This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
I tear on the leash
That keeps me contained and controlled
Let me go
I wanna to break free
And fight my way out of this hole
One last hope
To rise and break away
Above the faded line
Way beyond the ties that bind
This I know
The risk is worth the gain
It's worth the sacrifice
Way beyond the ties that bind
I run but the chains
Pull me right back to the floor
You control
I rattle the cage
I won't be your slave anymore
One last hope
To rise and break away
Above the faded line
Way beyond the ties that bind
This I know
The risk is worth the gain
It's worth the sacrifice
Way beyond the ties that bind
You broke me into pieces
Don't tell me what to be
Damn you all I'm gonna find my way
One last hope
To rise and break away
Above the faded line
Way beyond the ties that bind
This I know
The risk is worth the gain
It's worth the sacrifice
Way beyond the ties that bind
That keeps me contained and controlled
Let me go
I wanna to break free
And fight my way out of this hole
One last hope
To rise and break away
Above the faded line
Way beyond the ties that bind
This I know
The risk is worth the gain
It's worth the sacrifice
Way beyond the ties that bind
I run but the chains
Pull me right back to the floor
You control
I rattle the cage
I won't be your slave anymore
One last hope
To rise and break away
Above the faded line
Way beyond the ties that bind
This I know
The risk is worth the gain
It's worth the sacrifice
Way beyond the ties that bind
You broke me into pieces
Don't tell me what to be
Damn you all I'm gonna find my way
One last hope
To rise and break away
Above the faded line
Way beyond the ties that bind
This I know
The risk is worth the gain
It's worth the sacrifice
Way beyond the ties that bind
Lyrics submitted by koolcracker
Ties That Bind Lyrics as written by Myles Kennedy Mark Tremonti
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
it makes a lot of sense the Wind-up thing. yeah, when i got "One Day Remains" and listened to all of its songs, i couldn't do anything but a vast regret for their wasted talent. they're probably the most talented musicians i've ever seen (alongside Dream Theater guys). yes, it's clear their former label wanted to keep them in their Creedish style (because of their first single). open your eyes is a really great song but for the ones who have listened to entire album it's not satisfying at all. the album is full of great guitar tracks, killing riffs and brilliant solos that i can easily name it one of my favorite rock albums of all time. but with choosing "Open Your Eyes" for first single by Wind-up, every guy thought thats another Creed because of it's similarity to some of their songs. so they changed the record label to be what they really want. "Blackbird" is such a great and heavy album that you can simply call it "Metal" Album. no one can now dare to call them Creed. it could be just Magic, that someone like me who don't give a hell about creed is now call Alter Bridge one of his fav band of all time.
i think this should be a single. god, this song f**kin' Rocks. it's something like metalingus or one day remains.
Alter Bridge please keep going....Forever. Even if i'm your only fan.
@ColdenScence I personally found too many of their songs too similar (nothing to do with a Creed sound or not). I enjoy a few of their standout tracks ... but I find their albums full of fillers (well a lot of mediocre songs).
I think this song is directed toward their former record label, Windup. Originally when they performed it live there was a line that said "I am not your new Messiah, and I will not take you higher", to me an obvious reference to Scott Stapp. Basically it's telling the label that the band isn't going to be Creed Part II, they're going to be Alter Bridge, and Myles Kennedy is not going to just be another Stapp.
I think most people would say this was about getting out of a relationship but really its obviously just about getting out of any situation you dont want to be in.
a simple song with a simple meaning. i love it though, its my myspace prof song atm.
This is currently my favorite sond on Blackbird. I like the "controlled chaos" explanation as it does make sense. An interesting side note for those of you who are as old as me (40)...Listening to Myles sing this song, I am reminded of a singer named Brian Howe who sang on a couple of Ted Nugent records before becoming the lead singer of Bad Company for awhile. I always like Howe's vocals too. My wife and I love Myles voice and he sounds just like the recording when he's live...the whole band does.
im probably being a little too obvious with my interpereted meaning, but im sure it's about slavery.
"Originally when they performed it live there was a line that said "I am not your new Messiah, and I will not take you higher""...
Actually, that line ~was~ in Come to Life.
Meaning is pretty much spot on though. Certainly about Wind-Up
Great way to start off an excellent album. I thought it was about doing whatever it takes to break free from a manipulative/abusive/controlling person. The thing about Wind-Up makes sense though.
:)
I reckon that it's about RELIGION and breaking free from the controlling, indoctrination of religion.
He wants to break free from the chains of religion.
You broke me into pieces don't tell me what to be damn you all im gonna find my way
religion broke him, especially for children it instils fear in them, forcing them to worship a god which essentially breaks their true being. They tell you what to be your whole life, preachers of god. Now he damns them all and must find his way, break free of the life-sucking religion!!
LOL...fear. Yeah, learning to love and assist others; respect parents; value freedom and education; love someone higher than the selfish self; hate war; try to end homelessness; help migrants; hate sins not sinners; celebrate life over death; value all human life; etc is all so horribly controlling; indoctinating and life-sucking:) I'm guessing your parents were fruitcakes who followed some false prophet whose only goal was to line his pocket and/or they beat you when you pooped your little pants so now you have to attack that which you choose to not acknowledge for all the good it does. You're so jaded that your entire rant gets dismissed. As the kids used to say, TALK TO THE HAND. Good band. The song could be about anything a person views as restraints. Note to you: Should you feel restrained by someone or something, walk away and leave it alone!
@SweetCheeks2 as much as I agree with some of your comments, most religions are based on fear. They use fear to control you ... why do all those good things?? To keep in God's good grace, go to Heaven, not go to help, go further up in Heaven etc. etc. In essence the message of most religions are "do this or else!"