Vision Thing

The Sisters of Mercy's song "Vision Thing" is a scathing critique of political and social disillusionment. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a world that is both chaotic and corrupt, filled with superficiality and moral decay. The repeated references to "another motherfucker in a motorcade" and the imagery of long black cars and motorcades suggest a deep-seated frustration with political leaders and the empty promises they often represent. The phrase "vision thing" itself is a sarcastic nod to the grandiose but ultimately hollow visions that politicians sell to the public.

The song's setting is a dystopian landscape where everything seems to be for sale, but nothing holds real value. Lines like "It's a small world and it smells funny" and "I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money" underscore a sense of pervasive cynicism and disillusionment. The mention of "colours I ain't seen before" and "a little more mad in the methedrome" adds to the surreal and unsettling atmosphere, suggesting a world that is both unfamiliar and increasingly unhinged.

The chorus, with its rhetorical questions about what it takes to make the world come alive and make people sing, highlights a yearning for genuine change and inspiration. However, the answers provided—"one million points of light" and "one billion dollar Vision Thing"—are steeped in irony, pointing to the absurdity of trying to buy or manufacture true vision and leadership. The song ultimately serves as a powerful commentary on the emptiness of political rhetoric and the disillusionment that follows when lofty promises fail to materialize.