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Inherited Scars Lyrics
I didn't tell anyone about what I seen or heard that day, mums the word still
I'm scared to plant ideas into your head while your rebellious side is fertile
Hurdles are getting knocked down, I'm running a losing race
Your legs aren't the only ones marked up, how many dreams have you chased
If I could have said this to your face maybe you wouldn't have to write like I do
Except I use paper instead of my body now, it's something you might want to try too
From haikus to horror stories it's something in our blood that we share
Something in our blood that appears on the surface of our skin when we bring it there
My facial expression said I didn't care
Pain and aggression must've made an impression on the little kid who stared,
Sitting on stairs when I would bother to bring my skates
My feeble attempt at being a strong, big brother doing father figure 8's
Ripping my cape on the ground that it dragged on
Tripping on fate and hearing the sounds of a sad song
Listen, it's great sharing time now that dad's gone
But what's with the choice of words
Or the body parts that you decided to tag them on
I'm a vagabond who moved to modern day Babylon and then back again
With minimal contact and you know I can't ask your mom what's happening
You've got such beautiful gifts
What are you doing ruining the packaging
How ironic, come to think, I probably put this ink on my back for him
I want you to laugh and sing more,
But you dropped anchor in a place where dreams go to die and keeping your ass indoors
I'm asking for you to stick it out and see things through
You're asking for me to zip my mouth and keep it just between me and you
So that's what I'ma do
If I could have been there from the beginning, if I could be there right now
If I could promise to be there when you need me, would it raise an eyebrow
How would your body be different if I still dropped by for visits, is it my place
To put a smile on your face
Could I erase your body language telling you its all been said before
Or change the words you wrote, exchanging your scars for my metaphors
I'd add them to my collection while smiling
Next time you want to paint with razor blades and need a canvas use my skin
If I coulda been there from the beginning
If I could be there right now
If I could promise to be there when you need me
When you need me, give me a shout
Hiding your sins well, but I see the hell that your limbs speak
Tongue in cheek, lying awake in bed while other kids sleep
The strength of evil begins to keep your grins weak, no matter the
Length of the needle, marking up one's body is so much more than skin deep
Feel the pin prick
They grim reap what they sew and you're trained to say that you're fine
Your threshold for pain is greater than mine
So I'm waiting in the lines that you give me patiently
While you get cut in the lines that THEY make YOU wait in in ways that they can't see
If there's a vacancy
As far as room in your life goes, say it to me
Don't do it with a knife under your clothes
Because the anguish of hidden skin is letting my ghosts be shown
Plus the language its written in hits especially close to home
I'm most alone when I'm out of touch with the people who feel this type of pain
You might just aim for a day that its raining
To strike a vein to take my name in
Changing your uniform and altering your mind set
Has your pointer finger decided if it was a fault of his or mine yet
I bet
I know the dialect, it's nowhere I haven't been before
With skin that's sore
Battle scars that rise from our inner war
Are decorative medals of honor that our father decided to pass through inheritance
And it is repetitive when the kids head in the direction of evidence proving the pain and hurt is relative
All this pain and hurt is relative
If I could have been there from the beginning, if I could be there right now
If I could promise to be there when you need me, would it raise an eyebrow
How would your body be different if I still dropped by for visits, is it my place
To put a smile on your face
Could I erase your body language telling you its all been said before
Or change the words you wrote, exchanging your scars for my metaphors
I'd add them to my collection while smiling
Next time you want to paint with razor blades and need a canvas use my skin
If I coulda been there from the beginning
If I could be there right now
If I could promise to be there when you need me
When you need me, give me a shout
I'm scared to plant ideas into your head while your rebellious side is fertile
Hurdles are getting knocked down, I'm running a losing race
Your legs aren't the only ones marked up, how many dreams have you chased
If I could have said this to your face maybe you wouldn't have to write like I do
Except I use paper instead of my body now, it's something you might want to try too
From haikus to horror stories it's something in our blood that we share
Something in our blood that appears on the surface of our skin when we bring it there
My facial expression said I didn't care
Pain and aggression must've made an impression on the little kid who stared,
Sitting on stairs when I would bother to bring my skates
My feeble attempt at being a strong, big brother doing father figure 8's
Ripping my cape on the ground that it dragged on
Tripping on fate and hearing the sounds of a sad song
Listen, it's great sharing time now that dad's gone
But what's with the choice of words
Or the body parts that you decided to tag them on
I'm a vagabond who moved to modern day Babylon and then back again
With minimal contact and you know I can't ask your mom what's happening
You've got such beautiful gifts
What are you doing ruining the packaging
How ironic, come to think, I probably put this ink on my back for him
I want you to laugh and sing more,
But you dropped anchor in a place where dreams go to die and keeping your ass indoors
I'm asking for you to stick it out and see things through
You're asking for me to zip my mouth and keep it just between me and you
If I could promise to be there when you need me, would it raise an eyebrow
How would your body be different if I still dropped by for visits, is it my place
To put a smile on your face
Could I erase your body language telling you its all been said before
Or change the words you wrote, exchanging your scars for my metaphors
I'd add them to my collection while smiling
Next time you want to paint with razor blades and need a canvas use my skin
If I coulda been there from the beginning
If I could be there right now
If I could promise to be there when you need me
When you need me, give me a shout
Tongue in cheek, lying awake in bed while other kids sleep
The strength of evil begins to keep your grins weak, no matter the
Length of the needle, marking up one's body is so much more than skin deep
Feel the pin prick
They grim reap what they sew and you're trained to say that you're fine
Your threshold for pain is greater than mine
So I'm waiting in the lines that you give me patiently
While you get cut in the lines that THEY make YOU wait in in ways that they can't see
If there's a vacancy
As far as room in your life goes, say it to me
Don't do it with a knife under your clothes
Because the anguish of hidden skin is letting my ghosts be shown
Plus the language its written in hits especially close to home
I'm most alone when I'm out of touch with the people who feel this type of pain
You might just aim for a day that its raining
To strike a vein to take my name in
Changing your uniform and altering your mind set
Has your pointer finger decided if it was a fault of his or mine yet
I bet
I know the dialect, it's nowhere I haven't been before
With skin that's sore
Battle scars that rise from our inner war
Are decorative medals of honor that our father decided to pass through inheritance
And it is repetitive when the kids head in the direction of evidence proving the pain and hurt is relative
If I could promise to be there when you need me, would it raise an eyebrow
How would your body be different if I still dropped by for visits, is it my place
To put a smile on your face
Could I erase your body language telling you its all been said before
Or change the words you wrote, exchanging your scars for my metaphors
I'd add them to my collection while smiling
Next time you want to paint with razor blades and need a canvas use my skin
If I coulda been there from the beginning
If I could be there right now
If I could promise to be there when you need me
When you need me, give me a shout
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This song struck a nerve with me. I was a cutter for 5 years with a big brother that was never around. "You've got such beautiful gifts, what are you doing ruining the packaging?". So touching. Before my depression got a hold of me, I was an A+ student in all honors classes, in the National Academic League and Chess Club. First time I heard this, it literally brought me to tears. Although- my finger is not pointed at my brother or parents, it is pointed at those kids in school that shoved me into lockers, spit in my lunch, in my face, slapped me around, made fun of me etc etc... It was hard trying to pull myself out of bed when I woke up and wished I hadn't. After many years of extended hospital stays, psych ward admissions, stitches and pills I am better. Things like this can get better if you just see things through.
This song is so great in many many ways, but the lyrics just stand out. It just gives you a bit of insight into Sage's personal life. Its about his younger sister cutting herself due to depression. Many could relate I know several girls that do that. Its pretty sad but some ppl can only escape that way.
This is why I was never into hip hop when I was younger! People likeJay-Z and 50 cent get all the glory and people who write the real shit and make hip-hop mean something like Sage Francis or Dead Prez get nothing (I exclude people like Tupac and KRS-One in my last statement) but this song is amazing! Anyone who has dealt with depression or felt something lacking in life due to their past can really feel this song!!!
Sage is a real fucking poet. This song is amazing.
Sage is a real fucking poet. This song is amazing.
poet poet poet
this song is unbelivable, i knew a girl who would cut herself, and i didnt realize how serious of an issue it was at the time. i can really feel what hes talking about in this song
this shit is for real kid. sage is a master of words.
This song is amazing, and the version I have has an intro too, for those of you that are interested.
"I wanna show you something, she said. As if I had built up enough trust in her to the point Where she could show me the type of thing that she had first introduced by saying she wanted to show it instead of just showing it like, 'look', and I like 'dont feel like looking' like th uninterested type. So I say, "Aight, show that shit" With a little more respect and reservation It was my sister, for chrissake. I'm waiting for a follow-up line, They usually always (...) statements like "I wanna show you something" Kinda runs in the same thing as statements like, "You cant tell anyone" Then promises are made, and secrets are kept..."
Why was the intro not included in the lyrics?! Silly behind0youreyes.
Five years and many musical phases later, this is still one of my favorite tracks. It's actually the first song I ever heard from Sage, so it has some sentimental value to me. I love the fact that it's so straightforward. I'm getting bored of lyrical metaphors.