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Cut the World Lyrics
for so long i've obeyed that feminine decree
i've always contained your desire to hurt me
but when will i turn and cut the world?
my eyes are coral, absorbing your dreams
my skin is a surface to push to extremes
my heart is a record of dangerous scenes
but when will i turn and cut the world?
i've always contained your desire to hurt me
my skin is a surface to push to extremes
my heart is a record of dangerous scenes
Song Info
Submitted by
coow On Nov 12, 2011
More Antony and the Johnsons
Hope There's Someone
Fistful of Love
Cripple and the Starfish
I Fell in Love with a Dead Boy
You Are My Sister
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I LOVE this song. I really hope we get a studio recording of it.
I'm not sure how much of it was written specifically for "The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic" (play), but a big part of Marina's earlier performances was cutting herself and other forms of self-hurting. In that sense "my skin is a surface to push to extremes" would fit right in.
it could also relate to antonys transgender. as he sings "obeyed that feminine decree... " that he wants to cut that off from his life, his body. and woman mean the world to many, in myths they symbolise the world... could also mean that?!
I believe this composition is the world , our mother, speaking.. " I've obeyed the feminine decree" the earth as a mother takes care of us and loves us, gives birth to us. "My skin is a surface to push to extremes" look what we do to the surface of the planet in our lives. "My eyes are coral absorbing your dreams" the earth lets us pursue our dreams and she cries as we do it "When will I turn and cut the world" when will the world ecology collapse? When she will no longer be able to sustain us and she cuts us from our existence on the surface. I believe the message Anthony speaks of is far more profound than an event or one person's emotions. it's about our connection, as a people, together with our earth
Can't decide if it's about no longer being passive and taking revenge or if it's a creative song about cutting (to kill emotional pain). Creative, that's for sure...and a good band.
Compare this the message of this song with Beyonce's Run the World.
Once more I suggest : http://www.musicvideowatchers.com/
I feel like this song is about loving someone who physically abuses you.. you still love them, regardless of how badly they treat you, and though he knows it's wrong, he can't help it. He wonders when he'll ever be able to break free from the vicious cycle of being in an abusive relationship.. That's what I think it's about.
also: "my eyes are coral, absorbing your dreams", being so attentive to that person's every need and desire, regardless of how attentive they are to yours.. "my heart is a record of dangerous scenes, my skin is a surface to push extremes".. I think this is his way of saying that he's experienced irreversible pain and abuse, which is forever embedded in his heart, and his skin is the shell which has become nothing more than a body for his lover to abuse.. He sings of abuse in a lot of his music.. Fistful of Love is a good example....
also: "my eyes are coral, absorbing your dreams", being so attentive to that person's every need and desire, regardless of how attentive they are to yours.. "my heart is a record of dangerous scenes, my skin is a surface to push extremes".. I think this is his way of saying that he's experienced irreversible pain and abuse, which is forever embedded in his heart, and his skin is the shell which has become nothing more than a body for his lover to abuse.. He sings of abuse in a lot of his music.. Fistful of Love is a good example.
I think that the lyrics themselves are based on her history of cutting, but symbolise something else. Saying "I've always contained your desire to hurt me", describes that what she interprets as the world's hate upon her (stemming probably from her transgender), she also feels for herself.
"My skin is a surface to push to extremes"- literally cutting her skin. "My heart is a record of dangerous scenes"- memories of depression, abuse (by self and others)
"When will I turn and cut the world?"- to me she is asking herself when she will stop hating herself/punishing herself and start to release her pain and passion upon others. It wasn't her fault that she was born a woman in a male's body, and I think this song is about her need realize that and stop blaming herself.