Blood On My Hands by The Used Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Depths of Internal Struggle and Identity
Lyrics
And it’s something I’m not revealing
Though you got used to my disguise
You can’t shake this awful feeling
It’s the me that I let you know
‘Cause I’ll never show I have my reasons
I hate to say that I told you so
But I told you so, yeah
There’s blood on my hands
Like the blood in you
Some things can’t be treated
So don’t make me, don’t make me be myself around you
Straight from your eyes it’s burying me
Beautifully so disfigured
This other side that you can’t see
Just praying you won’t remember
Feel the pain that I never show
And I hope you know, it’s never healing
I hate to say that I told you so
But I told you so, yeah
There’s blood on my hands
Like the blood in you
Some things can’t be treated
So don’t make me, don’t make me be myself around you
Straight from your eyes it’s burying me
Beautifully so disfigured
This other side that you can’t see
Just praying you won’t remember
There’s blood, there’s blood
There’s blood, blood, blood
There’s blood on my hands
Like the blood in you
Some things can’t be treated
So don’t make me, don’t make me be myself around you
There’s blood on my hands
(There’s blood)
Like the blood in you
(There’s blood)
Some things can’t be treated
(There’s blood)
So don’t make me, don’t make me be myself around you
There’s blood
In the world of alternative rock, The Used has carved out a distinct niche with a blend of raw emotion and lyrical depth that transfixes their audience. ‘Blood On My Hands,’ a track laden with metaphor and visceral imagery, precipitates a deep dive into the crevices of the human spirit and the tortuous struggle with one’s darker self.
This intense piece is more than a musical composition; it’s a confession booth where lead singer Bert McCracken lays bare an internal schism, the intensity of which is felt in every chord. Join us on an interpretative journey as we dissect the multi-layered meanings and explore the shadows of this haunting melody.
A Metaphorical Bloodbath: Decoding the Symbolism
Blood, a typical metaphor for guilt or sin, soaks the lyrics as Bert McCracken confronts himself. However, ‘Blood On My Hands’ suggests more than just culpability; it’s a vivid representation of an internal quarrel that’s grown violent. There is a recognition of inherent flaws or ‘blood’ within oneself—a sense that some parts of our nature are irredeemable or corrupted beyond repair.
The ‘disguise’ he refers to can be a façade; a mechanism by which McCracken, or any individual, masks their deeper, less savory traits from the world. The chilling realization is that no matter how well these traits are hidden, you can’t escape that ‘awful feeling’ of knowing who you really are deep down—the side you hope others will forget.
The Ironic Echoes of a Forewarning
‘I hate to say that I told you so,’ a line typically uttered with an air of smug vindication, takes on a sorrowful weight here. The acknowledgment of the coming revelation of his true self to someone else, and the implied damage done, rings throughout the song. It’s as if McCracken predicted the destructive potential of his own nature, and despite the warnings, the inevitable outcome unfolded much to his dismay.
This refrain is laced with regret, and each repetition feels like an internal reprimand. He simultaneously acknowledges his inability to change while mourning the impact this revelation will have on his relationships.
Uncovering the Allure of the Dark Side
The Used has a knack for facilitating a connection with the outcast, the shadow-dweller within us all. ‘Blood On My Hands’ speaks to the allure of our darker sides and the complexity of being drawn to what seems beautifully disfigured. McCracken’s vivid imagery of what ‘buries’ him is both a confession and a rebellion against the suppression of these darker aspects.
The song interlays beauty and distortion, asking listeners to grapple with their own perceptions of what is desirable or acceptable. It tempts the audience to find an unsettling aestheticism in the messiness of the human condition.
The Inner Conflict’s Incessant Knock
At the core of ‘Blood On My Hands’ lies a battle between the necessity to maintain an external composure and the chaotic truth lurking within. The imploration ‘don’t make me, don’t make me be myself around you’ encapsulates the terror of being seen, of having one’s inner turmoil exposed to the harsh judgments of daylight.
This line serves as a door that McCracken dare not open, a plea to spare himself and others from facing the full brunt of who he is. The tension in this internal conflict echoes the essence of the human experience—the fear of vulnerability and genuine self-exposure.
The Cathartic Release of ‘Blood On My Hands’
‘Blood On My Hands’ functions as a siren song for the emotionally repressed, those yearning for a release of the pent-up darkness that strains beneath a veneer of false normalcy. It projects an avenue for listeners to acknowledge and perhaps even embrace the less polished facets of their identities.
In this symphony of self-acceptance and despair, we are reminded of the dual forces that animate our lives. The Used, through this masterful track, prompts a cathartic release, offering a momentary communion with our inner discord and the tacit acknowledgment that, sometimes, our bloodied hands are inescapable truths of our existence.
