Discover the story of the song > What’s the Matter Man – Rollins Band

The protagonist feels lost and disconnected in a strange place, where it's hard to tell what's real. He's hooked up to machines and addicted to someone else's dreams, but never seems to get what he really needs. Despite this, he's willing to be alone and lose everything to keep his sanity. The song asks repeatedly, "What's the matter, man?" and questions whether he's struggling with time, anxiety or loss of feeling. The refrain "oh now you're gonna pay and pay and pay" implies that there may be consequences to his choices.