Did I not explain thoroughly enough that this song is (in it's context) written by Shinji Ikari? Okay, maybe not…so I'll go in and give you a detailed commentary on the lyrics, and their meaning, and how they relate to NGE.
This is about Shinji's inner struggle and angst. Although it makes no direct references, it still is essentially about him.
"Useless"
By Deejay Gamer
(Written as if it were to be sung by Linkin Park Feat. Deejay Gamer)
Comment: Okay, I just thought that since Linkin Park is the king of angst (in my opinion, anyway), they would be perfect to sing just about any song relating to Shinji Ikari. I added myself in because I wrote the song, so I think I deserve to at least be in it to a degree.
[Mike]
I live without love
[Deejay]
I live without hate
[Mike]
I live without caring
[Deejay]
I live without sharing
I live without living
[Mike]
So much taken
Not much given
Comment: This part talks about how Shinji tries to just let his life pass by as it does, he feels that it's futile to try and control it. He doesn't interact with anyone or do anything important, and he doesn't really care much for emotion. The only emotion he does feel to a degree is sadness and depression, which are the only things he's felt as of late, so to a degree he tries to phase out all emotion just so he can't feel the painful ones.
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
But why
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
I'd rather die
Because
Comment: This is Shinji questioning his existence, enough said.
[Chester]
I can never live the way I want to
I'm useless
So useless
Everything I do is to please you
I'm useless
Just useless
Comment: The title of the song was inspired, to my memory, by something that the creator of Evangelion said in the manga. He said something to the effect of that Shinji feels useless, so I made this the theme of the song. Also. I'd like to comment on the flexibility of the chorus, as you've probably noticed it changes through the song, I think there are about three different versions, and at a point in the song, the first two are repeated in succession. This version talks about how Shinji thinks he's useless to himself, and doesn't have any control over his own life, mainly because he willingly gave it up long ago, but now he kind of wants it back, but the part of him that gave it up in the first place, I believe, is fighting the side that wants it back. Shinji also seems to prefer just not bothering with this kind of battle in his mind, so he ends it at a draw or something. I'm tending to go into detail far beyond the context of the song, but I guess it's okay, because it dwells deep into his character, or something…no harm to taking my comments beyond the song, just as long as I don't lose context completely. Anyway, that's all for this comment.
[Mike]
You love her more than me
Comment: This is the single most direct reference to the anime, it refers to Rei's relationship with Shinji's father, and how he feels it's unfair.
Now I can never feel free
[Deejay]
I just can't please you
You wont get a clue
[Mike]
You use me
[Deejay]
Abuse me
[Mike]
But I don't care
[Deejay]
Even though this burden
Feels like too much to bear
Now with all you've put me through
[Mike]
I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!
Comment: This is where we point out the obvious, Shinji hates his father! lol, seriously though…it's true.
[Chester]
You thought you could abandon me
Now I'm useless
So useless
Now you take advantage of me
But I'm useless
Just useless
Comment: This in a way works off the theme mentioned earlier, that Shinji hates his father, this explains the reasons. In fact, each chorus, and likely the entire song is like a letter from Shinji to his father in the form of a song. Of course, it would be out of character for Shinji to admit to all of this, but it's still true within his being, and this song is more about Shinji's unheard thoughts about his father.
[Mike]
Why do you make me feel this way?
Like I just can't stand another day?
Comment: This is one of the parts of the song that explores Shinji's semi-suicidalness.
[Deejay]
I want to be loved
I want someone to care
Comment: This is a sonnet form, very uniquely put together so that there is a cooperation of sorts between the two rappers. As far as meaning goes, these first two lines talk about how Shinji wants emotional connection, but has lived so long without it that he fears it's not possible.
[Mike]
I don't like to be shoved
Not here, not anywhere
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
But why
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
I'd rather die
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
And I cry
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
I wonder why
Comment: The final part is a call back to the first "verse" of the song, where I say "I live" and Mike makes various comments about life, of course all from the viewpoint of Shinji.
[Chester]
Why I can never live the way I want to
I'm useless
So useless
Why everything I do is to please you
I'm useless
Just useless
Why you thought you could abandon me
Now I'm useless
So useless
And now you take advantage of me
But I'm useless
Just useless
Comment: Here's the callback to the first two choruses that I mentioned earlier. Since I've already explained them, there's no need to explain them again.
[Mike]
I'm not getting anywhere at this rate
Now I'm finding that it's you I hate
[Deejay]
I'm not getting anywhere at this rate
Now I'm finding that it's you I hate
[Chester]
I'm not getting anywhere at this rate
Now I'm finding that it's you I hate
[Deejay]
I hate!
[Mike]
I hate!
I'm not getting anywhere at this rate
Now I'm finding that it's you I hate
[Deejay]
It's you that I hate!
Comment: This is yet another reference to the hate emotion being focused on Shinji's father. This is a bit more on the subject of Shinji's discovery of his hatred to his father.
[Chester]
Maybe I'm letting this get to my head
I'm useless
Just useless
Somehow I think I'm better off dead
Because I'm useless
So useless
[Deejay & Chester]
I'm useless...
Comment: The final part is probably the only time I'd sing, if all in the song, but this is yet another reference to suicidal thought…I suppose this final chorus in the sense that it's the suicidal thoughts to himself as opposed to his hatred thoughts towards his father.
Final Comments: There are basically three to four in this song, all of which I've dissected while commenting, so I'll share them now (and this is the first major analysis I've done of one of my songs, I'd also like to add that I didn't really think of these elements and everything I've commented [just some of the things] when I wrote the song).
Suicide, and/or uselessness to himself: This could be counted as one or two elements, in any case they are connected to one another, he feels that he doesn't make an impact on himself, or the people around him, at least not emotionally.
Basic Needs: He wants to be loved, he wants to be liked, but his fear of getting hurt always gets in the way, this fear is so intense you could call it a phobia. He wants positive emotions, but knows that with positive emotions can come negative ones, so he tries to live a neutral existence, devoid of any real emotion, but this in and of it self brings painful emotions, but he's got caught in this pattern, and it's hard to get out.
Hatred towards his father: He hates his father, he hates the way he doesn't feel loved by his father, he hates the way his father seems to love Rei more than him, he hates the way his father abandoned him and now wants him to do work for him. There are so many reasons, and so little time to list them, so I wont even try to go on.
So, this song is really about Shinji's feelings, I'm surprised that one reviewer wasn't able to see that, I hope that if this reviewer comes back and reads this second part, he may gain an understanding of this song's relation to Neon Genesis Evangelion and Shinji in particular.
This is about Shinji's inner struggle and angst. Although it makes no direct references, it still is essentially about him.
"Useless"
By Deejay Gamer
(Written as if it were to be sung by Linkin Park Feat. Deejay Gamer)
Comment: Okay, I just thought that since Linkin Park is the king of angst (in my opinion, anyway), they would be perfect to sing just about any song relating to Shinji Ikari. I added myself in because I wrote the song, so I think I deserve to at least be in it to a degree.
[Mike]
I live without love
[Deejay]
I live without hate
[Mike]
I live without caring
[Deejay]
I live without sharing
I live without living
[Mike]
So much taken
Not much given
Comment: This part talks about how Shinji tries to just let his life pass by as it does, he feels that it's futile to try and control it. He doesn't interact with anyone or do anything important, and he doesn't really care much for emotion. The only emotion he does feel to a degree is sadness and depression, which are the only things he's felt as of late, so to a degree he tries to phase out all emotion just so he can't feel the painful ones.
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
But why
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
I'd rather die
Because
Comment: This is Shinji questioning his existence, enough said.
[Chester]
I can never live the way I want to
I'm useless
So useless
Everything I do is to please you
I'm useless
Just useless
Comment: The title of the song was inspired, to my memory, by something that the creator of Evangelion said in the manga. He said something to the effect of that Shinji feels useless, so I made this the theme of the song. Also. I'd like to comment on the flexibility of the chorus, as you've probably noticed it changes through the song, I think there are about three different versions, and at a point in the song, the first two are repeated in succession. This version talks about how Shinji thinks he's useless to himself, and doesn't have any control over his own life, mainly because he willingly gave it up long ago, but now he kind of wants it back, but the part of him that gave it up in the first place, I believe, is fighting the side that wants it back. Shinji also seems to prefer just not bothering with this kind of battle in his mind, so he ends it at a draw or something. I'm tending to go into detail far beyond the context of the song, but I guess it's okay, because it dwells deep into his character, or something…no harm to taking my comments beyond the song, just as long as I don't lose context completely. Anyway, that's all for this comment.
[Mike]
You love her more than me
Comment: This is the single most direct reference to the anime, it refers to Rei's relationship with Shinji's father, and how he feels it's unfair.
Now I can never feel free
[Deejay]
I just can't please you
You wont get a clue
[Mike]
You use me
[Deejay]
Abuse me
[Mike]
But I don't care
[Deejay]
Even though this burden
Feels like too much to bear
Now with all you've put me through
[Mike]
I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!
Comment: This is where we point out the obvious, Shinji hates his father! lol, seriously though…it's true.
[Chester]
You thought you could abandon me
Now I'm useless
So useless
Now you take advantage of me
But I'm useless
Just useless
Comment: This in a way works off the theme mentioned earlier, that Shinji hates his father, this explains the reasons. In fact, each chorus, and likely the entire song is like a letter from Shinji to his father in the form of a song. Of course, it would be out of character for Shinji to admit to all of this, but it's still true within his being, and this song is more about Shinji's unheard thoughts about his father.
[Mike]
Why do you make me feel this way?
Like I just can't stand another day?
Comment: This is one of the parts of the song that explores Shinji's semi-suicidalness.
[Deejay]
I want to be loved
I want someone to care
Comment: This is a sonnet form, very uniquely put together so that there is a cooperation of sorts between the two rappers. As far as meaning goes, these first two lines talk about how Shinji wants emotional connection, but has lived so long without it that he fears it's not possible.
[Mike]
I don't like to be shoved
Not here, not anywhere
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
But why
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
I'd rather die
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
And I cry
[Deejay]
I live
[Mike]
I wonder why
Comment: The final part is a call back to the first "verse" of the song, where I say "I live" and Mike makes various comments about life, of course all from the viewpoint of Shinji.
[Chester]
Why I can never live the way I want to
I'm useless
So useless
Why everything I do is to please you
I'm useless
Just useless
Why you thought you could abandon me
Now I'm useless
So useless
And now you take advantage of me
But I'm useless
Just useless
Comment: Here's the callback to the first two choruses that I mentioned earlier. Since I've already explained them, there's no need to explain them again.
[Mike]
I'm not getting anywhere at this rate
Now I'm finding that it's you I hate
[Deejay]
I'm not getting anywhere at this rate
Now I'm finding that it's you I hate
[Chester]
I'm not getting anywhere at this rate
Now I'm finding that it's you I hate
[Deejay]
I hate!
[Mike]
I hate!
I'm not getting anywhere at this rate
Now I'm finding that it's you I hate
[Deejay]
It's you that I hate!
Comment: This is yet another reference to the hate emotion being focused on Shinji's father. This is a bit more on the subject of Shinji's discovery of his hatred to his father.
[Chester]
Maybe I'm letting this get to my head
I'm useless
Just useless
Somehow I think I'm better off dead
Because I'm useless
So useless
[Deejay & Chester]
I'm useless...
Comment: The final part is probably the only time I'd sing, if all in the song, but this is yet another reference to suicidal thought…I suppose this final chorus in the sense that it's the suicidal thoughts to himself as opposed to his hatred thoughts towards his father.
Final Comments: There are basically three to four in this song, all of which I've dissected while commenting, so I'll share them now (and this is the first major analysis I've done of one of my songs, I'd also like to add that I didn't really think of these elements and everything I've commented [just some of the things] when I wrote the song).
Suicide, and/or uselessness to himself: This could be counted as one or two elements, in any case they are connected to one another, he feels that he doesn't make an impact on himself, or the people around him, at least not emotionally.
Basic Needs: He wants to be loved, he wants to be liked, but his fear of getting hurt always gets in the way, this fear is so intense you could call it a phobia. He wants positive emotions, but knows that with positive emotions can come negative ones, so he tries to live a neutral existence, devoid of any real emotion, but this in and of it self brings painful emotions, but he's got caught in this pattern, and it's hard to get out.
Hatred towards his father: He hates his father, he hates the way he doesn't feel loved by his father, he hates the way his father seems to love Rei more than him, he hates the way his father abandoned him and now wants him to do work for him. There are so many reasons, and so little time to list them, so I wont even try to go on.
So, this song is really about Shinji's feelings, I'm surprised that one reviewer wasn't able to see that, I hope that if this reviewer comes back and reads this second part, he may gain an understanding of this song's relation to Neon Genesis Evangelion and Shinji in particular.