I won't stand in your way
Let your hatred grow
And she'll scream
And she'll shout
And she'll pray
And she had a name
Yeah she had a name

And I won't hold you back
Let your anger rise
And we'll fly
And we'll fall
And we'll burn
No one will recall
No one will recall

This is the last time I'll abandon you
And this is the last time I'll forget you
I wish I could

Look to the stars
Let hope burn in your eyes
And we'll love
And we'll hope
And we'll die
All to no avail
All to no avail

This is the last time I'll abandon you
And this is the last time I'll forget you
I wish I could

This is the last time I'll abandon you
And this is the last time I'll forget you
I wish I could
I wish I could


Lyrics submitted by ruben

Stockholm Syndrome Lyrics as written by Matthew James Bellamy

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Stockholm Syndrome song meanings
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92 Comments

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  • +7
    General Comment

    I see some signs that this song might be about an abusive relationship. He is comparing a relationship to Stockholm Syndrome, where the parties become so attached, that it's impossible to leave. They just keep on fighting with each other and walking out on each other, but keep coming back: "This is the last time I'll abandon you." I dunno, what do other people think?

    skiguskion January 17, 2005   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    If this song is along the lines of the other themes running through \"Absolution\"...it could very well be pertaining to a \"stockholm syndrome\" relationship between the citizens of a country and their government or leaders. As citizens, we are held captive and restricted in many ways, but more often than not, we seem to blindly follow our captors and fail to question their actions and motives. Our patriotism can often blind us to the crimes being committed right before us. The album came out around the time that the Iraqi war started...and a lot of people seem to believe that the songs are a comentary on it. Also, the intro to the album sounds like the marching of Nazi soldiers...and if you think back to Hitler and Germany during WWII, well then this idea (of citizens just going along with whatever their gov tells them) def relates back to that. Like any good song, it can have several meanings, and apply to many different facets of life... so this is just what I took it as...

    flabbyon April 23, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    "Stockholm Syndrome" is when a hostage forms an emotional bond with their kidnappers, so... I'm assuming it has something to do with that, otherwise it wouldn't have been named Stockholm Syndrome.

    Laurenneon April 11, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song is about the "Stockholm Syndrome" put in the context of "Absolution"'s theme, ie. it's about accepting the apocalypse.

    I_And_Ion December 21, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    It's about a lover who won't leave even though she feels abused by the relationship. The term "stockholm syndrome" refers to the process by which a victim begins to identify with, and feel empathy and sympathy for, their abuser.

    In the case of this song, she can't quit coming back to him, even though she probably wants more of a relationship and he does not. So, she inevitably feels "led on", under appreciated, and eventually abused by him, all the while it's her choice every time to come back and put up with the perceived "abuse". She is in love with the person who is causing her pain. He is telling her he will not commit at this time, and she can leave whenever she wants, but she keeps coming back. The tragedy in all of this is the fact that he probably does love her on some level, but simultaneously can't commit and say "no" to her. He tells her to leave because he doesn't enjoy hurting her and he knows she deserves better, but she [just] [will] [not] go... So, ultimately, they are both hurting very much as indicated by the line "[we] will die." He hurts because he loves her and wants her to move on to something real, something that is more in line what she actually wants.

    bkrebs3on May 13, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think "she" is mother earth... and about being a prisoner on earth, but still being attached to it.

    Katatoniaon July 09, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Could it involve the mind being trapped in the memory of someone you have broken up with and convincing yourself to try and get the person back? so the 'Stockholm syndrome" is how the 'capter" or lover has someone trapped through the memories making it hard for someone to let go.

    Therefore the lines "this is the last time I will abandon you" is the person saying I won't let go, I'm coming to get you back.

    Either way, I je'adore the line "LOOK TO THE STARS, LET HOPE BURN IN YOUR EYES" (here's my next tattoo)

    simmy2011on January 22, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Great song about RAGE. Here's an article that walks hand-in-hand with the splitting and the rage that comes on so fast: (How to End a Relationship with a Borderline Personality Disorder Sufferer)

    www (dot) ehow. (dot) om/how_2154562_end-relationship-borderline-personality-disorder.html

    StayOUTOFMYLIFEon March 25, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    Well OBVIOUSLY as if anyone hasn't said it before its about an abusive relationship but I see it as a one sided guy abusing girl type relationship just from how its being played out. I see the lyrics more so as two different points of view, one from the guy and the girl. Breaking it down:

    "I won't stand in your way Let your hatred grow"

    I always feel that this song is just full of anger and basically the entire song is just a fight between a couple. This is the guys point of view in the time being showing he enjoys the arguing and possibly the ruling it gives over the girl end.

    "And she'll scream And she'll shout And she'll pray"

    Obviously this happened many times before in the context so this isn't the first so its a basic prediction on the guy's end in terms of whats going to happen when they fight.

    "And she had a name Yeah she had a name"

    This part kinda confused me a bit, but I took it as the guy showing unaffection towards the girl and symbolizing his lack of emotion towards her.

    NOW TO THE GIRL POV, which kinda follows the same basic principle in the first:

    "And I won't hold you back Let your anger rise"

    The girl in the case again knows what happens with the arguments so there's no point in actually stopping it

    "And we'll fly And we'll fall And we'll burn"

    Pretty much shows their relation cycle, goes great, goes south, and then crashes and burns and I believe the crash to be this song itself.

    "No one will recall No one will recall"

    I am guessing this is the bit where she forgets the fight and doesn't recall it and goes back to love with him, another and ultimately the connecting point between the "burn and fly" bit.

    EPIC GUITAR BIT.

    Yeah I mentioned that for a reason. While its not exactly lyrics I think it symbolizes something important. The rising conflict. If you notice how it gets heavier and heavier and then when the chorus comes in it gets back to a calmer beat. I feel this transition between the POV's and the chorus is to show the argument and finally the "burn" phase in the relationship where the girl goes back to the guy in this confession:

    "This is the last time I'll abandon you And this is the last time I'll forget you I wish I could"

    Basically the girl not wanting to leave the guy in fear of either being alone or whatever which is really up to the listeners interpretation. She gives a pseudo-apology but that last line is a small thought to herself knowing its a shit relationship and wishes she could but her heart is stronger than her mind in this case.

    BOYS POV again:

    "Look to the stars Let hope burn in your eyes"

    Basically the guy saying look and think of the future and have the ideas of it burn in to her mind so that she's struck on doing whatever she thinks about will happen in the relationship or that it will even get better and actually progress as a good relationship.

    "And we'll love And we'll hope And we'll die"

    I think this is the boys view on the relationship which seems to carry the connotation its a long lasting one saying they'll love, hope for a real relationship is my guess and ultimately they'll die not getting what either want, more so the girls end.

    "All to no avail All to no avail"

    Him pretty much saying hte relationship is pointless as everything in it is to no avail.

    Pretty much just on repeat with the chorus for that. That was the interpretation I got from reading comments on here and a long hour walk home thinking about it while listening to it.

    Darylikon September 23, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song "Stockholm syndrome" talks about a person who was abducted by a kidnapper. And kept in a secret place. room or cellar or just something like that. Probably for a few years, the prisoner started to develop feelings towards her kidnapper by that time. The prisoner Hates the kidnapper, but she also loves him. We can see it in the lyrics, all these words. The prisoner got free. She probably ran away, and now she feels guilty and sad that she left the kidnapper. Those are signs for The Stockholm Syndrome, just like how this song is called. She doesn't want to share information the police or her family because she wants To save him. The kidnapper won't leave her mind, he's in there deep inside. Tho she is free now, she doesn't feel happy or free. In the place she was held in, she felt like it's only one of them to survive this, it's Or her or the kidnapper : and we'll fall and we will die ..." we both will fall and die if no one is coming out alive out of this. It's or me or you. " this is the last time I'll abandon you ,and this is the last time I'll forget you , I wish I couldn't" , it says that the she saying to herself that this is the last and the one time she will abandon him, cause she already did. Physically,yes, emotionally, she didn't leave him, she can't, he's stuck in her mind : " I wish I could".

    Musicislovemusicislifeon April 10, 2017   Link

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