In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Father forgive me for I know not what I do
I tried everything but I'll leave it up to you
I don't want to live, I don't know why
I don't have no reasons, I just want to die
[Chorus]
I'm a suicidal failure, I've got to get some help
I have suicidal tendencies but I can't kill myself
I'm tired of this way of life, my patience has expried
I'm barely just 20 but my life I will retire
I went down to a rifle store, I bought myself a gun
I point it at my head but I couldn't get the job done
[Chorus]
I took all my mother's sleeping pills
I jumped off a freeway bridge
I drank three kinds of poison
And drove my car off a ridge
I beat myself with a bat
Put a noose around my head
I overdosed on heroin
But I'm still not dead
[Chorus]
Death may not be the answer
It can't be all that great
But me I'm not into living
With life I can't relate
By some masochistic reasoning I think that it will be fun
I want to start my second life now
So shoot me with your gun
[Chorus]
I'm looking forward-suicidal
I'm really bored-suicidal
You want to die-suicidal
Then die-suicidal
Honestly-suicidal
At the game-suicidal
At my school-suicidal
At the bar-suicidal
Suicidal
Suicidal
Suicidal
Suicidal
I tried everything but I'll leave it up to you
I don't want to live, I don't know why
I don't have no reasons, I just want to die
[Chorus]
I'm a suicidal failure, I've got to get some help
I have suicidal tendencies but I can't kill myself
I'm tired of this way of life, my patience has expried
I'm barely just 20 but my life I will retire
I went down to a rifle store, I bought myself a gun
I point it at my head but I couldn't get the job done
[Chorus]
I took all my mother's sleeping pills
I jumped off a freeway bridge
I drank three kinds of poison
And drove my car off a ridge
I beat myself with a bat
Put a noose around my head
I overdosed on heroin
But I'm still not dead
[Chorus]
Death may not be the answer
It can't be all that great
But me I'm not into living
With life I can't relate
By some masochistic reasoning I think that it will be fun
I want to start my second life now
So shoot me with your gun
[Chorus]
I'm looking forward-suicidal
I'm really bored-suicidal
You want to die-suicidal
Then die-suicidal
Honestly-suicidal
At the game-suicidal
At my school-suicidal
At the bar-suicidal
Suicidal
Suicidal
Suicidal
Suicidal
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death, edited by Musicislfe08
Suicidal Failure Lyrics as written by Mike Muir
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This band has copped a bad rap over the years for writing/singing about so called "taboo" sunject, and have definately been taken out of context by the do good wowsers of the world more often than not, but just look at the emotion and life experience poured into this song. Mike you are one of the most unique song writers I have ever heard, and you have helped me in ways you will never know, thanks.
This song basically sums up my life, I've actually tried some of the things listed (took my mothers sleeping pills, put a noose around my neck etc...) Its a good song.
Amazing lyrics. That's all I have to say.
Suicidal Tendencies are amazing with this song... Relatable in too many senses...
good, no wait, awesome song but... i think they are kinda being sarcastic. the line "i dont want to live, i dont know why" makes me believe that. i know its a really confusing time of your life, but all the attempted suicides he talks about make me believe he is mocking all these people who just do it cuz they think its cool or something. he is talking about the people who attempt suicide and fail on purpose. just for the attention. idk purhaps, but the entire casette talks about suicide so maybe he is serious.
@yallRstupid you\'ve probably listened to "feel like shit deja Vu". Take notice when he said "I didn\'t know I had to have a right to feel this way" which pretty much supports the idea of him not knowing why he wants to die. Besides mental health wasn\'t as trendy as it is today.
@yallRstupid I don't think it is Mike being sarcastic, but rather providing a social commentary on the subject matter of suicide. As @Tricky1979 commented ST have touched on many socially taboo subjects in their career.
I think the failure is perhaps a social commentary on that this is their call out for help. That is, they don't know how to ask for help so resort to suicide attempts (as they get attention, etc. etc. from these acts). It is not being sarcastic in the sense their problems are "small", but rather looking at why their suicides are failing ... it appears that they are intentionally not succeeding for a reason (and the only reason I could imagine is because they want help ... but no one is listening).
This sort of fits similar songs on this album such as Institutionalized where it explores issues of disconnection between different generations. This song seems to be exploring a similar disconnection.
For me this song is not so much the lyrics, but the whole flow of it - the punk feel, jumping right into lead, and layers of rhythm guitar here and there.
Wonderful.