The song goes like this:
I thought I saw the devil/This morning/Looking in the mirror, drop of rum on my tongue/With the warning/To help me see myself clearer
I never meant to start a fire/I never meant to make you bleed/I’ll be a better man today/I’ll be good, I’ll be good/And I’ll love the world, like I should/Yeah, I’ll be good, I’ll be good/For all of the time/That I never could/My past has tasted bitter/For years now/So I wield an iron fist/Grace is just weakness/Or so I’ve/been told/I’ve been cold, I’ve been merciless/But the blood on my hands/scares me to death/Maybe I’m waking up today/I’ll be good, I’ll be good
And I’ll love the world, like I should/I’ll be good, I’ll be good/I’ll be good, I’ll be good/For all of the light that I shut out/For all of the innocent things that/doubt/For all of the bruises I’ve caused and the tears/For all of the things/that I’ve done all these years/And all/Yeah, for all of the sparks that I stomped out/For all of the perfect things that I doubt/I’ll be good, I’ll be good
And I’ll love the world, like I should/Yeah, I’ll be good, I’ll be good
For all of the times/I never could, oh, oh-oh/Oh, oh
Oh, oh-oh/For all of the times I never could
All of the times I never could
Yes, these are simple lyrics, created for the purpose of being put to music and sung; however, I like the lyrics in poem format. My take on the song is simple and cuts deep into how I feel about certain ideologies and life in general. Someone sees themselves, they know themselves, and they hate what stands before them in the mirror each and every day. They want to change for the better, they want to be more for themselves and the people they love. They think to be strong you must avoid vulnerability, you have to hide your feelings and give the world a fictitious view of life. They shut out people they cared for, hurt them, hurt themselves, and they need more of the good things in life.
They need change, at least to make up for the hurt they’ve caused. This really connects with me; I would give anything to heal the people I’ve broken and reconnect with my better self, but that’s not always how things go. We just have to hope our future will be carved in light, so that we may go down a path that gives instead of receives.
I love this song and the meaning that I get from it, but i really enjoyed reading and seeing how you analyze and break-down the meanings that you’re able to get from it. Great job!
I was surprised to see a song I recognized! I used to listen to it often, and you really set a new perspective on the song for me because my first analysis was different. I also enjoyed how you related it to your own life and why you like it. Great job! I always enjoy your pieces!
I agree with Zoe! As a person who listens to this song (and every other song of his, let’s be real), I analyzed it differently than you did. I love your interpretation, because it made me think of how the same song is heard as a different something for everyone that listens to it. The same is shown in writing and reading Literature pieces, for we all perceive each in our own way. We all look at art and see a piece of what we know inside of it, and that piece is unlike the first in another person’s eyes. 🙂