Slipknot’s “Unsainted” Lyrics Meaning
Slipknot’s “Unsainted” is a song based on the depression of the singer (Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor) as well as what appears to be his disenfranchisement with mainstream religious practices as a potential remedy.
The first verse finds him “weathering a rough patch”, which means he is going through a challenging time in his life. Indeed we can see particularly in the chorus that he is even contemplating suicide. He also alludes to the idea that under such circumstances, he is compelled to “pick a lord and… pray to it”, as in choose a religion. However, the “stories” he comes into contact with via these belief systems do not appeal to him.
However in the second verse Corey expresses that he is still inclined to “keep a buckle on the devil” and “(reach) out for… God”. In other words, he desires to live a righteous life. But once again, he alludes to the fact that he is not interested in “bibles”. He also goes on a rant which reads as if he may be criticizing society in general but particularly within the context of the religious ideas which dominate it.
Meaning of “Unsainted”
And that brings us to the overall idea which this song is centered on, that the singer has been “unsainted”. What this term means, in his own words, is that some unspecified person(s) “killed the saint (in) him”. The term saint would allude to the good side of his nature. So Taylor is basically saying that someone has destroyed his good side. And who is actually guilty of such is never mentioned. But within the overall context of the track, it would likely be the same socio-religious entity he spoke of earlier.
Facts about Facts about “Unsainted”
- Slipknot wrote “Unsainted” without help from any additional songwriters.
- The band worked with record producer Greg Fidelman to produce “Unsainted”.
- 16th May, 2019 was the release date of this Slipknot track. It was released as the lead single from the 2019 album We Are Not Your Kind. FYI, the aforementioned record is the band’s sixth studio album.
Did Slipknot’s drummer Chris Fehn play a role in the creation of this song?
No. And why is that the case? Simply because he had already been fired by the band members before they began working on the song. Owing to this, “Unsainted” is Slipknot’s first single to be released without any input from Fehn.
Uhh..i don’t believe he’s “reaching for the hand of god” in the way you claim. The FULL LINE is..”keep a buckle on the devil and your eyes on the road” “you’re reaching out for the hand of god BUT DID YOU THINK YOU’D SHAKE YOUR OWN?”
Ok, I’ll try to give a simple and unbiased view on the lines “keep a buckle on the devil and your eyes on the road” “you’re reaching out for the hand of god BUT DID YOU THINK YOU’D SHAKE YOUR OWN?”
Keeping a buckle on the devil and your own eyes on the road pretty much seems like he’s on the highway to hell. I mean,in which other road will you ride with a devil?
Reaching out for the hand of god but do you think you’d shake your own? To understand these lines, simply consider it objectively. Hand of god would pretty much mean something good, and would you shake your own would mean, iterally if you were someone else, would you shake the hand of (be friendly and interact with) the current you? So basically, are you even deserving of the hand of god?
“Reaching out for the hand of God … did you think you’d shake your own “ means he is dealing with a narcissist…
That seems to be in line with the rest of the song, he is self hating and contemplating if anyone would want him. Like, ”im reaching out to God, but would he want me? Would even i want myself?”
I know this is well past the conversation, but I just saw this thread.
This particular line is my favorite line from the song because it’s so open to interpretation.
“Keep a buckle on the devil”
Knowing that Cory has dealt with depression, this is him Admitting that he has to control his “devil”.
“And your eyes on the road”
Cory understands that controlling his depression is essential to maintaining his goals in life. “keep your eyes on the road” is a phrase used to mean “stay focused”. By controlling his depression, Cory and stay focused on his life.
“Reaching out for the hand of God”
Looking for external help. Hoping that religion can be the thing to help pull you through your depression.
“But did you think you’d shake your own?”
The ultimate realization that to get through some of these rough patches, we need to pull ourselves through it. We can’t lean on religion, or other external means. Sometimes we just have to get through it on our own.
I absolutely love this song, and I think it really tells an incredible story.
I think he means stay believing in him like keep him, but do what he needs to going forward or something like that, sorry if I sound dumb its late for me.
Ps. Ik its 2021 now haha
Exactly. Reaching for the hand of God but shake your own. Which means your hand is God’s hand. Which means there is no God. The only God’s are the imaginary ones we created ourselves. Religion is a crutch for weak minded people. Quit being a pussy and put an end to the destructiveness of religion.
Love this song but that’s not what it means friend it means you think of your self as a god but you false as [expletive].
Nope. He’s talking to someone forcing religious beliefs down his throat while trying to remain a good person. Corey has struggled with sobriety among so many other things in his life. He was also most likely in the midst of his divorce during this writing process. Most of the lyrics could be directed at his wife. But the this song also sort of speaks maybe to not agreeing with the 12 steps of AA. He never actually fires on religion. And actually infers that he had saintly qualities of some sort at one point.
Correction: Corey Taylor is not sober, as he has stated in interviews.He just doesn’t drink anymore.
Well said
Your response is just as bad as over religious people. I have best friends that are atheist and I’m Christian and Slipknot is my favorite band. I guarantee I can find something in your life you use as a crutch and it’s just as “bad” as religion is.
As far as lyrics, Corey talks in Metaphor. The reaching out to God phrase is basically saying “How can you reach for God to lean on when you wouldnt even do that to yourself or anyone?” Simply put, its like a friend asking you for help but you wouldn’t return the favor if roles were switched. Its hypocrisy. Treat others as you would be treated. Simple put.
As far as the meaning, it may very well be against religion. Hell I against majority of religion out there. Rules regulation. That’s why I choose to have a spiritual relationship with God. But the point is, if someone shoved that down Corey’s throat he has every right to be upset. Either way, tremendous song.
Everyone you know your opinions are just that. Only Corey knows the truth. Maybe the rest of band. Either way this song is Fire. It’s been stuck in my head all day.
There is a few Buddhist connotations in this album, especially about letting go and saying “I’ve already gone away” “I was gone but how was I know to know?”
The Buddhist concept of Anatta (not-self) seems to come into these songs. Its as if they’re saying we’ve already died metaphorically, because they’ve realised there was no inherent self to begin with.
Again, the idea of shaking your own hand. Its about personal salvation; only you can do your work i.e. gain insight/meditate your way out of samsara.
Then again, may be they’re also expressing dissatisfaction with Buddhism as well; “finally holding on to letting go” is a bit of an oxymoron/paradox.
Who knows.
Unsainted came to me at a point in my life when i went through some shit. seemed like it fitted perfectly but in an other way then the lyrics intended. i really love that song!
I think the line ‘I’ll never kill myself to save my soul’ is a shot at strong Islamists. They believe that if you lose your life for Islam (For example by being a suicide bomber) you will go to “Heaven”.
It could also mean mentally killing yourself, like mentally exhausting yourself.
Bro im muslim and in the real islam doing something like this ‘ is not good and its haram. Killing people and… cmon those people who do this are not Muslims they are just posers
“I’m never killing myself to save my soul” is about not wanting the ego (mind) to die in order to save your soul. He doesn’t want to in the beginning of the chorus but at the end he says “he’s finally holding on to letting go” meaning that he knows at some point he does have to let go.
“Reaching out to the hand of god means but did you think you’d grab your own”
Means that the only god there is is inside of you. No, you are not a God. But we are all one, and the force that created us resides inside all of us. We can not find it externally in religion.
I LOVE THIS!!! I ABSOLUTELY AGREE!!
This song technically was written by Mr Taylor and another Ghost entity…the sentence ” reaching out for the hand of God but did u think you’d shake your own” he’s saying to the Godfather that he’s a God, that we are all gods. Made up of the essence that would be “God”.
The premise behind the song is an innocent called out into the light and acosted and treated as guilty unless they do something to prove themselves. Hence the “unsainting.” If you want to know more you’ll have to ask Me Taylor yourself because I’ve almost breached my code of silence if you will. The writer of this song sent it 50% done and said here you finish the rest. He also wrote the great Realization , A little bit off, and a few others all at 50% completion on his apparent death bed in VGH Vancouver, Canada September 15-19 2018. He is the Guardian Angel. Only a God could survive a point blank double ricochet off the occipital lobe into the clavucal vertabrea out the mouth and miss everytooth mid sentence only to shrug it off order a chocolate milkshake THEN collapse after trying to drink it. Lol some people just are LUCKY.
COREY if u see this it’s actually M.E and yes I’m alive and STILL innocent.
MM
Well to be honest I feel strongly about the fact that possibly that he’s saying his thank you to late great Paul grey as he did in the grey chapter for all of Paul’s hard work and work ethics that he brought to the band and he’s giving his final farewell to his brother in band and letting Paul rest in peace and happiness with open arms.
it’s about addiction. work the program and find out!
Suicide, depression, the loss of inner self & values, a toxic relationship with a narcissist, and the moment of clarity you finally have at the end of said relationship are the themes I get from this song. It’s not literal by any means.
“I’ll never kill myself to save my soul.
I was gone but how was I to know?
I didn’t come this far to sink so low.
I’m finally holding on to letting go.”
When you are in a toxic relationship with a narcissist, you start to loose parts of yourself little by little and are not aware of it while it’s happening. You lose yourself bit by bit trying to appease someone who can never be appeased holding on to everything you possibly can to keep the relationship going and save it. At the true end of the toxic relationship there is a moment of clarity where you realize that you no longer recognize the person staring back at you and struggle to remember what was important to you. You grieve for the death of your self and try to reflect on how you got to this point. Then comes the resolve-you resolve to battle the mental demons you have telling you that it would be better without you here, to find and be true to yourself, and to hold onto and fight the mental fight to finally let go of and move on from that toxic person.
When you end up in a toxic relationship, most times, you have preexisting mental health issues and low self esteem/worth which makes it all the more challenging to come out of and the huge emotional ups and downs can really be a trying time for people who already deal with suicidal ideation. Holding onto a statement like “I’ll never kill myself to save my soul” is a great mantra because if I wouldn’t kill myself for God, why the fnck would I kill myself over a piece of poo like you who took the best qualities of me and squashed them like a bug?
Remember, from a narcissist’s point of view, they are God.