Suicide Is Painless
Lady & Bird Lyrics
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Visions of the things to be
The pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see
That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
So this is all I have to say
Suicide is painless (suicide)
It brings on many changes (changes)
And I can take or leave it if I please
The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger
Watch it grin
Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
A brave man once requested me
To answer questions that are key
Is it to be or not to be
And I replied oh why ask me?
Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
And you can do the same thing if you please
The lyrics of Lady & Bird's song "Suicide Is Painless" touch upon the sensitive topic of suicide. The first stanza talks about the singer's realization that they can see the pains that are held for them, and how suicide is painless and brings on many changes that they can take or leave if they please. It is a contemplation of the inevitability of pain and the option of ending one's life to escape it.
The second stanza refers to the game of life and how it is hard to play, but ultimately the singer will lose anyway. They talk about the losing card they'll someday lay, meaning death. The third stanza talks about the physical experience of dying, using the metaphor of the sword of time that will pierce the skin and the pain that grows stronger as it grins.
The final stanza is a reference to Shakespeare's Hamlet, where a brave man asks the singer whether it is to be or not to be. The singer replies by repeating the chorus, emphasizing that suicide is painless and brings on many changes that one can choose to take or leave.
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the inevitability of pain and death in life and the contemplation of suicide as a solution. The repeated line of "And I can take it or leave it if I please" echoes the idea that suicide is a choice that one can make, but ultimately it is up to the individual.
Line by Line Meaning
Through early morning fog I see
A cloudy and unclear future lies ahead.
Visions of the things to be
I have glimpses of what is to come in this life.
The pains that are withheld for me
There are hidden struggles that I'm yet to face.
I realize and I can see
I comprehend and acknowledge these truths.
That suicide is painless
Ending my life would be without agony.
It brings on many changes
Suicide impacts more than just myself.
And I can take or leave it if I please
It's my decision to make, to end or continue living.
The game of life is hard to play
This existence has no easy answers or solutions.
I'm gonna lose it anyway
Regardless, we all eventually face death.
The losing card I'll someday lay
One day, my life will end like everyone else's.
So this is all I have to say
This is my conclusion after facing these realities.
The sword of time will pierce our skins
The passing of time cuts us all the same.
It doesn't hurt when it begins
At first, aging is a painless transition.
But as it works its way on in
However, its effects grow stronger with time.
The pain grows stronger
Eventually, the agony is inevitable.
Watch it grin
Time mocks our mortal lives.
A brave man once requested me
Someone once asked me one of life's toughest questions.
To answer questions that are key
To answer the question of whether to live or die.
Is it to be or not to be
Should I continue living, or should I end my life?
And I replied oh why ask me?
I am not the person to provide an answer to life's biggest question.
And you can do the same thing if you please
It's up to you to decide your own fate, whether to continue living or to end your life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny Mandel, Michael B Altman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jw870206
HAWKEYE: War isn't hell. War is war, and hell is hell. And of the two, war is a lot worse.
MULCAHY: How do you figure that, Hawkeye?
HAWKEYE: Easy, Father. Tell me. Who goes to hell?
MULCAHY: Well, sinners, I believe.
HAWKEYE: Exactly. There are no innocent bystanders in hell, but war is chock full of them—little kids, cripples, old ladies. In fact, except for a few of the brass, almost everybody involved is an innocent bystander.
@Uly_Sandoval_303
"..A través de la niebla de la mañana
veo visiones de cosas.
Sufrimientos ocultos para mí.
Me doy cuenta, y puedo ver,…
…que el suicidio es indoloro.
Conlleva una serie de cambios,
y puedo tomarlo o dejarlo si quiero.
El juego de la vida es difícil de jugar.
Voy a perder de todas formas.
La carta perdedora descubriré algún día.
Así que ésto es todo lo que tengo que decir.
El suicidio es indoloro.
Conlleva una serie de cambios,
y puedo tomarlo o dejarlo si quiero.
La espada del tiempo penetrará nuestra piel.
No duele cuando empieza,
pero a medida que se abre paso por dentro,
el dolor se hace mayor,…
míralo sonreir. Pero,…
El suicidio es indoloro.
Conlleva una serie de cambios,
y puedo tomarlo o dejarlo si quiero.
Un hombre valiente me reclamó una vez
para contestarle preguntas que eran vitales:
“¿Es ser? ¿O es no ser?”
y le contesté: “Oh, ¿porqué me lo preguntas a mí?”
El suicidio es indoloro.
Conlleva una serie de cambios,
y puedo tomarlo o dejarlo si quiero.
…y puedes hacer lo mismo si quieres....."
@estefaniajuana9214
Through early morning fog I see
Visions of the things to be
The pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see
that suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
the game of life is hard to play
I'm going to lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
So this is all I have to say
suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grow stronger, watch it grin
Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
A brave man once requested me
To answer questions that are key
"is it to be or not to be?"
And I replied: "oh, why ask me?"
Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
And I can take or leave it if I please
And you can do the same thing if you please
@lardo444
when my dad was dying, my sister asked if he was ok, she asked "are you having a hard time. he replied, "dying is easy, living is the hard part." R.I.P. pops.
he didnt kill himself. he died of old age.
@lubovavidea2832
I feel really sorry to hear that.
@jw870206
HAWKEYE: War isn't hell. War is war, and hell is hell. And of the two, war is a lot worse.
MULCAHY: How do you figure that, Hawkeye?
HAWKEYE: Easy, Father. Tell me. Who goes to hell?
MULCAHY: Well, sinners, I believe.
HAWKEYE: Exactly. There are no innocent bystanders in hell, but war is chock full of them—little kids, cripples, old ladies. In fact, except for a few of the brass, almost everybody involved is an innocent bystander.
@BillyBobBeauBenson
This is a very quiet and gentle rendition of the song. I'd say I prefer this version over any other.
@theiceman6941
Beautiful. Death must surely be less painful than life. For some of us anyway.
@tocobono
/Suicide isn't cowardly. You know what's cowardly? Treating someone so badly that they want to end their life./
@ChunkyChest
you know its coming when the pain starts to make you smile
@amalofoto
I keep coming back to this video and listening to to this song for obvious reasons and it always keeps me from 'doing it'. This just means so much to me, sometimes, it seems like the only stable thing in my life, that this video was here since long ago and it will be here... Which is pretty depressing in its own.
@amalofoto
Back here again. Well. I just love this song so much! The song and particularly the line 'and I can take or leave it if I please' have become something of my mantra in difficult times. Because there is really an easy way out, but I'm the one who gets to decide if I do it or not. That's my definition of freedom.
@oodlesofbangers
same