SnarkNotes: Korn’s “Never Never”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ErBBORxsEsk

Context

Korn is a nu-metal band founded in California in 1993. Although they enjoyed a great deal of success throughout the mid-to-late 90s and early aughts, by 2005 they had fallen out of favor, and with the departure of guitarist Brian “Head” Welch, even their most staunch supporters were unimpressed with the creative path the group had taken. “Never Never” was the band’s first single once Welch re-joined the fold, instilling in many fans the hope that Korn might once again attain the glories of old.

Plot Overview

The Narrator struggles with wide range of issues, including dishonesty, fear of death, and an inability to do simple math.

Character List

The Narrator – Presumably, a child with access to a grade-school-level rhyming dictionary.

Analysis of Major Characters

The Narrator – Little is known about The Narrator, save for this: he has a limited vocabulary and is utterly confused about the actual, societally accepted definitions of certain words within the English language. His struggle to express himself coherently suggests that he is either quite young, suffering from mental illness, or is otherwise mentally handicapable.

Themes, Motifs, & Symbols

Rhyming

Above all, “Never Never” places an emphasis on rhyming words, without any consideration for whether or not those rhyming words, once juxtaposed, create any discernible meaning. This is often interpreted as either an expression of the chaotic nature of American life in the early 21st century, or as a lack of maturity and/or education on the part of the overly-ambitious author.

Refusal of Responsibilities

The Narrator continuously lists actions in wish he does not wish to engage, even though avoiding such actions is often unavoidable (e.g., dying). Whether this represents a brave stand against so-called “acceptable” social norms or merely indicates a lack of maturity is the subject of much debate amongst nu-metal scholars.

Sincerity vs. Dishonesty

The Narrator struggles with this issue in a number of ways, the most interesting of which may be the fact that he associates the emotion of love with the need to “pretend” — although what must be pretended is never made clear.

Summary & Analysis

I don’t ever wanna have to try
Though I lie
It never flies

The Narrator of the song has no desire to exert any effort. As a result of this sloth, he either — depending on your interpretation — attempts to fib but is ultimately caught, or lays on the ground and wonders why he doesn’t magically lift up into the sky and soar.

I don’t ever want to have to die
But deep inside
The death it hides

In addition to a preference for avoiding physical or mental activity of any kind, The Narrator also, like many of us, fears death. It is not entirely clear what he means when he asserts that “deep inside/ the death it hides.” It could be a poetic manner of expressing the unavoidablity of human mortality; it could also be some sort of Jungian expression of the self-destructive nature Man conceals within himself; or it could possibly be a reference to gas pains, alluding to the colloquial expression “It seems like something died inside of you!”, oft uttered by adolescents following the flatulence of a peer.

And I never wanna clarify
And justify
So I run and hide

The Narrator adds “explain his desires in any way” to the list of actions he wishes to avoid.

And I never wanna signify
So I pacify
All the hate inside

The Narrator also wishes to maintain what might be known as a “poker face” — that is to say, to in no way gesture towards any particular preference or emotion. Preference or emotion regarding what, however, remains unclear. Nonetheless, The Narrator seems to fear that his vitriol could betray his position; as a consequence, he stifles that vitriol.

No
I’ll never love again
No
I won’t ever have to pretend
No
I’m never gonna love again
Never gonna have to try to pretend
Never, never, never

It’s unclear why The Narrator feels that he will never love again — Is it a declaration of his own accord? Merely a prediction? The bellyaching of a heartbroken lover? — and whether he views said lack of future affection as a positive or a negative. However, the contrast between the phrase “I’ll never love again” and the phrase “I won’t ever have to pretend” is intriguing. It implies some confluence of the two states — love and dishonesty — which, in turn, suggests that The Narrator may feel that so long as he avoids love, he will never have to do those things he wishes not to do (exert himself, betray his emotions, etc.). His repeated use of the words “no” and “never,” however, give us our first clue as to The Narrator’s place in the world — clearly, he is either a small child expressing his independence (see: the obsession with the word “no” often expressed during the period of childhood known as “The Terrible Twos”), or, if he is an adult man, he is an adult man who is both an emotionally stunted and inarticulate.

I don’t ever wanna satisfy
‘Cause things inside
Are doing fine

Does The Narrator feel that his own inner peace justifies his refusal to interact with others in any meaningful way? And, if so, is this a fear-based reaction — is The Narrator protecting himself from ever being heart-broken again — or simply a narcissistic and/or autistic one? (Note: some scholars have suggested that The Narrator has actually reached a place of nirvana, wherein his own personal “piece of mind” is all that matters. However, there is little evidence in the rest of the song to suggest any such zen state.)

I don’t ever wanna multiply
‘Cause deep inside
I’m not qualified

The word “multiply” here may signify the act of fathering and raising offspring, or it may, in fact, be a reference to actual arithmetic. Given the immaturity implied by The Narrator’s language, we may deduce that it’s the latter, and that The Narrator is, in fact, attempting to avoid some sort of grade school examination.

And I never wanna signify
So I pacify
All the hate inside

No
I’ll never love again
No
I won’t ever have to pretend
No
I’m never gonna love again
Never gonna have to try to pretend
Never, never, never

The Narrator spends the remainder of the song reiterating his strong desire to do whatever pleases him and nothing else. This unsophisticated repetition, once again, suggests the mind of a child at work, or, at the very least, a mongoloid.

The uncharacteristic ambiguity of the lyrics to this particular Korn symphony makes it a puzzle the meaning of which students will surely debate for decades to come.