Chalk Outline

It seems so cut and dry that this song is about someone haunting another from beyond the grave, but I take it a different way. This song speaks to me metaphorically where a lover just ripped out this guy's heart, basically stealing any sense of humanity from him. He feels completely betrayed after pouring every bit of himself into this relationship, and she's left him for dead.

She keeps teasing that there could be something in the future, or wants to be friends, but he has nothing left to give emotionally, leaving him dead inside ("you keep coming back to the scene of the crime, but the dead can't speak and there's nothing left to say anyway".)

My interpretation comes from the recent ending of a recent relationship where the lyrics of this song just grabbed me and were nearly a literal translation of how I felt afterward.

The sound of this song is amazing !! One of the best of the 3DG and, in my opinion, one of the best rock songs of entire 2012.

My perception of this song when I tailor it to myself is there are loved ones, family members, and friends. Many of which have drawn a piece from me, and to an extent it was allowed it to happen, thinking they needed me at the time it took place, thinking that it wouldn't be a continuous behavior. After time these people that you though were going to be there for you ended up not being there in fact these same people have turned their backs still holding that piece of you. After the realization of character from these individual has been revealed, you make the changes to walk away. The only thing that is left is this outline of what remains, the awareness of knowing you will never give these people another portion of you again. The emotional state of mind from it all are still lingering however with time you understand these feelings will be washed away.

I agree with the first comment from 'gregwa' because it's precisely what I'm going thru right now. For those who haven't had this experience, you probably would interpret this song to be about murder, but for those who have, this song fits perfectly. And you know, it certainly feels like murder, too. Three Days Grace hit this one on the nail! You get to a point after so long, in my case, 18+ years, that finally the emotion is gone and there's just nothing left inside.

My idea is it being about a relationship. Because it's very similar to the way I feel at the moment. Getting hurt, ''killed'' emotionally, abandoned by a lover. How they leave you for dead, but keep coming back to you to get your hopes up, trying to string you along, but you feel dead inside and can't respond.

This song should be taken metaphorically. This murder scene should be related to a break up which makes sense because a bad break up can make you feel dead inside. In his opening lines he states that he has been betrayed basically. This happens a lot in a break up he says that the people he loved maybe a specific female in general broke up with him or cheated on him to be more specific. As for the chorus he states he had been left behind and left for the rain to wash away. Maybe this could say that he was left to be forgotten about in that relationship. But when she does come back but he had been hurt so bad that he doesn't have enough in him to forgive because he is empty with emotion. Which would make sense why they would choose a chalk outline because you have physical outline but you're empty inside. The second verse is about this female being so savage to break his heart that when she wants him again he will not be there because metaphorically his body is gone and he will be just a chalk outline.

best song ever

Good first single!

The song is about murderer, "You left me here like a chalk outline"

"You left me here"

obvious that he was betrayed by girlfriend or best friend and they shot him and left him to die alone and like he is simply forgotten....keep trying to tell yourself that it is ok, slipping into unconsciousness those last words were cold and selfish as you left. Go save your selfish self.....you'll be sorry as I am gonna die. They didn't care for this individual, their friendship and love was fake like them...cause his outline will be simply washed away with the rain....