And the Snakes Start to Sing by Bring Me the Horizon Lyrics Meaning – Dissecting the Depths of Desolation
Lyrics
Tell your friends to sharpen their teeth
There’s a few quid to be made
And my soul’s a sorry state
So come on down, you empty lovers
Worms come out of the woodwork
And the snakes start to sing
Do you feel the chill
Clawing at the back of your neck?
I start to spill
Did you really think that you could fix me?
They’ll sell your bones for another roll
Well, sharpen your teeth
Tell yourself that it’s just business
Worms come out of the woodwork
Leeches come from out of the dirt
Rats come out of the holes they call home
And I fall apart
And the snakes start to sing
Don’t say I’m better off dead
‘Cause heaven’s full and hell won’t have me
Won’t you make some room in your bed
Well, you could lock me up in your heart
And throw away the key
Won’t you take me out of my head?
I’m just a would’ve been, could’ve been
Should’ve been, never was and never ever will be
We’ll sharpen your teeth
Tell yourself that it’s just business
Would’ve been, could’ve been
Should’ve been, never was, and never ever will be
Worms come out of the woodwork
And the snakes start to sing
Worms come out of the woodwork
Leeches come from out of the dirt
Rats come out of the holes they call home
And I fall apart
And the snakes start to sing
If you can’t soar with the eagles
Then don’t fly with the flock
Are you still getting high?
Did you catch your own reflection
In the knife my mother held?
Or the hell in my father’s eyes?
If you can’t soar with the eagles
Then don’t fly with the flock
Are you still getting by?
Was I your knight in shining armor?
The apple of your eye?
Or just a step to climb?
If you can’t soar with the eagles
Then don’t fly with the flock.
Are you still getting high?
Did you catch your own reflection
In the knife my mother held?
Or the hell in my father’s eyes?
If you can’t soar with the eagles
Then don’t fly with the flock
Are you still getting by?
Was I your knight in shining armor?
Or the apple of your eye?
Or just a step, a fucking step to climb
Delving into the soul-stirring lyrics of ‘And the Snakes Start to Sing’ by Bring Me the Horizon (BMTH) unveils a labyrinth of raw emotions and haunting metaphors. Stripping away the heavy instrumentation characteristic of the band to leave a stark, almost uncoverable narrative, the song emerges as a poignant and intricate exploration of despair, self-depreciation, and the relentless pursuit of belonging in a world that seems to constantly belittle and consume its inhabitants.
Crafting a commentary that seeps into the intrinsic meanings behind the cryptic verses and choruses, ‘And the Snakes Start to Sing’ serves not simply as a song but as a somber anthem for the fractured souls. It digs its fangs into the struggles of the human condition, the complexity of mental health, and the predatory nature of our social fabric. The journey within its lyrics is tantamount to a psychological and visceral odyssey that demands introspection.
Deciphering the Haunting Elegy
Embarking on the labyrinth of ‘And the Snakes Start to Sing’, listeners encounter a narrative steeped in desolation. The track opens with a somber admission of loss – a ‘part of me’ that the protagonist has let slip through their fingers, setting off the discordant symphony of self-aware yet resigned sorrow.
The notion of ‘sharpening their teeth’ suggests a combativeness to survive in a world that feeds on vulnerability. The ‘few quid to be made’ speaks to the commodification of pain, a grim market for the remnants of a soul now in ‘a sorry state’. The toxic allure of ’empty lovers’ and the deceitful emergence of ‘wolves’ and ‘snakes’ constructs an atmosphere thick with betrayal and opportunism.
The Descent into Madness
Symbolism reaches a fever pitch as the imagery of predatory animals merges with the persona’s disintegration. ‘Wolves’, ‘leeches’, ‘rats’ – each creature represents an aspect of societal siphoning, drawing out the life and sanity of the song’s subject. There’s a vivid metaphor for each new vulture circling the remains of the singer’s collapsing psyche.
As ‘the snakes start to sing’, we’re not just listening to a melody; we’re bearing witness to the enchanting call of ruin. The serpents could be the whispering thoughts of doubt, or perhaps the siren songs of those who slink into our lives only when there’s something to gain.
A Requiem for the Living Dead
Notably, the song taps into themes of existential purgatory – ‘heaven’s full and hell won’t have me’ – a sentiment that resonates with those who feel they belong nowhere. The protagonist pleads for space, for existence, inside someone else’s heart, away from the endless cycle of feeling worthless.
These cries for acceptance culminate in a collapse of identity; the declaration of being neither a ‘would’ve been’ nor a ‘never was’ cuts to the core of self-doubt. The recognition that they will ‘never ever will be’ entrenches the sense of hopelessness that pervades the track.
The Hidden Meaning Behind the Metaphors
Peeling back the intricate layers of ‘And the Snakes Start to Sing’ reveals profound commentaries on addiction, familial struggle, and the desperate grasp for recognition. The repeated questioning of still ‘getting high’ and the confronting imagery of ‘the knife my mother held’ and ‘the hell in my father’s eyes’ bleed into the narrative of a troubled upbringing and the inherited pain that follows.
These references contend with the lofty pressures imposed by others who place you on a pedestal just out of reach – ‘the apple of your eye’ – or reduce you to merely ‘a step to climb.’ The song becomes an anthem for those ground down by the unachievable expectations of others and their own disillusionment.
Memorable Lines That Cut Deep
Certain lyrics from ‘And the Snakes Start to Sing’ sear themselves into the listener’s memory, testament to BMTH’s lyrical prowess. ‘Don’t say I’m better off dead, cause heaven’s full and hell won’t have me’ encapsulates the song’s heartrending cry for a place to belong in its bleakness.
Another gripping line, ‘If you can’t soar with the eagles then don’t fly with the flock’, serves as a bitterly ironic commentary on individuality and the crushing disparity between ambition and reality. It’s in these lines that the song not only sings but speaks, whispering truths about the human condition that’s as uncomfortable as it is undeniable.
