You were my conscience
So solid, now you're like water
And we started drowning
Not like we'd sink any farther
But I let my heart go
It's somewhere down at the bottom
But I'll get a new one
And come back for the hope that you've stolen

I'll stop the whole world
I'll stop the whole world from turning into a monster
Eating us alive
Don't you ever wonder how we survive?
Well, now that you're gone, the world is ours

I'm only human
I've got a skeleton in me
But I'm not the villain
Despite what you're always preaching
They call me a traitor
I'm just collecting your victims
And they're getting stronger
I hear them calling (calling)
They're calling

I'll stop the whole world
I'll stop the whole world from turning into a monster
Eating us alive
Don't you ever wonder how we survive?
Well, now that you're gone, the world is ours

Well, you find your strength in solutions
But I like the tension
And not always knowing the answers
But you're gonna lose it
You're gonna lose it

I'll stop the whole world
I'll stop the whole world from turning into a monster
And eating us alive
Don't you ever wonder how we survive?
Well, now that you're gone, the world

I'll stop the whole world
I'll stop the whole world from turning into a monster
And eating us alive
Don't you ever wonder how we survive?
Now that you're gone, the world is ours


Lyrics submitted by geehavepluto, edited by FruitCakes

Monster Lyrics as written by Taylor York Hayley Williams

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Monster song meanings
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30 Comments

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  • +9
    General Comment

    I thought this song was about stopping Lady Gaga's fanbase count from escalating too far.

    "I'll stop the whole world from turning into a monster".

    No?

    itirnitiion July 28, 2011   Link
  • +6
    Song Meaning

    I'm sure everyone can tell this song is about the Farro brothers, particularly Josh who made a snide blog after their departure.

    "You were my conscience, so solid, now you're like water"

    • Josh and Hayley were very close, even dated at one point, but now she sees him very differently.

    "We started drowning, not like we'd sink any farther"

    • She's talking about how the band was always in turbulence because of Josh, and how they were basically a ticking time-bomb with everything that went down while recording Brand New Eyes.

    "But I let my heart go, it's someone down at the bottom"

    • Josh always talks about how Chad (Hayley's current boyfriend) changed her. She's saying that her heart is still back in time when they were still a band, because she obviously cares about them in a way.

    "I'll get a new one, and come back for the hope that you've stolen"

    • Basically saying that she'll eventually get over everything, and that Josh can't take her hope away.

    "I'll stop the whole world from turning into a monster and eating us alive"

    • Josh's blog was basically nothing but trashing Hayley, and trying to turn the fans against her. It's pretty much a metaphor saying that he can't turn the fans against her.

    "Don't you every wonder how we survive?"

    • Like I stated above, Josh tried to bury Paramore, especially Hayley.

    "Well now that you're gone, the world is ours"

    • Self-explanatory. They feel liberated now that they're gone and the troubles are behind them.

    "I'm only human, I've got a skeleton in me"

    • Saying she makes mistakes, and admitting she made some during their troubles.

    "But I'm not the villain, despite what you're always preaching"

    • Josh is a devout Christian, and had often used bible verses against Hayley. He even made a huge fuss about a line in the song careful, "The truth never set me free, so I did it myself." He took offense to that line.

    "Call me a traitor, I'm just collecting your victims"

    • Another line about Josh trying to call Hayley out, and she's saying it hurt the fans.

    "And they're getting stronger, I hear them calling"

    • Saying that the fans are getting stronger after the Josh/Paramore hoopla.

    Chorus again...

    "You find your strength in solutions, but I like the tension of not always knowing the answers"

    • Pretty much saying that Josh is always trying to find the answers to things, throwing bible verses around to validate his thinking, but Hayley likes not knowing about everything and just going with the flow; Enjoying life as it comes.

    "You're gonna lose it"

    • Basically saying that he's gonna lose himself trying to always search for answers.

    The song is very self-explanatory, and each line is a different piece of the puzzle. Josh is probably the biggest whine-baby in the music industry, and he should've known what he was getting himself into with a female-fronted band. Of course she's going to get the attention. It happened to No Doubt, Evanescence, Flyleaf, pretty much every band that has a female lead. She's done her damnedest to try and keep it about the band, but sure she's done a few things herself here and there. Big deal. All you gotta do is read the Farro's exit statement to know how much of a cry baby he is.

    Neomicon June 04, 2011   Link
  • +4
    My Interpretation

    i think what hayley's saying is that everybody's human and everybody's going to make mistakes. don't label someone because they've done something wrong, because you might be the real villain.

    itssaarahyallon May 24, 2011   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    I do think this song is about the Farro brothers leaving but I also think that it is written in a way that can have different meanings for different people...its their own interpitation of it! So I think it has many different meanings its just how you see it :) x

    murbleson July 18, 2011   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Is everybody insane? It's not about the farro brothers.. It's a song written for transformers. Anyone who has seen the movie knows that?

    "You were my conscience, so solid, now you're like water" About optimus prime and sentinel prime being good buds. (both have been the leaders of the autobots). But optimus turned his back on the autobots and was now with the enemy "the decepticons". And sentinel is good and will not turn his back to the autobots so optimus prime was dead to him, he did not know optimus prime anymore (he wasnt the friend he used to be he is now like "Water")

    "We started drowning, not like we'd sink any farther" Optimus prime has made a deal with the decepticons that the autobots didnt know about. The world was in danger. The decepticons wanted to place their world on earth so the humans would be slaves. And optimus and the decepticons were supposed to be the leaders. But everyone thought the autobots would stop it first together with sam.

    "But I let my heart go, it's someone down at the bottom" Sam lets his heart and everything go at that moment. He has got to save the world.

    "I'll get a new one, and come back for the hope that you've stolen" He will recover his heart. The hope had been stolen by the decepticons. (Everyone thought the world was going to end). But sam and the autobots will get their revenge (come back for the hope).

    "I'll stop the whole world from turning into a monster and eating us alive" Sam and the autobots will not let the decepticons destroy the world. And make all the humans slaves. They will stop the whole world before the decepticons make it their world and"eat" (Destroy) them alive.

    "Don't you ever wonder how we survive?" Everyone was thinking and planning how to survive. The decepticons were about to make everyone their slave and conquer the world. It did not look good for the earth,humans and the autobots.

    "Well now that you're gone, the world is ours" The decepticons and humans send the autobots in a rocket that were supposed to kill them. And the decepticons thought they were gone and they could rule the earth/world. (But the autobots came back ofcourse)..

    "I'm only human, I've got a skeleton in me" It's about sam being human but that doesnt mean hes not devoded to save the world.. (He has the autobots behind him)

    "But I'm not the villain, despite what you're always preaching" It's about optimus thinking he is not the villain. Cause he just wants his world back for the autobots too. He wanted to rule again like he used to. But sentinel and the autobots knew the decepticons and knew they were not to be trusted. The autobots were good friends with humans and just wanted to stay on earth. Where there is no big war for them.

    "Call me a traitor, I'm just collecting your victims" It's about how optimus prime and optimus sentinel were friends. But sentinel is good and didnt want the autobots to be the slaves of the decepticons. So he had tot turn his back on optimus prime because optimus prime was now with the enemy (the decepticons) collecting more and more victims by killing the humans.

    "And they're getting stronger, I hear them calling" The decepticons getting stronger. They (sam and the autobots) can hear them calling. Or it could be about the autobots and sam getting stronger. Either way..

    Chorus again...

    "You find your strength in solutions, but I like the tension of not always knowing the answers" Sam slowly found everything out. The whole plan and deal that optimus prime made with the decepticons to take the pillars to make the bridge making their planet upon the earth destroying all humans. They didnt know all the answers at first but they were gonna fight cause sam is brave and "liked"the tension and wanted to be a hero again. Because everyone has forgotten he saved the world already twice.

    "You're gonna lose it" Meaning that the decepticons will never win. The good always wins (the autobots).

    Gadiessson August 01, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "in this life" is "eating us alive" but thanks for posting!!!!!! I'm already addicted to this song. Paramore ROCKS

    mywreckofthedayon June 03, 2011   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    I firmly believe that this is sort of like a new "anthem," so to speak, for the band itself after having lost the Farro brothers...that they're saying that, yea is sucks they left the band, and there were a lot of hurt feelings, [[first verse]] but Hayley, Jeremy and Taylor aren't going to let that hold them back:

    "Well now that your gone, the world is ours."

    LaineyBear09on June 03, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Lyric Correction

    -Verse 1- You were my conscience, so solid, now you're like water And we started drowning, not like we'd sink any farther But I let my heart go, it's somewhere down the bottom But I'll get a new one and come back for the hope that you've stolen

    -Chorus- I'll stop the whole world, I'll stop the whole world From turning into a monster and eating us alive Don't you ever wonder how we survive? Well now that your gone, the world is ours

    -Verse 2- I'm only human, I've got a skeleton in me but I'm not the villain, despite what you're always preaching. Call me a traitor, I'm just collecting your victims And they're getting stronger I hear them calling.

    -Chorus- I'll stop the whole world, I'll stop the whole world From turning into a monster, and eating us alive Don't you ever wonder how we survive? Well now that your gone, the world is ours

    -Bridge- Well you thought of straight desolutions Well I liked the tension And not always knowing the answers But you're gonna lose it, you're gonna lose it

    -Chorus- I'll stop the whole world, I'll stop the whole world From turning into a monster, and eating us alive Don't you ever wonder how we survive? Well now that your gone, the world...

    I'll stop the whole world, I'll stop the whole world From turning into a monster, eating us alive Don't you ever wonder how we survive? Now that your gone, the world is ours.

    Neomicon June 03, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Something triggered my brain about this song. Bad child memories. Teenage memories. Young adult memories. Current memories. Not much has changed. I know the truth. I’ve dealt with it always have. However I never adapted to it. No one knows what I’ve truly experienced and never has. I had a best friend one night though. Mommy dearest and everyone always said I play the victim although they were the ones that always did. I wasn’t playing one. I was one. Found solace again.

    Blackrosebeauty80on April 23, 2021   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    In the music video, there's one scene where they're playing in a room, another scene where they're in a hospital and explosions occur suddenly, and another where they're floating in water, and only Hayley is awake. I'll refer to these as Scene 1, Scene 2, and Scene 3, respectively, from now on. However, I don't see anything in Scene 3 with a lot of significance, so I probably won't mention that much.

    It starts out with Scene 3, and soon shows some parts of Scene 1, though the band hasn't started playing yet. Then, sparks fly from a lamp and the band starts playing during the transition to the chorus. During the chorus, it starts showing certain rooms of Scene 2, but the rooms are all messed up, with chairs moved and flipped over, vases broken, and objects scattered all over the place.

    Finally, the band shows up in the rooms of the hospital, but they're separated: Hayley on a hospital bed, Jeremy in the hallway, and Taylor in what seems to be a living room or maybe a waiting room. I noticed that the rooms during this part are very clean and not messy at all, which makes me think this is the past or a flashback, and the broken rooms earlier were part of the future. So they're just sitting around, then when the transition to the chorus begins, the band from Scene 1 starts to hit the walls, stomp on the ground, or jump and kick around at the walls, and whenever any of these happen, it seems to cause an explosion for Scene 2 and sparks to fly. With the lights flickering and exploding, the rooms shaking, and things falling, the band escapes from the rooms they're in. At the end of the bridge (or last verse, whatever you want to call it), they happen to end up in the same room, but still need to escape from the building.

    During the chorus, the band in Scene 1 keep hitting the walls, causing more and more explosions, but near the end of the chorus, they stop playing. Finally, the Scene 2 band, as they run away, they end up in the room that the Scene 1 band was in, and are ready to start playing.

    In summary, the music video looks like there is a future and past Paramore. For the future Paramore, the rooms are all broken, but for the past, they're tidy. The future seems to be trying to ruin the past by causing the explosions, and later, the past seems to become the future Paramore. The future Paramore probably was the past Paramore at one point, so maybe they're trying to get revenge, or they're doing it out of anger. This could mean two things, interpretively:

    1. The future isn't always good.
    2. Sometimes, you're enemy is yourself.
    FruitCakeson October 05, 2013   Link

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