Fight Test
Wayne's Notes from the Album:
"The subject of the song is the singer's regret about taking the attitude of "not fighting" to an extreme - and by the end of the song realizes he's made a mistake and sometimes a person has no choice - as unpleasant as it may be... To surrender to every conflict without a challenge, he finds, is worse than getting beat up."
"The test begins now" line that opens "Fight Test" originated from the Boom-Box Experiments. As the song begins, Steven says, "Tell us a story, Wayne." The song was the subject of much attention when Yusuf Islam, formerly Cat Stevens, sued the Lips over its similarities to his 1970 song, "Father And Son." Previously, Wayne had commented publicly how "Fight Test" was reminiscent of "Father And Son." The Lips and Stevens reached a settlement to split the royalties from the song 75 percent to Stevens and 25 percent to the Lips.
"The subject of the song is the singer's regret about taking the attitude of "not fighting" to an extreme - and by the end of the song realizes he's made a mistake and sometimes a person has no choice - as unpleasant as it may be... To surrender to every conflict without a challenge, he finds, is worse than getting beat up."
The test begins now
I thought I was smart
I thought I was right
I thought it better not to fight
I thought there was a virtue
In always being cool
So when it came time to fight
I thought I'll just step aside
And that time would prove you wrong
And that you would be the fool
I don't know where the sun beams end
And the star light begins, it's all a mystery
Oh to fight is to defend
If it's not now than tell me when would be the time
That you would stand up and be a man
For to lose I could accept
But to surrender I just wept
And regretted this moment
Oh that I, I was the fool
I don't know where the sun beams end
And the star light begins, it's all a mystery
And I don't know how a man decides
What's right for his own life, it's all a mystery
'Cause I'm a man not a boy
And there are things you can't avoid
You have to face them
When you're not prepared to face them
If I could I would
But you're with him now it'd do no good
I should have fought him but instead I let him
I let him take you
I don't know where the sun beams end
And the star light begins, it's all a mystery
And I don't know how a man decides
What's right for his own life, it's all a mystery
I don't know where the sun beams end
And the star light begins, it's all a mystery
And I don't know how a man decides
What's right for his own life, it's all a mystery
I don't know where the sun beams end
And the star light begins, it's all a mystery
Mystery
The test is over . . . now!
I thought I was right
I thought it better not to fight
I thought there was a virtue
In always being cool
So when it came time to fight
I thought I'll just step aside
And that time would prove you wrong
And that you would be the fool
And the star light begins, it's all a mystery
If it's not now than tell me when would be the time
That you would stand up and be a man
For to lose I could accept
But to surrender I just wept
And regretted this moment
Oh that I, I was the fool
And the star light begins, it's all a mystery
And I don't know how a man decides
What's right for his own life, it's all a mystery
And there are things you can't avoid
You have to face them
When you're not prepared to face them
If I could I would
But you're with him now it'd do no good
I should have fought him but instead I let him
I let him take you
And the star light begins, it's all a mystery
And I don't know how a man decides
What's right for his own life, it's all a mystery
And the star light begins, it's all a mystery
And I don't know how a man decides
What's right for his own life, it's all a mystery
And the star light begins, it's all a mystery
Mystery
Alternate Versions
An alternate version of "Fight Test" with the apt subtitle, "Primitive Demo With Helium Voice" appears on the Fight Test UK Single #2. It features a spare, acoustic arrangement with Wayne's vocals sounding like he had ingested helium.
Live
"Fight Test" has frequently appeared in setlists since its release.
| 03/15/2013 | Austin TX USA | Auditorium Shores | South By Southwest | |
| 03/14/2013 | Austin TX USA | The Belmont | South By Southwest | |
| 11/17/2009 | Birmingham England | Academy | ||
| 11/16/2009 | Manchester England | Academy | ||
| 11/15/2009 | Glasgow Scotland | Academy | Download Available | |
| 11/13/2009 | Portsmouth England | Guildhall | Download Available | |
| 11/11/2009 | London England | The Troxy | Download Available | |
| 11/10/2009 | London England | The Troxy | ||
| 11/09/2009 | Brussels Belgium | Ancienne Belgique | ||
| 11/07/2009 | Herning Denmark | Herning Concert Hall |
Del Mar Race Track
Del Mar CA - USA
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