMISM

Circles By: Incubus

You saw me lost in treading water
I looked pathetic and
As helpless as a stinger
Without a bee
But underneath my presentation
Yeah
I knew the walls were coming down
And the stones that fell were
Aiming away from me
Hey what would it mean to you?
To know that it'll
Come back around again
Hey whatever it means to you
Know that everything
Moves in circles

I saw you standing in
My headlights
Blink blink blink
I thought I'd run you down
For the weight you left on me
instead I pushed rewind
Reversed and drove away
And see you
Disappear in my rearview
Brought to me the word
Reciprocity

Hey what would it mean to you?
To know that it'll
Come back around again
Hey whatever it means to you
Know that everything
Moves in circles

Round and round we go
We could know
It'd end so well
We fall on and we fall off
Existential carousel
Spin

Hey what would it mean to you?
To know that it'll
Come back around again
Hey whatever it means to you
Know that everything
Moves in circles
Everything moves in circles

Round and round and
Round and round and
Round and round and
Round and round

This song is a euphemism because it uses the phrase, “everything moves in circles,” which sounds a lot better than, “you will get what you deserve you monster of a person.”

Nice To Know You By: Incubus

Better than watching Geller bending silver spoons.
Better than witnessing new born nebulas in bloom.
She who sees from 'up high' smiles and surely sings.
Perspective pries her once weighty eyes and it
Gives you wings.

I haven't felt the way I feel today
In so long it's hard for me to specify.
I'm beginning to notice how much this feels
Like a waking limb... in pins and needles,
Nice to know you, good-bye x 4
Nice to know you... to know you

Deeper than the deepest Cousteau would ever go.
Higher than the heights of what we often think we know.
Blessed she who clearly sees the wood for the trees.
To obtain a 'birds eye' is to turn a blizzard to a breeze.

I haven't felt the way I feel today
In so long it's hard for me to specify.
I'm beginning to notice how much this
Feels like a waking limb... pins and needles,
Nice to know you, Good-bye x4
Nice to Know You,
To know... You

So could it be that it had been there all along?

I haven't felt the way I feel today
In so long it's hard for me to specify.
I'm beginning to notice how much this
Feels like a waking limb... pins and needles,
Nice to know you, Good-bye, x4
Nice to Know You
To know..You

This song is a euphemism because it uses the phrase, “nice to know you,” which sounds a lot better than, “it was great but you ruined everything!” This song is also very optimistic sounding, which adds to its euphemism qualities.