Uh, uh
Take a breath, take it deep
Calm yourself, he says to me
If you play, you play for keeps
Take the gun and count to three
I'm sweating now, moving slow
No time to think, my turn to go
And you can see my heart beating
You can see it through my chest
Said I'm terrified but I'm not leaving
I know that I must pass this test
So just pull the trigger (trigger, trigger, trigger)
Say a prayer, to yourself
He says, close your eyes
Sometimes it helps
And then I get, a scary thought
That he's here, means he's never lost
And you can see my heart beating
Oh, you can see it through my chest
Said I'm terrified but I'm not leaving
Know that I must pass this test
So just pull the trigger
As my life flashes before my eyes
I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise?
So many won't get the chance to say goodbye
But it's too late to think of the value of my life
And you can see my heart beating
Ohh-oh, you can see it through my chest
Said I'm terrified but I'm not leaving, no
Know that I must pass this test
And you can see my heart beating
Oh, you can see it through my chest
I'm terrified but I'm not leaving, no
Know that I must pass this test
So just pull the trigger (trigger, trigger, trigger)
Take a breath, take it deep
Calm yourself, he says to me
If you play, you play for keeps
Take the gun and count to three
I'm sweating now, moving slow
No time to think, my turn to go
And you can see my heart beating
You can see it through my chest
Said I'm terrified but I'm not leaving
I know that I must pass this test
So just pull the trigger (trigger, trigger, trigger)
Say a prayer, to yourself
He says, close your eyes
Sometimes it helps
And then I get, a scary thought
That he's here, means he's never lost
And you can see my heart beating
Oh, you can see it through my chest
Said I'm terrified but I'm not leaving
Know that I must pass this test
So just pull the trigger
As my life flashes before my eyes
I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise?
So many won't get the chance to say goodbye
But it's too late to think of the value of my life
And you can see my heart beating
Ohh-oh, you can see it through my chest
Said I'm terrified but I'm not leaving, no
Know that I must pass this test
And you can see my heart beating
Oh, you can see it through my chest
I'm terrified but I'm not leaving, no
Know that I must pass this test
So just pull the trigger (trigger, trigger, trigger)
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I guess, as normal in a rihanna song, the act of sleeping with the guy is the act of pulling the trigger and falling for him. 'close your eyes, sometimes it helps' is kissing etc
The middle 8 is a bit intense, but can sadly also be true. ''Too late to pick up the value of my life'' is that feeling where you are no longer completely self dependant. That horrible feeling were you can't imagine having not met someone and that you are not complete without them. Sappy movies such as Jerry Maguire have made sentiment of this, but it is actually painful to be that in love with some one.
Very interesting song because it barely strays from the metaphor and could almost be a literal meaning.
the line "so many won't get the chance to say goodbye" is particularly eerie, but think about it this way: sometimes you makes changes in your life that are sudden and really shock people, and they'll confront you with "why?" or "you never were like this before," etc. You know you are on the brink of a huge change, but you don't have the time or the words to explain to/prepare those around you.
I think it all depends on how your feeling when you hear the song.
At first, I thought it was about a suicide.
But after listening to it a couple times, I think its about falling in love.
" Take a breath, take it deep.
calm yourself, he says to me
if you play, you play for keeps,
take a gun and count to three
- -
Say a prayer, to yourself
Close your eyes, sometimes it helps."
i see that as taking the chance of falling deeply in love and giving your all and knowing that the end result will be devastating and ultimately life changing.
Thus the:
"You can see my heart beating-you can see it through my chest.
Im terrified, but im not leaving,
know that i must pass this test
So just pull the trigger."
I don't think she is holding the gun to her head, but to his... russian roulette or not... it sounds that way. to me.
Russian Roulette is like the relationship she is in.
She's saying how she has to get out before it's too late... 'pull the trigger'
I saw a quote from Rihanna about what the song means but I can't find it!
If I pulled the trigger, the gun would not be aimed at me, but at him... there is so much hate in you, when a guy beats the hell out of you and you find yourself in hospital!! Rihanna went through that and this song sounds like a metaphorical testimony of this experience.
"As my life flashes before my eyes
I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise?
So many wont get the chance to say goodbye
But it's too late to pick up the value of my life"
If i was was her then, i'd be wondering if i'd see another sunrise, and your life would flash before your eyes :(
Thats my personal opinion on this song :)
x
Being from an abusive relationship myself, I can totally relate to the entire CD and I think its one of her best to date, at least for me.
When you are in that kind of relationship, the truth is, you ARE playing a game of Russian roulette because you never know if you are literally going to be killed the next time he beats you. And when it says "he's been here before" you could take that literally in a domestic abuse relationship because 9 times out of 10, that guy has beat another woman before you and has never truly been punished for it.
She is scared to leave him and he's testing her constantly to prove her love for him.
Every time I listen to this song, I am so thankful to be out of that relationship, this song truly has a place in my heart.
It's not about LITERAL suicide.
"Pull the trigger" is a known metaphor that means:"Start the ball rolling"
"Take a breath, take it deep
Calm yourself, he says to me
If you play, you play for keeps
Take the gun, and count to three
I'm sweating now, moving slow
No time to think, my turn to go"
My interpretation of this is that she's in a relationship with a guy, and she's at the point where she has to make a decision. Play 'for keeps' and 'pull the trigger'-take the next step, Or just get out of dodge. According to these lyrics, he's already made his choice. She hasn't as yet, and she's now getting ready. So she's getting ready to 'take the gun' but she's scared.
(Chorus)
"And you can see my heart beating
You can see it through my chest
And I'm terrified but I'm not leaving
Know that I must must pass this test
So just pull the trigger"
She's scared and she's vulnerable, the guy can see her feelings "You can see my heart beating, you can see it through my chest."
And she's terrified- but not leaving, she's making a decision today she doesn't want to punk out, so either she or he is saying "so just pull the trigger"- Just do it already, pass the test. Take the plunge to love or leave.
"Say a prayer to yourself
He says close your eyes
Sometimes it helps
And then I get a scary thought
That he's here means he's never lost"
'Close your eyes sometimes it helps' He's trying to convince her to do it already, decide to stay be with him , love him.
And then she gets a scary thought, that 'he's here means he's never lost'- meaning he's made is decision, she's the only one who's scared and 'lost'. She's wondering if he really cares, if his feelings are as deep? Why isn't he scared? and thats why it's scary and that why she's apprehensive about 'pulling the trigger' because she doesn't trust him really. And thats why this metaphor is so powerful, she's cared of being in a bad relationship. Because making the decision to go on with some one and putting your trust in that person, is in a way playing Russian roulette with your emotions, with your future.
(Chorus)
"As my life flashes before my eyes
I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise?
So many wont get the chance to say goodbye
But it's too late to pick up the value of my life"
Her life flashes before her eyes, she's wondering if she will ever be free again or if she's going to be imprisoned to this man in a sort of emotional death that goes on and on. but it's too late now. Because she's already decided to pull the trigger.
Hence the gunshot at the end of the song.