There's nothing here but the distance
There's nothing here but the mess
If you'd have shut up you'd have heard it
You could have put it to rest
I am swelling and eager
I am the raging sea
I have had it up to here now
I'm so tired of your needs

And how does it feel to be on the fault-line?
And how do we heal now we're on the decline?
'Cause it's a hell of a long way to fall just to learn to get up
And I'm not gonna forgive you for all of the things that you've done

There's nothing here but indifference
There's nothing here but the stress
These walls are stained with your moments
Something you want to confess?
You at the point of attachment
And all the things you believe
There's nothing left in the place but a reason to leave

And how does it feel to be on the fault line?
And how do we heal now we're on the decline?
'Cause it's a hell of a long way to fall just to learn to get up
And I'm not gonna forgive you for all of the things that you've done


Lyrics submitted by aaron7, edited by arriadne, jokker

The Mess Lyrics as written by Thom Powers Alisa Xayalith

Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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The Mess song meanings
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3 Comments

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  • +1
    Song Meaning

    From the band:

    Lyrically, ‘The Mess’ felt very easy to write. We didn’t really have to discuss the lyrics. They just came out. It felt natural. The song is a fierce dialogue between two people but it’s not specific. It finishes without any resolve but that’s because I think that despite what people claim in these kinds of arguments, they aren’t really trying to resolve anything, they’re just angry, hurt and catastrophising. – Thom

    Azazel23on January 01, 2014   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    I think for the most part this song is pretty self-explanatory: It's a duet about a couple that cannot get over the problems they are having in their relationship. Both are aware that they're relationship is coming to an end and they are now expressing their frustrations about what their relationship has come down to - stress, indifference, a whole lot of anger and resent; a mess. There are a couple of lines in the second verse that aren't as clear, which I will try to clarify.

    "These walls are stained with your moments" - I think this is talking about how the negative memories that each partner has left behind are now associated with the space they are in, perhaps the place where they each live. It's like they can't escape those problems even there.

    The male lead then sings "Something you want to confess" - This line is a response to the above line. I think it is pertaining to whatever "moments" there are of theirs that are "staining the walls." Perhaps there is a feeling of guilt for the marks they have left behind that they feel need to be spoken.

    "You at the point of attachment of all the things you believe" - I think this is saying that both of them are attached to their own ideas of what the other has done wrong. Obviously, they are unable to let these things go, because the next line is "There's nothing left in this place but a reason to leave."

    arriadneon October 25, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "How does it feel to feel to be on the fault line?" An amazing lyric. For me, this song is about that 2nd last argument before the end, anger on both sides finally coming to the surface. Venting. "These walls are stained with your moments" ...It could be taken so many ways...casting shadows...I can't forget you....not being able to get over issues...etc. "This world is never enough" ....so much anger has never sounded so awesome... "So fucking through with it" Yep, that nails it. "I'm not going to forgive you for the the things that you've done" is so definitive and honest and real that...It sounds like an actual argument.

    withmyearson January 13, 2015   Link

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