Jet Black Heart by 5 Seconds of Summer Lyrics Meaning – Decoding the Shadows of Vulnerability and Resistance
Lyrics
Even wide awake or dreaming
I’m the one who ends up leaving
Make it okay
See a war, I wanna fight it
See a match, I wanna strike it
Every fire I’ve ignited
Faded to grey
But now that I’m broken
Now that you know it
Caught up in a moment
Can you see inside?
‘Cause I’ve got a jet black heart
And there’s a hurricane underneath it
Trying to keep us apart
I write with a poison pen
But these chemicals moving between us
Are the reason to start again
Now I’m holding on for dear life
There’s no way that we could rewind
Maybe there’s nothing after midnight
That could make you stay
But now that I’m broken
And now that you know it
Caught up in a moment
Can you see inside?
‘Cause I’ve got a jet black heart
And there’s a hurricane underneath it
Trying to keep us apart
I write with a poison pen
But these chemicals moving between us
Are the reason to start again
The blood in my veins
Is made up of mistakes
Let’s forget who we are
And dive into the dark
As we burst into color
Returning to life
‘Cause I’ve got a jet black heart
And there’s a hurricane underneath it
Trying to keep us apart
I write with a poison pen
But these chemicals moving between us
Are the reason to start again
The blood in my veins
Is made up of mistakes (to start again)
Let’s forget who we are
And dive into the dark
5 Seconds of Summer, often abbreviated as 5SOS, boasts a repertoire of pop-punk anthems that transcend the realm of superficial hooks and delve into the depths of raw emotion. ‘Jet Black Heart’, a track from the band’s sophomore album, skirts the edge of darkness, lyrically meandering through themes of internal struggle, tumultuous relationships, and the achingly human desire to start anew.
The poetic heft of ‘Jet Black Heart’ envelops the listener in a fabric woven with threads of despair and hope. As the title suggests, there’s a stark contrast at play—between the blackness of the heart spoken about and the vibrant hurricane of emotions it endeavors to contain. Through this deeper examination of the track’s lyrical content, we’ll unravel the skeins of its intricate messages.
Embracing the Demons: A Path to Authenticity
5SOS begins ‘Jet Black Heart’ with a universal proclamation: ‘Everybody’s got their demons.’ It’s a resonant start that immediately aligns the listener’s own vulnerabilities with those of the narrator. Beyond this confession lies the understanding that true authenticity derives from embracing our shadows—not just our waking self but the reflection in the dream’s mirror as well.
In a society obsessed with showcasing perfection, 5SOS argues for the beauty in imperfection. By admitting to ‘ending up leaving,’ they suggest a perpetual struggle, a cycle of fight and flight that many find relatable. It’s a hard-hitting acknowledgment that sometimes survival means walking away—regardless of the desire to ‘make it okay.’
The Flames of Conflict and the Ashes of Resignation
With their penchant for lyrical dualities, the band juxtaposes the imagery of a ‘war’ and a ‘match’ to convey the constant internal and external battles we fight. Each line is a brushstroke painting a picture of someone who lights fires of passion and warfare, who seeks to challenge the world and self, only to watch the flames die out.
The faded grey—symbolic of lost vibrancy or defeat—looms over the song’s hero much like the clouds after a fire has been doused. The language chosen by the band exposes a sense of futility that haunts even the most fiery spirits, giving listeners a glimpse into a less-often discussed side of idealism—that of the inherent loneliness it often entails.
The Storm Beneath the Surf: A Hidden Meaning
One doesn’t simply come across a ‘jet black heart’ without delving deep beneath the external façade. This heart is veiled by a ‘hurricane underneath it’—an unrest, a turmoil that 5SOS implies as the disruptor of peace and connector between two entities. This hurricane is as much about keeping lovers apart as it is about the forces that rattle the very foundations of one’s being.
The toxic dichotomy of a ‘poison pen’ and the ‘chemicals moving between us’ suggest both the destruction and creation inherent in intense relationships. There are profound connections in which passion can be both poisonous and invigorating—often, those which do us the most harm also have the power to ignite recovery and rebirth.
A Nocturnal Plea: ‘Maybe there’s nothing after midnight’
Few lines capture desperation like ‘Maybe there’s nothing after midnight,’ encapsulating the idea that beyond a certain point, hope dissolves into the dark night of the soul. It’s an almost gothic sentiment, and the band plays on this to evoke a dramatic sense of urgency. This becomes a plea for some sign of redemption, a reason to hold on when everything else signals to let go.
The evocative nature of this lyric lays bare the struggle between resignation and the relentless human pursuit of something more—something just beyond reach. ‘Now I’m holding on for dear life’ is not just a declaration; it’s a rallying cry against the void, representing every moment we’ve ever clung to the hope of turning things around.
Rebirth in Living Color: ‘Returning to life’
The song crescendos into an invitation: ‘Let’s forget who we are / And dive into the dark.’ It’s an act of defiance against the past, a deliberate amnesia for the sake of emerging anew. To ‘burst into color’ and return to life is to move past mistakes made, understanding that within each of us lies the potential for transformation.
By acknowledging the past—the ‘blood in my veins is made up of mistakes’—5SOS advocates for accepting our missteps as part of our identity, a foundation on which to build a vibrant future. ‘Jet Black Heart’ ultimately reframes defeat and regret as not endpoints, but pivotal moments of breakthrough, where we are offered the chance to start over, shaped but unbound by our histories.
