The Trick is to Keep Breathing by Garbage: A Profound Dive into Despair and Resilience
Lyrics
Who likes to tell the world
About the way she feels about herself
She takes a little time
In making up her mind
She doesn’t want to fight against the tide
Lately I’m not the only one
I say never trust anyone
Always the one who has to drag her down
Maybe you’ll get what you want this time around
Can’t bear to face the truth
So sick he cannot move
And when it hurts he takes it out on you
Lately I’m not the only one
I say never trust anyone
Always the one who has to drag her down
Maybe you’ll get what you want this time around
The trick is to keep breathing
The trick is to keep breathing
She knows the human heart
And how to read the stars
Now everything’s about to fall apart
I won’t be the one who’s going to let you down
Maybe you’ll get what you want this time around
(the trick is to keep breathing)
I won’t be the one who’s going to let you down
(the trick is to keep breathing)
Maybe you’ll get what you want this time around
The trick is to keep breathing [Repeat: x7]
In the landscape of ’90s alt-rock, Garbage carved out a space that was both jagged and melodious, a space where turmoil met with glossy production. Of their poignant catalog, ‘The Trick is to Keep Breathing’ stands out as an anthem for survival amid life’s darkest throes.
Beyond its compelling alt-rock veneer lies a heart-wrenching narrative of persistence, mental health, and the quiet battle against one’s inner tides of despair. This track, a blend of haunting melody and introspective lyricism, invites listeners to dissect its deeper meanings.
Unpacking the Enigma of Self-Reflection
At surface level, ‘The Trick is to Keep Breathing’ addresses the universal struggle with self-image and the external pressures that shape it. The opening lines paint a portrait of a girl—possibly a metaphor for the self—who grapples with undisclosed anguish, ‘About the way she feels about herself.’
It’s in the careful deliberation, ‘She takes a little time / In making up her mind,’ and the reluctance to ‘fight against the tide,’ where we uncover a profound commentary on the human condition. It mirrors the hesitancy and introspection innate to those enduring psychological battles.
Distorted Trust and the Cycle of Hurt
Betrayal and mistrust cut through the song’s narrative like a serrated blade. ‘Lately I’m not the only one / I say never trust anyone’ reflects a hardened exterior forged through past deceptions and letdowns.
These lyrics explore the notion of internalizing pain, often projecting it outward as a defense mechanism, as hinted at in ‘And when it hurts he takes it out on you.’ Here, Garbage pushes the listener to confront the cyclical nature of hurt—that hurt people, in turn, hurt others.
The Mind’s Escape: The Song’s Hidden Meaning
What truly propels the track into a realm of stark introspection is the line, ‘The trick is to keep breathing.’ It serves as a nagging reminder of the basic, albeit vital, requirement for survival, both literally and metaphorically.
Repeated like a mantra, it transforms into an incantation for perseverance. The song, in its hypnotic repetition, hints at an underlying struggle with depression or anxiety—where the simple, yet overwhelming act of breathing becomes the focal point of one’s effort to stay alive.
Stargazing the Human Condition: The Twofold Interpretation
The lyrics, ‘She knows the human heart / And how to read the stars,’ elevate the narrative to the cosmic and symbolic. This line elicits a sense of mysticism, suggesting an esoteric knowledge of human resilience and destiny.
Moreover, it alludes to the dual ability to understand the intricacies of human emotion while confronting the notion of fate. The girl—who represents a everywoman—navigates her existence within the paradox of predestined stars and the pulsating chaos of the human heart.
Enduring Lines That Echo Through Time
As with all memorable tracks, certain lyrics embed themselves within the cultural psyche, and for ‘The Trick is to Keep Breathing,’ it’s the titular refrain. These words echo beyond the song, becoming a rallying cry for endurance in the face of life’s innumerable challenges.
However, the line ‘Maybe you’ll get what you want this time around’ also carries substantial weight, encapsulating a sense of cautious hope amid the track’s prevailing tone of defiance and survival. It is through these words that fans find a semblance of comfort and a spark of optimism.
