Somebody give me sign
That everything's going as planned
And then everything falls away
Into the darkness of this shallow place
The detail is striking
The room's cold and frightening
You'll kick and you'll scream
You'll try everything to survive
But you should know your fate by now (know your fate by now)

They told me (they told me)
How I should be
But I broke the mold somehow!

It's too late, too late
You keep trying to resolve the past right now
But I swear I'll be the one
To let the world know what you've done
To me

You, you know gotta assert yourself
Leave what you need for now
It's not the time or place your searching for
All I can give them is my worst of intentions
You're nothing to me and everyone can see that
Your life's a lie
There's nowhere left to hide

They told me (they told me!)
How I should be
But I broke the mold somehow

It's too late, too late
You keep trying to resolve the past right now
But I swear I'll be the one
To let the world know what you've done
To me

It's too late, too late
You keep trying to resolve the past right now
But I swear I'll be the one
To let the world know what you've done
To me

Watch your back
You'll lose yourself
This is a battleground!
When will they know
Your life's a lie

It's too late, too late
You keep trying to resolve the past right now
But I swear I'll be the one
To let the world know what you've done

It's too late, too late
You keep trying to resolve the past right now
But I swear I'll be the one
To let the world know what you've done

They told me (they told me)
How I should be
But I broke the mold somehow!


Lyrics submitted by Last Eclipse, edited by Mellow_Harsher, SirDalvion, AdamArtz

My Life For Hire Lyrics as written by Jeremy Wade Mckinnon Thomas H Jr Denney

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

My Life for Hire song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

57 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    Too late Too late * , not "Too vague, too vague"

    b0neyardson February 05, 2009   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Album art
Blue
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.