Go slow

Cruel to himself and generous about it
Cruel to the world, not hard to spot it
Can't give up, shut up on a tirade
Off the top of his head, so ripe becoming rotten

He's hit the wailing wall
To pass out hard upon
He's kissed the wailing wall
In the thrall of it all

In the thrall of it all
In the thrall of it all
In the thrall of it all

Failed his name, no care to hide it
Failed escape that's documented
Instilled or distilled, the spike or the chill
It's immolation, the **** of nonexistence

He's hit the wailing wall
To pass out hard upon
He's kissed the wailing wall
In the thrall of it all

In the thrall of it all
In the thrall of it all

Headstone tells nothing about him
Headstone reads two decades wasted
A funeral pyre, no one to burn it
Because self-destruction brings misfortune

In the thrall of it all
In the thrall of it all

No lower heaven for his bones
Nor handing life back what it's owed
Caretaker careless, what he's sown
Porously reaching his lowest low

The negative has just begun
Joining the war, impossible

In the thrall of it all
In the thrall of it all
In the thrall of it all
In the thrall of it all

In the thrall of it all
In the thrall of it all
In the thrall of it all
In the thrall of it all

Overall Meaning

The song "In the Thrall of It All" by Down tells the story of someone who is self-destructive and cruel to themselves, as well as the world around them. They are unable to give up their tirades and are in a downward spiral towards nonexistence. The lyrics describe hitting the "wailing wall" and passing out as well as kissing it, which could symbolize being consumed by their destructive behavior. The headstone at their funeral only reads "two decades wasted", implying that their life was consumed by their self-destructive behavior. The song ends with the suggestion that the negative has just begun and that this person is beyond saving, as they are in the thrall of their self-destructive tendencies.

The lyrics suggest that the person's self-destructive behavior is a result of failed attempts to escape their problems. They have become consumed by the addiction that they are using to drown out their pain, causing them to hit rock bottom. The imagery of the headstone and funeral pyre highlight the finality of their self-destruction and suggest that there is no hope for redemption at this point. The repetition of the phrase "in the thrall of it all" emphasizes the idea that this person is controlled by their addiction and that they are unable to break free from its grasp.

Line by Line Meaning

Go slow
Take your time and be cautious

Cruel to himself and generous about it
He is harsh and unforgiving to himself, but shows lenience to others

Cruel to the world, not hard to spot it
He is hostile to the world and his hostility is clear

Can't give up, shut up on a tirade
He is unable to give up, even when he should and is continually ranting

Off the top of his head, so ripe becoming rotten
His thoughts and ideas are quickly communicated, but are often flawed and become worse over time

He's hit the wailing wall
He has encountered a difficult and despairing situation

To pass out hard upon
The difficulty is so overwhelming that it causes him to collapse

He's kissed the wailing wall
He has embraced his despairing situation

In the thrall of it all
He is completely consumed and controlled by his despair

Failed his name, no care to hide it
He has not lived up to his reputation and does not attempt to conceal his failings

Failed escape that's documented
His attempts to escape his situation have been proven unsuccessful

Instilled or distilled, the spike or the chill
Whether his situation is a result of influence or his own actions, it has caused pain and discomfort

It's immolation, the **** of nonexistence
His desperation is leading him to self-destruction and a meaningless existence

Headstone tells nothing about him
His legacy is non-existent or unremarkable

Headstone reads two decades wasted
His life has been unproductive

A funeral pyre, no one to burn it
His death would go unnoticed or unacknowledged

Because self-destruction brings misfortune
His recklessness is bringing misfortune upon himself and possibly others

No lower heaven for his bones
His remains will not receive proper burial or respect

Nor handing life back what it's owed
He is not fulfilling his responsibilities in life

Caretaker careless, what he's sown
He has neglected his duty to care for himself and his actions are now causing harm

Porously reaching his lowest low
He is sinking deeper into his depression and despair

The negative has just begun
His situation is getting worse

Joining the war, impossible
It is not possible for him to overcome his inner turmoil

In the thrall of it all
He is completely consumed and controlled by his despair

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY BOWER, KIRK WINDSTEIN, KIRK MICHAEL WINDSTEIN, PEPPER KEENAN, PEPPER JAY KEENAN, PHILIP ANSELMO, PHILIP HANSEN ANSELMO, REX BROWN, REX ROBERT BROWN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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