this is the bed that i have made
this is the grave where i will lay
these are the hands where i will bury my face
i don't believe in wasting time
searching for truth you never find
nobody moves we live in the great decay
all these ghost towns share a name
anywhere, usa
all these strangers look the same
day after day after day
this great decay, the great decay
from birth to the grave
and I've seen what it can do
and I'm afraid its got me to
cause i can feel it suck me in
cause i can feel I'm losing grip
day after day its static life
week after week is sacrificed
month after month you meditate
all of the years that waste away
this is the life that i embrace
this is the world that i create
falling into the great decay
give in give in give up
all these verses share a theme
we don't amount to anything
its the day after bloodsucking day
this great decay, this great decay
asleep in your grave

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cursive's "The Great Decay" reflect a feeling of hopelessness and resignation, as the singer realizes that they are caught in a cycle of stagnation and decay. The first verse sets up this feeling of resignation, as the singer recognizes that the bed they have made for themselves is also their grave. The second verse describes the ghosts of ghost towns that all share the name "Anywhere, USA," suggesting that this sense of decay is pervasive throughout American society. The chorus repeats the phrase "the great decay," reinforcing the idea that this sense of stagnation is all-encompassing.

The third verse focuses on the singer's personal experience of the great decay. They describe feeling like they are being sucked in and losing grip, suggesting that they are struggling to resist this cycle of decay. The fourth verse further emphasizes the sense of repetition and sacrifice that characterizes life in the great decay, as the singer describes months and years wasted away in meditation and static life. Finally, the fifth verse suggests that the singer has given up and embraced the great decay, falling into it like a grave.

Overall, the lyrics to "The Great Decay" paint a bleak picture of life in modern America, where the sense of decay and stagnation is pervasive and overwhelming. The singer recognizes that they are caught in this cycle, and while they struggle against it, ultimately they succumb to it.

Line by Line Meaning

this is the bed that i have made
This is the life I have created for myself

this is the grave where i will lay
This is where I will end up in the end

these are the hands where i will bury my face
I am responsible for my own downfall

i don't believe in wasting time
I don't want to waste my time searching for something that may not exist

searching for truth you never find
The truth cannot be found, it is elusive and subjective

nobody moves we live in the great decay
Everyone is complacent and stagnant in the face of decline

all these ghost towns share a name
Every place is the same, there is no uniqueness or individuality

anywhere, usa
The whole country is experiencing this same decline

all these strangers look the same
Conformity has made everyone identical and devoid of personality

day after day after day
The monotony and unchanging nature of life

this great decay, the great decay
This inevitable decline of society and humanity

from birth to the grave
We are born doomed to fall into this pattern of decline

and I've seen what it can do
I have experienced firsthand the effects of this decay

and I'm afraid its got me to
I am trapped in this cycle and cannot escape it

cause i can feel it suck me in
I am being pulled deeper and deeper into this decay

cause i can feel I'm losing grip
I am losing control of my life and my identity

day after day its static life
Life is unchanging and stagnant, there is no growth or progress

week after week is sacrificed
Each passing week is just another wasted opportunity

month after month you meditate
Even taking time for personal reflection or growth is futile in the face of decay

all of the years that waste away
Years go by with nothing accomplished and no progress made

this is the life that i embrace
I have given up and accepted this stagnant way of living

this is the world that i create
I am contributing to this decay and perpetuating it

falling into the great decay
I am succumbing to the inevitable decline of society

give in give in give up
I am giving up the fight and surrendering to this decay

all these verses share a theme
Every aspect of life is affected by this decay

we don't amount to anything
Society as a whole is not making any progress and is stuck in decline

its the day after bloodsucking day
Every day feels like a struggle and a drain on energy and resources

this great decay, this great decay
The all-encompassing decline of society and the world

asleep in your grave
Being ignorant or apathetic towards this decay is like being dead

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Clint Frederick Schnase, Gretta Mindy Cohn, Matthew Ryan Maginn, Ted James Stevens, Tim Kasher

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@nogglebeak

week after week, it's sacrifice. month after month you meditate, all of the years that waste away. this is the life that i have made. this is the world that i create. falling into the great decay