Derailed by Joyce Manor Lyrics Meaning – Understanding the Emotional Twists and Turns
Lyrics
Will you call to let me know that you’re ok?
And when you make it to your bedroom
Do you collapse on your bed right away?
Or do you lay and think about how fucking lonely you’ve become?
You’re obsessed with revenge and it’s starting again
Bad tattoos oh and losing the saddest of friends
So you’ll ache through the days, ’cause you’ll never mend your ways
And when you make a decent living, will you buy me a train-set and a hat?
So that I can sit alone in my room, sending people away from the ones they love
Or crash them into buildings, explosions, derailments and screaming children
Oh my god, I think I’m in love
Yes, I know that this must be love
When you ache through the days
‘Cause you’ll never mend your ways
Joyce Manor’s ‘Derailed’ is a gripping track that encapsulates the human condition through its driving melody and poignant lyrics. At first listen, the song operates on a relatively simple narrative level, but delve a little deeper and we discover a rich tapestry of emotion and melancholy that defines the band’s raw style and appeal.
The essence of ‘Derailed’ is seemingly wrapped around the concept of derailment, not just of trains as hinted in the lyrics, but of lives and emotional states. It is a metaphorical journey through the bumps and crashes of personal experience, dealing with loneliness, love, revenge, and the struggle to change.
Loneliness on the Tracks: Unpacking the Opening Verses
The initial verses of ‘Derailed’ ring with a concern for wellbeing — a question posed perhaps to a friend or a loved one. The check-in call, the immediate collapse on the bed are scenarios that paint a vivid picture of exhaustion and emotional fatigue.
Yet, it quickly transgresses to a more somber reflection on loneliness and the haunting nature of revenge. This is a tale of loss, not only of people but of purpose, pointing at the ‘bad tattoos’ and ‘losing the saddest of friends’ as indicative of the resilience in the face of life’s undoing.
The Bitter Pill of Retribution
Revenge acts as a double-edged sword in ‘Derailed.’ It’s presented as an obsession, a cycle that begets loneliness and alienation. This attachment to vengeance may provide a momentary sense of control, yet it ultimately leads to greater despair.
The lyrics propose an ongoing battle with one’s demons and the inability to ‘mend your ways,’ indicating a possibly self-destructive character that’s stuck in a loop, making the same mistakes and incurring the same emotional penalties.
Unveiling the Disquieting Truth
At its core, ‘Derailed’ is a song about human frailty and the quiet agony of a bruised soul. The disarming simplicity of its verse belies a keen observation on the solitude of human existence, suggesting that the derailments in our lives can often come from our own hands.
There’s an almost perverse sense of irony at play, questioning the capacity to cope with professional success but personal failure — the acquisition of material gifts like a ‘train-set and a hat’ stands as hollow trophies in the absence of meaningful human connection.
From Crashing Trains to Crumbling Walls – The Dramatic Metaphors
Joyce Manor doesn’t shy away from potent imagery — crashes, explosions, derailments. These words aren’t merely for show but resonate with the internal chaos of the protagonist. The violent upheaval of a train crash parallels the inner turmoil of the songs subject, where thoughts and emotions collide catastrophically.
Fantasies of sending people away, of enacting the very destruction one feels inside, suggests a twisted sense of agency. It’s less about causing harm to others and more a reflection of one’s deep-rooted desire to witness their internal chaos manifested externally.
‘Oh My God, I think I’m in Love’ — The Unconventional Romance
Nestled within the track’s bleak landscape is a sudden, albeit confusing, proclamation of love. This could be interpreted as an ironic twist, or maybe a genuine feeling unearthed from the wreckage. It’s a jarring shift in tone that encapsulates the complexity of human emotions.
Perhaps it’s the love for the chaos itself — the addictiveness of drama and intensity that the song embodies. Or perhaps it’s a deeper acknowledgment that even in the midst of life’s train wrecks, there’s a profound capacity for love, whether self-love, romantic love, or the love of life with all its imperfections.
