Mr. Malum's got a secret he keeps when giving speeches.
Just a whispering precision that cuts through hesitation
With a sharp and evil wit to keep the dogs at bay.

When the truth arrives, you won't believe your eyes.
He's triumph's pessimist, but he's no less content.
With the world in the grip of his hands,
He'll crush the air out of its lungs.

Say we don't want him to have it all,
But now it's just too late to ask,
Because his hold has turned so tight.

His puppets to the left and his pawns to line the right,
But every eye is front and center, a cruel intoxication,
From the sap that trickles down his branches to their mouths.

When the truth arrives, you won't believe your eyes.
A vicious champion, but he's no less content.
With the world in the grip of his hands,
He'll crush the air out of its lungs.

Say we don't want him to have it all,
But now it's just too late to ask,
Because his hold has turned so tight.

The air we're barely breathing's not enough,
And in this final gasp that rattles us to bend,
The last thing that we will see is Mr. Malum.

Tighten his tie,
When he slips in his suit,
A link to the cuff,
And the shine of his shoes.

But when the truth arrived, you didn't trust your eyes.

Say we don't want him to have it all,
But now it's just too late to ask.
You had your chance, but you turned away again.
You had your chance, but you turned away again.
You had your chance, but you turned your eyes away again.


Lyrics submitted by ChubbyHuggs, edited by MarDragon

Mr. Malum song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    This song has a strong resemblence in lyrics and tone to a song that never sounded much like it belonged on its original album, The Poison Woman from Act 3: Life and Death. First, the character of the eponymous Mr. Mallum has a lot in common with the woman. The songs sound very similar, and a key phrase in both is 'A Cruel Intoxication'. Lastly, this album is on Violet, which to me represents many things, but a common one is poison, smog, smoke and shadow -- this song is a great introduction to the viscous side of violet while the other songs, no much more cheerful, evoke similar feelings.

    ComaCreedon August 07, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction

    there are a couple of corrections with this.

    instead of "His trials pessimist, but he's no less content. When the world rolls in the grip of his hands" it is "He's triumph's pessimist, but he's no less content. With the world in the grip of his hands".

    instead of "Say we can warn him to help you" it is "Say we don't want him to have it all".

    the first "pawns" in the next line should be "puppets".

    that's all that i can find, besides a couple of the to's needing to be too's.

    yrsbrnon June 27, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Thanks, I did this and the others by ear, so there was bound to be a lot of mistakes.

    ChubbyHuggson June 27, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Fairly certain the first line is "Mr. Malum's got a secret he keeps when giving speeches"

    CoyoteLongshoton June 27, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction

    The second line is "Just a whisper of imprecision, to cut through hesitation"

    The second verse goes "His puppets to the left and his pawns to line the right, But every eye is front and center, a cruel intoxication,

    Also the second chorus is still "With the world in the grip of his hands", not "rolls in his hands"

    Finally that single line above the outro is different and goes "But when the truth arrived, you didn't trust your eyes"

    Alchemist94on August 02, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    Obviously about a big business owner, and his grip on the rest of the world through power...

    ScreamingxatxthexWorldon November 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Does anyone else hear the Pink Floyd influence in this song? I immediately thought of "The Trial" on The Wall when I heard this for the first time. Great song!

    EstherGreenw00don December 05, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction

    I'm fairly certain "The thin of his tie..." sounds more like "Tighten his tie, when he slips in his suit, a lift of the cuff, and the shine of his shoes"

    Lawcereon April 06, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Malum = latin 'wrong', kind of. Intentional?

    west113on August 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Malum = latin 'wrong', kind of. Intentional?

    west113on August 20, 2012   Link

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