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Shallow Grave Lyrics
Her voice cuts through the walls
Rings through everything that's hollow
These bitter words recall
All that's left and hard to swallow
She was always good for nothing when the good broke bad
All she's got to lose is everything she never has
(Every back turned to her)
We put her down in a shallow grave
She wears a dress like a body bag every day
And this way she won't have to run away
And she can keep her regrets at bay every day
Her blood runs hot to cold
Always breaking all she borrows
Her favors bought and sold
She lives like she's dead tomorrow
Just another reason looking for the next because
Just another has been wishing that she never was
(Every back turned to her)
We put her down in a shallow grave
She wears a dress like a body bag every day
And this way she won't have to run away
And she can keep her regrets at bay every day
Tomorrow's not a new day
More time to think things through
As patience starts to fall away
A day can feel like two
When we gave her a new face
The past was out of view
She never fooled us
Because she could never fool herself
We put her down in a shallow grave
She wears a dress like a body bag every day
And this way she won't have to run away
And she can keep her regrets a bay every day
Rings through everything that's hollow
These bitter words recall
All that's left and hard to swallow
All she's got to lose is everything she never has
(Every back turned to her)
She wears a dress like a body bag every day
And this way she won't have to run away
And she can keep her regrets at bay every day
Always breaking all she borrows
Her favors bought and sold
She lives like she's dead tomorrow
Just another has been wishing that she never was
(Every back turned to her)
She wears a dress like a body bag every day
And this way she won't have to run away
And she can keep her regrets at bay every day
More time to think things through
As patience starts to fall away
A day can feel like two
When we gave her a new face
The past was out of view
She never fooled us
Because she could never fool herself
She wears a dress like a body bag every day
And this way she won't have to run away
And she can keep her regrets a bay every day
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I think this song is about forced prostitution.
"She was always good for nothing when the good broke bad All she's got to lose is everything she never had Every back turned to her"
This is talking about how society views all sex workers, even ones that were forced into the profession.
"We put her down in a shallow grave She wears a dress like a body bag every day And this way she won't have to run away And she can keep her regrets at bay every day"
The first line is about society again, "we" put prostitutes down, even if they were forced into the profession as children. In many places if these girls go to get help, they can be arrested for being a prostitute still! Thus, the majority of them just don't try to get help, they wear their clothes "like body bags", hoping this is the last day they have to do this.
"Her favors bought and sold" is the most blatant line about prostitution.
"Tomorrow's not a new day Or time to think things through As patience starts to fall away A day can feel like two"
And this is describing the view point of the prostitute - they are in a helpless situation, they will die like this, there is no help, no hope.
"When we gave her a new face The past was out of view She never fooled us Because she could never fool herself"
And this is about the few that get out of the industry by going to the police. They send her to jail, she serves her time, they give her a "new face", but she's still viewed as a "whore" because she never felt she was anything else - after all when she went to get help, she was imprisoned.
The song sounds like someone has killed the girl. But every had turned their backs on her. Now no ones left to care she thinks. Then the killer, kills her. Then every thinks it's their faults and blames themselves. "Her voice cuts thew the walls" her screaming, when the killer is chasing her.
That's just my opinion.
Her voice cuts through the walls Rings through everything that's hollow These bitter words recall All that's left and hard to swallow
She was always good for nothing (???) All's she got to lose is everything she never had. Every back turned to her...
We put it down in a shallow grave She wears a dress like body bag every day And this way she won't have to run away And she can keep her regrets at bay every day
Her blood runs hot to cold Always breaking while she borrows Her favors bought and sold She lives like she's dead tomorrow
Just another reason Looking for the next because Just another has been (???) never was Every back turned to her...
We put it down in a shallow grave She wears a dress like body bag every day And this way she won't have to run away And she can keep her regrets at bay every day
Tomorrow's not a new day Or time to think things through As patience starts to fall away A day can feel like two When we gave her a new face The past was out of view She never fooled us Because she could never fool herself
We put it down in a shallow grave She wears a dress like body bag every day And this way she won't have to run away And she can keep her regrets at bay every day
UsagiHell is spot on.
I think I might agree with UsagiHell or she might be being forced to work like a slave.(if that sentence makes sense). Basically, whatever situation she's in, she figures she might as well be dead and so lives like she's going to die tomorrow. She might as well because it really wouldn't make a difference where she is and in fact death might be better.
It's...So...Catchy!!! I love it!!! xD By the way, I agree with UsagiHell. 100%.
based solely from the lyrics it sounds like usagi is right, but in an interview chibi said that this was based loosely on the story of elizabeth smart (black dahlia), who had nothing to do with prostituion.
adding to that, she also mentioned something how it was basically about trying your hardest to get famous and it being for nothing because your got murdered, by society and your killer a like. i wish i could find this interview again lol.
In Chibi's own words:
"It ends up being sort of a dancy song, but the lyrics are sort of dark and speaking about a character. I remember when I was originally being interviewed I mentioned that it was sort of inspired by a Black Dahlia. It wasn’t specifically about her, but it was sort of a concept. It’s about a tragic character who only achieved fame through suffering or having something horrible happen before anyone really paid attention. That was the case in the Black Dahlia, she was a struggling actress. That is the case for a lot of people. They get their fame and notoriety through the tragedies in their lives, so for me that is where that song comes from."
http://www.muenmagazine.net/2010/08/birthday-massacre-balances-on-pins-and-needles/
Also from the lyricbook it's "always breaking all she borrows" and "more time to think things through."