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Symmetry Lyrics
There's symmetry in the way you cut me straight in two.
Each side reflects the image of a crowd in an empty room.
You're a match that can't be lit.
Spark a flame, burn infinite.
You broke me like a mirror.
Seven years keep adding up.
Walk barefoot through the glass, not a single cut.
Direction - I'm walking on fences.
It left me defenseless.
Balance - I'm losing it and the ground beneath does not exist.
You're a match that can't be lit. Spark a flame, burn infinite.
I love this song, great lyrics and composition, it really reflects the emotion.
The meaning is pretty straightforward. I really like the metaphor "You broke me like a mirror, seven years keep adding up." The "Walk barefoot through the glass--not a single cut" basically means that he's completely shattered and she just walks all over him and he can't do anything about it; what she did does not hurt her, and he can't do anything to get back at her.
@SeanZiii I think you nailed it. And I also think he feels exposed and powerless, and the pain is never ending. Her match will never light but his will burn infinitely
@SeanZiii I think you nailed it. And I also think he feels exposed and powerless, and the pain is never ending. Her match will never light but his will burn infinitely
This song is quite obviously about the writer getting his heart shattered by a girl, as other people have said. I'm not going to interpret the entire song, but just a few parts lines that really stand out to me. It's amazing how you can listen to a song and instantly understand what some subtle lyrics mean once you are actually going through a similar experience. I've always liked this song, but listening to it after a bad breakup reveals some things for me. I'm not saying my interpretation is a fact, but I'll tell you what some of the lyrics mean to me when I listen to this song.
You're a match that can't be lit. Spark a flame, burn infinite.
These seem to be some pretty general lyrics, but they mean A LOT to me. They are brilliant. I think the writer's ex girlfriend may have been going through some sort of depression, or she simply just wasn't happy with him anymore. He gave her is all. He did anything he could to try to make her feel better, but he was simply powerless due to her overwhelming depression or unhappiness. He no longer had the power to spark a flame with her or give her happiness. He couldn't light the match. She then may have found happiness (or at least what she thought was happiness, perhaps it could have been a rebound relationship) with another guy, probably not long after the breakup. Maybe it even happened while they were dating. This new guy in her life was able to spark a flame in her (probably simply because there hasn't been anything new in her life for a while), and she was instantly hooked and loved the feeling because she had not been happy in so long. Maybe this new guy temporarily made her feel like herself again. She finally got her fix of happiness.
Walk barefoot through the glass, not a single cut
I agree with what someone else said... she completely shattered him... created a mess, and couldn't care less about his feelings, even after all he has done for her. She has been down for so long, that she is willing to hurt him if it gives her some hope of happiness. There's nothing he can do or say to make her see what she has done. She's so caught up in her temporary happiness that she can't yet see the big picture of what she has done to him. She can't see things from his point of view...or simply doesn't care and how unfair it was, even though he has spilled his guts to her about how he feels.
Direction - I'm walking on fences. It left me defenseless.
He's feeling so many mixed emotions that he has no idea what to do, and he couldn't do anything even if he tried. One day he hates her guts, the next day he realizes how much he still cares about her, despite what she has done to him. This entire situation is extremely messed up and taking a huge emotional toll on him. Now he's the one who is no longer himself. (Could also relate to "Balance, I'm losing it") He's defenseless.
All in all, the writer got chewed up and spit out by trying to be there for this girl and being involved in her life. He never gave up on her, but she gave up on him... and now he is going to have to find his own way.
My favorite jam on the CD.
Love this song, saw title fight live once, it was the greatest thing ever. I think that this song is his way to cope with the end of a relationship obviously. "There's symmetry in the way you cut me straight in two" she broke his heart, "image of a crowd in an empty room", I love this line I think it means that he's so confused and he is feeling so many emotions, the crowd, but still hes alone and confused, the empty room. He's trying to show her how much he's hurting "match that can't be lit." I think this isn't the first time she's hurt him, "seven years keeps adding up." "Walk barefoot through the glass, not a single cut", he is telling her how awful he feels but she has no affect, no emotions.
i completely agree with both of you. ive been there so many times, i think thats why they make sure to play this song at every show. its the way they cope, definiely helps me.