Sticks and Stones

Great song - it seems to either be ironic or a whole oxymoron, especially ending with 'your words beat the life from me' - it seems to be optimistic, i guess this reflects moving on, looking forward, away from a relationship... but I'm not so sure - like there must be something else to this song. I wonder what he was thinking of when he wrote it?

this song. is great. i always thought peewee herman was a liar with the line "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" sticks and stones are way less painful. because healing physically is a lot easier than emotionally. i love that he's so right .

life and death are in the tongue....nothing hurts more than degrading and harmful words from someone you love let alone someone you barely know....

I always thought that the last line of the chorus was "Let your words be the life of me.". Either way, it's a great song, and it's true that someone's words can hurt much more than a physical blow. The effects can last longer.

Dave Barnes is a fairly outspoken Christian, playing at many churches, etc. Therefore, many of his songs have some "hidden" messages about his faith. Sticks and Stones is probably one of these songs. A pretty strong theme of Christianity is to die to yourself and give yourself to the Lord. God does not "beat" this idea into someone physically, but speaks, using words, which usually hurts. I feel that this song is about the turmoil of dying to oneself. I would rather have sticks and stones and broken bones than to have your words beat the life out of me. But goodbye (to himself) is the best way that I know to forgive and still let go. This may be why this song seems "optimistic". It is a good thing to die to oneself for the Lord.