Dead End Road
Navigating the Dark: Alkaline Trio's Tale of Despair
Lyrics
I thought that you were joking
I initially thought you were joking
When you said you couldn't breathe
When you mentioned difficulty breathing
You said you couldn't breathe
Repetition of the statement about breathing difficulties
Turns out that you were choking
Later realized you were struggling, not joking
On a town you couldn't leave
Struggling with a town you felt trapped in
You knew you'd never leave
Acknowledgment that leaving the town was impossible
It met your disapproval at the age of 8 years old
The town displeased you since childhood (at 8 years old)
You were only 8 years old
Confirmation of your age at the time
From then on there was no removal
No escape from the negative impact of the town
From that one way dead end road
A metaphorical reference to a one-way dead end road
That one way dead end road
Reiteration of the one-way dead end road concept
I thought that you were laughing
Misinterpretation of laughter when you were actually crying
When you cried your eyeballs out
Intense emotional expression with tears
You cried your eyeballs out
Repetition of the intense crying
And i don't mean to be prying
Expressing curiosity about the cause of your sadness
But what were you so sad about
Questioning the ongoing sadness
What are you still sad about
Continued inquiry into the source of your sadness
Met your disappointment at the age of 9 years old
Similar experience of disappointment at 9 years old
You were only 9 years old
Confirmation of your age during the disappointing event
From then on there would be no ointment
No remedy available for the emotional wounds
To take away these burns
Metaphorical reference to burns and emotional pain
To make that pain grow dull and forever ain't that long
The perception that forever is not that long
When your smile's stuck in your head like a pop song
Comparison of a persistent smile to a catchy pop song
All you think about is death
Focused thoughts on death
Your dirty head has gone unswept for way too long now
Describing neglect of dealing with personal issues
For way too long now
Repetition emphasizing prolonged neglect
I thought that you were sleeping
Misinterpretation of sleep when you were actually dead
When i found you there in bed
Discovering your lifeless body in bed
I found you there in bed
Reiteration of finding you dead
When i touched you you were freezing
Realization that you were cold and lifeless
It turned out that you were dead
Confirmation of your death
It turned out that you were dead
Repetition of confirming your death
It met your disapproval at the age of 8 years old
Similar disapproval experienced at 8 years old
You were only 8 years old
Confirmation of your age during the disapproval
From then on there was no removal
No escape from the troubled mind and broken home
From your fucked up head and your broken home and forever ain't that long
Reference to the prolonged nature of emotional suffering
When your smile's stuck in your head like a pop song
Repetition of a smile stuck like a pop song, with death on the mind
All you think about is death
Continued preoccupation with thoughts of death
Your dirty head has gone unswept for way too long now
Extended neglect of dealing with personal issues
For way too long now
Reiteration of prolonged neglect
For way too long now
Further emphasis on the extended period of neglect
For way too long now
Continued emphasis on the prolonged period of neglect
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