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Breathe Lyrics

A minute,
a second,
a half-life,
a minus,
a segment,
a blinder,
elective detention.
It's secession time,
paid for by cutting backwards.
It's election time,
letting every insult become presidential injury.

(I'm begging you just hold my head up)
This last disgrace,
breathe in my face,
bleed in distaste,
bless this amen.
Your final lesson.

A minute,
a second,
a half-life,
a minus,
a second
reminder,
selective attention.
It's secession time,
paid for by cutting backwards.
It's election time,
letting every insult be accepted into history.

(I'm begging you just hold my head up)
This last disgrace,
breathe in my face,
bleed in distaste,
bless this amen.
Your final lesson.
(Now)

This last disgrace,
bless this amen.
Final lesson.
(Now)
Song Info
Submitted by
professor Stampede On Apr 22, 2004
3 Meanings

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Cover art for Breathe lyrics by Jawbox

One of the few Bill Barbot joints in the Jawbox catalogue. Great song.

Cover art for Breathe lyrics by Jawbox

According to the de Soto FYOSS vinyl re-release liner notes, that last "election time" should read "insurrection time". Wow, that's a really, really picky little detail. Sorry about that.

Cover art for Breathe lyrics by Jawbox

This could very easily be a breakup song. The refrain references things coming to an end, not to mention the intimacy of the line “breathe in my face”. The verses, meanwhile, reference units of time (like a countdown) and secession and insurrection. It feels like the countdown to combat or opposition.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be about breaking up, though. It could be about death or disease, as referenced by the finality in the refrain. Or it could literally be about rebelling against a political force. I try to read that as a metaphor, though. Anything involving opposition or dissent. It could even be about murder. There's definitely enough evidence for that.

 
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