Why do you do the things you've done and how dumb would you have to be
To do them again like I know you're going to?
If you're the poet you say you are and beauty's in everything you see
Then how can love exist in a world run by people like you?

Because when there's suffering, you're there
From southern trees, you hang them in the air
The world screams out in agony and you don't care
But should the shit hit the fan, I just pray you will not be spared

Fuck you!

You took a heart with so much room for love and filled it with hatred and rage
Until there was nothing left but for it to shrivel up and die
People will tell you that if you don't love your neighbor then you don't love God
But no god of mine would put light in such unrighteous eyes

Now the way we hold each other so tight
Would look more like a noose if held up to the light
Because we betray each other in dreams every night
Now let's never speak of it again, all right?

[Spoken:]
Even now I curse the day, and yet, I think,
Few come within the compass of my curse,
Wherein I did not some notorious ill:
As kill a man, or else devise his death;
Ravish a maid, or plot the way to do it;
Accuse some innocent, and forswear myself;
Set deadly enmity between two friends;
Make poor men's cattle break their necks;
Set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night,
And bid the owners quench them with their tears,
Oft have I digged up dead men from their graves,
And set them upright at their dear friends' doors,
Even when their sorrows almost were forgot;
And on their skins, as on the bark of trees,
Have with my knife carved in Roman letters,
Let not your sorrow die, though I am dead.
Tut! I have done a thousand dreadful things
As willingly as one would kill a fly,
And nothing grieves me heartily indeed
But that I cannot do ten thousand more.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Titus Andronicus's song Fear And Loathing In Mahwah Nj explore themes of betrayal, hatred, and love in a world that seems to be ruled by people who do not deservedly elicit it. The song speaks to the hypocrisy and emptiness behind making claims of being a poet and a lover of beauty when the world is full of cruelty, suffering, and indifference. The lyrics confront a person who has betrayed the singer by filling their heart with "hatred and rage," and reduced them to a state where the "only thing left [is] for [their heart] to shrivel up and die."

The singer launches a scathing attack on the person who caused their pain, making it clear they have no forgiveness for them. The chorus of "fuck you" directed at the offender is indicative of the hurt that the singer feels, and the pain that comes from being deeply betrayed by someone they had loved. The lyrics mention the suffering of the world and how people like the offender contribute to it. The closing lines of the song remind the offender of the number of "dreadful things" they have done, including accusations, theft, even digging up the dead, all of which they seem to enjoy doing. The song is an insightful commentary on the complexities and pains of human relationships and the power dynamics within them.

Line by Line Meaning

Why do you do the things you've done and how dumb would you have to be To do them again like I know you're going to?
I can't understand why you keep repeating your mistakes while knowing it will end up badly.

If you're the poet you say you are and beauty's in everything you see Then how can love exist in a world run by people like you?
You claim to be a poet and see beauty in everything, but how can you truly love when the world is run by people like you?

Because when there's suffering, you're there From southern trees, you hang them in the air The world screams out in agony and you don't care But should the shit hit the fan, I just pray you will not be spared
You cause suffering wherever you go, even to the point of lynching innocent people. You don't care about the world's agony, but I hope you will face consequences when it eventually catches up.

Fuck you!
I despise you!

You took a heart with so much room for love and filled it with hatred and rage Until there was nothing left but for it to shrivel up and die People will tell you that if you don't love your neighbor then you don't love God But no god of mine would put light in such unrighteous eyes
You drained all the love out of a compassionate heart with your hatred and anger. Some say that if you can't love your neighbor, you can't love God, but my god wouldn't bless such cruelty.

Now the way we hold each other so tight Would look more like a noose if held up to the light Because we betray each other in dreams every night Now let's never speak of it again, all right?
Our affection is questionable, considering how we deceive each other even in our dreams. Let's pretend it never happened.

[Spoken:] Even now I curse the day, and yet, I think, Few come within the compass of my curse, Wherein I did not some notorious ill: As kill a man, or else devise his death; Ravish a maid, or plot the way to do it; Accuse some innocent, and forswear myself; Set deadly enmity between two friends; Make poor men's cattle break their necks; Set fire on barns and hay-stacks in the night, And bid the owners quench them with their tears, Oft have I digged up dead men from their graves, And set them upright at their dear friends' doors, Even when their sorrows almost were forgot; And on their skins, as on the bark of trees, Have with my knife carved in Roman letters, Let not your sorrow die, though I am dead. Tut! I have done a thousand dreadful things As willingly as one would kill a fly, And nothing grieves me heartily indeed But that I cannot do ten thousand more.
I've done so many terrible things that few can escape my curse. I've killed, raped, lied, and caused trouble between friends. I even defiled the corpses of the dead. I've done all of this without any remorse and I wish I could do more.

Contributed by Jason E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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