Nothing Makes Sense Anymore

"Nothing Makes Sense" is the fourth song on Post Traumatic by Mike Shinoda. It was released as a pre-order track for the album. It was also released as a double single with "Crossing A Line".

Background

"Nothing Makes Sense Anymore" is a song that is filled with metaphors that relate back to how Mike saw the world after Chester Bennington's passing.

Mike told Genius about the first verse, "There was a time (maybe around our album A Thousand Suns?) when I thought I used too many water metaphors, so I had to stop. It'’s been a little while since then, so I thought it was OK to put this one in the song. When a loved one passes away, many people, myself included, describe the feeling as "being lost at sea." There's a feeling of lack of direction and lack of control. Part of making the Post Traumatic album was an attempt to find direction and regain control of my creative and personal life."

About the chorus, "One of my favorite albums growing up was The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. I think this song has some inspiration from the thousands of times I listened to that album."

About the second verse, "This verse was inspired by the delicate nature of art, and how sometimes things happen that can't be undone. On a bit lighter note, I went to college for art; some of our projects lasted weeks, even months. But sometimes, things went wrong. One time, I had a project painted with gouache, which is like watercolor but with a powdery pigment look to it. If you were supposed to paint a flat square with it, any moisture, oil, or water that got sprayed on top would ruin it, leaving spots. I had probably put in 10 hours on a color theory project where I was supposed to paint perfect, flat colored squares... and I sneezed. I had to totally start over."

About the bridge, "When I’m writing "singing" lyrics, I'm looking for things that sing well, and sum up a core truth about my song subject. There’s a futility in this bridge that seemed to "complete the song," for me."

Tracklist

Digital Single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1	Crossing A Line	Mike Shinoda	4:02
2	Nothing Makes Sense Anymore	Shinoda	3:33

Music Video

On February 8th, Mike tweeted, "Friends in LA: can anyone give me a live video YOU SHOT (and own) of the Skirball fire? Must be a vid of the fire, not of a TV / news / etc (they own that footage). I want to use it for something I'm making. Use #FireVideoForMike to show me." and "Ask your friends for me. I need a video someone took in person, of the Getty Center / Skirball Fire. #FireVideoForMike"

This footage was used in the music video, released on March 29th. The video featured footage of the LA fire and Mike walking through the LA nature and the burned terrain while singing the song.

Versions

Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.

Title	Album	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
Nothing Makes Sense Anymore	Crossing A Line / Nothing Makes Sense Anymore Post Traumatic	3:33	2017-2018	March 29, 2018
Nothing Makes Sense Anymore	Post Traumatic - Instrumentals	3:33	2017-2018		Official instrumental version.

Live

Though the song was never played live, on December 26, 2019, Mike posted a picture on Instagram of a part of his live rig used to trigger pieces of songs, and one of the labeled buttons was for "NMSA", indicating he considered playing it live at some point, but chose not to.

Lyrics

Album Version

I used to know where the bottom was
Somewhere far under the ocean waves
Up on a ledge I was looking down
It was far enough to keep me safe
But the ground was cracked open
Threw me in the ocean
Cast me out away at sea
And the waves are still breaking
Now that I awaken
No one’s left to answer me

My inside’s out, my left is right
My upside’s down, my black is white
I hold my breath and close my eyes
And wait for dawn but there’s no light
Nothing makes sense anymore, anymore
Nothing makes sense anymore, anymore
Nothing makes sense anymore, anymore
Nothing makes sense anymore, anymore

I used to sleep without waking up
In a dream I made from painted walls
I was a moment away from done
When the black spilled out across it all
And my eyes were made sober
World was turned over
Washing out the lines I’d seen
And my heart is still breaking
Now that I awaken
No one’s left to answer me

My inside’s out, my left is right
My upside’s down, my black is white
I hold my breath and close my eyes
And wait for dawn but there’s no light

I’m a call without an answer
I’m a shadow in the dark
Trying to put it back together
As I watch it fall apart
I’m a call without an answer
I’m a shadow in the dark
Trying to put it back together
As I watch it fall apart

My inside’s out, my left is right
My upside’s down, my black is white
I hold my breath and close my eyes
And wait for dawn but there’s no light
Nothing makes sense anymore, anymore
Nothing makes sense anymore, anymore
Nothing makes sense anymore, anymore
Nothing makes sense anymore, anymore

External Links

• Nothing Makes Sense Anymore (Music Video): YouTube