Murphy Was An Optimist Lyrics

Lyric discussion by abeautifulcliche 

Cover art for Murphy Was An Optimist lyrics by Norma Jean

"Light that fuse, back up three steps and bite down on that bullet. You've been doing this for way too long and it can't be fixed. Don't worry it can't be fixed so pull up that chair and suck down that trouble. Misery is the fuel that keeps this broken down, lifeless instrument running."

-This section is talking about someone purposely destroying themselves out of misery (by substance abuse or whatever, it doesnt matter.) The person has been hurting themselves out of pain for a while now, and has accepted that theyre ruined as it is, and they cant be helped. So the more misery that comes from their life, the more they'll drown themselves in substance.

"Hold me down till i stop crying. I don't want to feel this anymore.Hold you down cause you're not trying. I don't want to feel this anymore. I don't want to kill you anymore. Is this what you were designed for? Did you think that you had it coming? Hell follows with you."

-I think in this passage, the singer could be talking to the substance itself. He wants the pain to be taken away by the drug, but is noticing its not a permanent solution to the hurt. So i think he decides that he doesnt want to hurt himself any more, and notices that all the substance is doing is bringing more pain.

your interpretation is the closest to correct out of these 4, but then again songs are also made to be interpreted in a subjective manner as well.

"murphy" is code name for alcohol, so you can say, "is murphy coming to the party?" in front of people and they think you're talking about a person.

hence: pull up that chair and "suck down" that trouble (referring to alcohol).

when it says "i don't want to kill you anymore", i think the lyrics might be speaking of when you "kill" a bottle or in other words...