Songfacts®:

• This song refers to the scientific concept of "boiling frogs." When frogs were placed in boiling water, they immediately jumped out. However, when the frogs were placed in lukewarm water while the water heated to boiling, the frogs never jumped out. This song is a metaphor for a man working on a job and becoming so acclimated he didn't notice his life had flashed before his eyes. >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Benjamin - Davenport, IA
• Lead singer George Pettit explained to MuchMusic: "It's an analogy. I wrote it inspired by my father who worked at a job where he designed refrigerator parts for 26 years. He was coming up to his pension the last three years and I guess when people are coming up to their pension they really put the screws to them. They're up for review all the time, trying to get them to quit so that they forfeit their pension. It really makes it a stressful last three years. The song is kind of about that, about there being no loyalty in the workplace.
  And my mother went to this conference talking to different generations in the workplace and they referred to her generation as 'boiled frogs.' The analogy is that if you take a frog and put it in boiling water, it will jump right out immediately, but if you put it in cold water and then you slowly turn the heat up, they'll just eventually fall asleep and die. Same way with people in the workplace. If it's too hectic when they first get there, they'll just quit and get another job, but if you slowly up the workload, lower the pay, they're more likely to sit there and just boil."