Counting On Me by Korn Lyrics Meaning – A Deep Dive Into the Anthem’s Relatable Angst
Lyrics
Why can’t you just shut your face?
Oh God, the feelings I feel
Would get me thrown in a cage
You’re the one who’s always screaming at me
I’m the one that keeps your life so care free
What the fuck more do you want me to be?
Why must you do this to me?
Run away
I can’t see
Lead the way
Make them pay
Counting on me
Always hoping I’ll be
There for all of your problems
In turn, you’re never there for me
You suck the life out of me
You hate everything you see
I can’t take this anymore
But always stay when I should leave
You see the pain in my face
While you keep putting me down
Inside the rage starts to build
You push me, I won’t go down
You’re the one who’s always screaming at me
I’m the one that keeps your life so care free
What the fuck more do you want me to be?
Why must you do this to me?
Run away
I can’t see
Lead the way
Make them pay
Counting on me
Always hoping I’ll be
There for all of your problems
In turn, you’re never there for me
You suck the life out of me
You hate everything you see
I can’t take this anymore
But always stay when I should leave
Could this really be the day, today?
Could this really make the problems go away?
I’m gonna have to doubt this time
Right now
I’ve taken all I can now
Right now
You’ve torn us all apart
Right now
There is nothing you can do to stop me
Right (now)
Right (now)
Right (now)
Right (now)
Right (now)
Right (now)
Right (now)
Right (now)
Right
Counting on me
Always hoping I’ll be
There for all of your problems
In turn, you’re never there for me
You suck the life out of me
You hate everything you see
I can’t take this anymore
But always stay when I should leave
Counting on me
Always hoping I’ll be
There for all of your problems
In turn, you’re never there for me
You suck the life out of me
You hate everything you see
I can’t take this anymore
But always stay when I should leave
Korn has always been more than just a band; they’re musical psychologists unraveling the complexities of the human psyche with every riff. ‘Counting On Me’ from their album ‘Take a Look in the Mirror’ is a roaring showcase of the band’s ability to blend raw emotion with hard-hitting tunes. With Jonathan Davis’s guttural vocals and the band’s signature down-tuned guitars, the song resonates with a sense of desperation and a plea for understanding.
The lyrics of ‘Counting On Me’ echo the universal struggle with dependency, obligations, and unreciprocated emotional labor. The track is a journey into the mind of someone at their breaking point, clawing at the walls for freedom from a toxic relationship where they’re taken for granted. It’s the outcry of the over-burdened, a battle hymn for self-preservation in the face of emotional vampirism.
A Cry Against Emotional Parasitism
The intense open lines of ‘Counting On Me’ speak volumes, painting a portrait of heated confrontations and an inner turbulence threatening to boil over. Korn has mastered the art of connecting with those who have felt exploited, channeling their pain into a combustible mix of anger and defiance.
By openly questioning the antagonist’s relentless attacks and lack of consideration, the song creates a platform for listeners to recognize and challenge the emotional vampires in their own lives. It’s a cathartic exorcism for anyone who’s been pushed to the brink.
The Unseen Weight of Being the Cornerstone
Jonathan Davis’s pleading questions and the thematic ‘Counting on me/Always hoping I’ll be’ chorus articulate the burden felt when one is the perpetual cornerstone in a relationship. The track uncovers how suffocating it can be to fulfill someone else’s needs consistently while being deprived of your own support system.
This dynamic demonstrates a cruel irony where loyalty and integrity become a prison of neglect for the giver, the song becoming an unlikely comfort for those drained by the imbalance of their personal connections.
Unveiling the Hidden Meaning: A Reflection on Boundaries
‘Counting On Me’ digs beneath anger, reaching into the depths where boundaries are obliterated. It’s not just about rage—it encapsulates the silent scream for autonomy, for the right to self-preservation that precludes losing oneself in another’s black hole of needs.
Here, Korn illuminates a core aspect often overlooked: the significance of setting and maintaining boundaries. Without them, our own identity risks being subsumed by the desires and crises of those around us.
The Climactic Battle Cry for Autonomy
As the song builds, so does the protagonist’s resolve. Lyrics elevating from anxiety to determination mirror an individual’s state of mind shifting from paralyzing dependency to forging a path towards self-empowerment.
‘Right now’ is chanted like a mantra, a final push to break free from the chains of parasitical relationships. It suggests a moment of reckoning and dramatic change, where survival means to finally put oneself first against the tide of another’s selfishness.
Memorable Lines That Etch Into the Soul
‘You suck the life out of me/You hate everything you see/I can’t take this anymore,’ captures the essence of ‘Counting On Me’—an emo-anthem for the weary and worn down. These lines resonate with those who have experienced the toxic dance of giving too much to an ever-demanding partner, friend, or family member.
The song’s powerful simplicity in lyrics reinforces it as an echoing voice inside the head of every listener who has reached their limit but struggles against the reality that they might ‘always stay when [they] should leave.’
