And though your teeth have gnashed through death
Still you come to me so gently
And find a soft place on your body
And rub me with it

Of this I won't soon forget
You're the one that will remain
You're the one that will remain

Bust a lock with a rock
Don't need a key to have me
This was your cold discovery

We needed a fever then we needed a cure
The bait no longer lured
Say goodbye quick as you can
A car waits for me just across the border

Wish me luck
No good luck, no bad luck
Just wish me luck in my cold discovery
That you are gone
My cold discovery
That you're the one
That will remain

Oh I can hold a woman
Down on a hardwood floor
Oh I can hold a woman
Down on a hardwood floor
And her teeth can gnash right through me
Looking for a soft place
And of this you won't soon forget
I had no soft place for you to rest

And this was your cold discovery

I can hold a woman
Down on a hardwood floor
I can hold a woman
Down on a hardwood floor

And this was my cold discovery

Few saw it for what it really was


Lyrics submitted by typo

Cold Discovery song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

7 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +3
    General Comment

    I went through an Ayn Rand phase when I was a teen, and this reminds me so much of the f*cked up relationship b/w Roark and Dominique (?) in...what's the one before Atlas Shrugged? Yeah, that one.

    I'm not so sure it's about rape. I think it may be about what occurs b/w two people who hurt each other as much as they love each other. All too often we are fed images of shiny white shallow bridal happiness--this song talks about the flip side of that.

    Tori Amos has explored the dark side of sexuality in plenty of her songs, and in her own life. It's there, and too often we do not have the tools to deal/cope with it in this society--which means that it festers, then screams out of us, and when it's gone, we're left with the guilt and the shame that diminishes our own personal understanding of the experience.

    nanobodyon May 30, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Great song....about a dangerous liason.

    "your" cold discovery is "you don't need a key to have me" and "I had no soft place for you to rest"

    in other words, I'm easy to catch, but I'm not gentle

    "my" cold discovery is.... I can hold a woman down on a hardwood floor

    in other words, I have the strength and will to violate you

    sakeboxon April 10, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I really love my song but my girlfriend can't stand it - she calls it the "rape song". I don't think the singer is talking about a literal rape, the picture in my head is an argument that devolves into something physical, but totally non-sexual, and that the song is about his own ability to cope with that. Ie, his discovery is that he is capable of violence.

    The piano line in this song is really awesome.

    thitheron July 28, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I agree with thither in that I believe ths encounter to be more a physical confrontation than a sexual encounter. Maybe a row between lovers or husband and wife

    orourkedaon July 20, 2009   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    Cold discovery: Love & sex, hate & violence, and the uncomfortable infidelity of these pairings.

    chuxvomon September 22, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The live version (Peel Session) of this is amazing in it's raw energy. When I heard the live version I really paid attention to the lyrics more. I love the line

    "wish me luck/no bad luck/ no good luck, just wish me luck"

    Bill had a real knack for a turn of phrase. One day I think he'll be recognised as one of the foremost songwriters of our time.

    HandsomeDanon April 11, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    A complete consumption of self by ego. Feeling as if your own self-loathing excuses the hurt you inflict on others. His discovery about their relationship is that he is willing to use physical power, her discovery is his lack of backbone. Her's is something he loathes about himself, wishes he had more control over his emotions as if his emotional insecurity/immaturity is an excuse for abuse and holding a physical power.

    His cold discovery is something he will willingly exploit, her discovery is a flaw he is unwilling to change.

    Mugwump112on April 10, 2023   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Love in a Vacuum
'Til Tuesday
Well, in my opinion this song is about being a young & maybe a little naive &/or introverted girl and finding yourself loving a man who is at first very charming, carefree & outgoing, and seems at first to be without limits, as in "There was a time you opened up every doorway you didn't mind if everything wasn't your way" then that man starts to gradually become more introverted & shows their more possessive/obsessive side to you as the relationship progresses, even while they keep up the appearance of being carefree & outgoing to everyone else, "Don't pull away that goes against what you told me I look in your eyes I realize what you've sold me is love in a vacuum" so you confront them about the way they're acting and of course they deny it, "I think you've changed but you insist that that's not true" quite possibly they are an addict of some sort, my guess would be cocaine, &/or showing very obsessive behavior towards you (early on in the video for this song we see the man hanging a picture up, it is a very large portrait of Aimee & it is prominently displayed in his/their apartment for the duration of the song), thus their "love in a vacuum", "You look so strange, so distant that you're hardly you Now I can see how you have been acting different You say it's me but I know that it isn't it's love in a vacuum" but still you are in love with them and don't want to leave them and you know that they are truly in love with you and they don't want you to leave them either, maybe they are convinced you can save them from themself, maybe they are so broken that the possibility of an overdose &/or suicide attempt is very real and you want to get through to them that their behavior not only dangerous but it is also just pissing you off and if they don't wise up they run the risk of loosing you, as in the lines "You will be lonely if you leave me alone", so you want to save them but can't get through to them due to the addiction &/or emotional problems they have, "Love in a vacuum and that's not enough love in a vacuum You will be lonely you'll be the only one who feels this way You will be lonely if you leave me alone You will be lonely you'll be the only one who feels this way it's just not enough" you want them to understand that the love they are giving you is not enough when it is filtered through the vacuum of their drug addiction &/or emotional impairment, "You will be lonely you'll be the only one who feels this way it's just not enough and just wait you will be lonely Love in a vacuum Love in a vacuum and that's not enough Love in a vacuum". 'Love In A Vacuum' for me is a hauntingly truthful acute argument on the loneliness of obsession and almost inevitable loss of love that follows people who are broken in some way or another; the obsessives, the coke heads, the drunks, addicts or the just-plain-old emotionally broken; a razor sharp, lyrically driven, deceptively poppy, yet ultimately-depressing-in-the-best-way song. Quintessential Aimee Mann.
Album art
Step
Ministry
Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Album art
Fortnight
Taylor Swift
The song 'Fortnight' by Taylor Swift and Post Malone tells a story about strong feelings, complicated relationships, and secret wishes. It talks about love, betrayal, and wanting someone who doesn't feel the same. The word 'fortnight' shows short-lived happiness and guilty pleasures, leading to sadness. It shows how messy relationships can be and the results of hiding emotions. “I was supposed to be sent away / But they forgot to come and get me,” she kickstarts the song in the first verse with lines suggesting an admission to a hospital for people with mental illnesses. She goes in the verse admitting her lover is the reason why she is like this. In the chorus, she sings about their time in love and reflects on how he has now settled with someone else. “I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary / And I love you, it’s ruining my life,” on the second verse she details her struggles to forget about him and the negative effects of her failure. “Thought of callin’ ya, but you won’t pick up / ‘Nother fortnight lost in America,” Post Malone sings in the outro.
Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.