Worsening
Baths Lyrics
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Dripping tar and dung and dye
Slowly into my shivering eyes
I might walk upright
But then again
I might still try to die
Never prayed, never paid any attention
Never felt any affection
Never a lot of thought to life
I might walk upright
But then again
I might still try to die
Where is God when you hate him the most
When the mouths in the earth come to bite at my robes
Hell that sits below would do well to bellow at the cold
The lifeless, the worsening souls
The opening lines of Baths’s song “Worsening” contain vivid imagery that can be interpreted in various ways. It appears to describe the brutality of birth, likening it to a “fat black tongue/ Dripping tar and dung and dye/ slowly into my shivering eyes”. The use of such graphic and disturbing language is perhaps meant to communicate the harsh and unforgiving nature of life.
The singer proceeds to express a sense of apathy and nihilism, stating that they have “never prayed”, “never paid any attention”, and “never felt any affection”. They seem to have little regard for their existence or anyone else’s, remarking that they have “never a lot of thought to life”. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the modern world’s detachment from spiritual and emotional connections and the subsequent breakdown of human empathy.
The chorus is a repetition of the line “I might walk upright/ But then again/ I might still try to die”, which further emphasizes the singer’s indifferent and potentially suicidal nature. Finally, the verse “Where is God when you hate him the most/ When the mouths in the earth come to bite at my robes/ Hell that sits below would do well to bellow at the cold/ The lifeless, the worsening souls” could be interpreted as a rejection of traditional religion and spirituality in the face of hardship and adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Birth was like a fat black tongue
The beginning of my existence felt like an unpleasant part of my body, oozing dark and dirty things and covering me with filth.
Dripping tar and dung and dye
It was like a combination of sticky, gooey substances and coloring agents flowing uncontrollably, making me feel uncomfortable and dirty.
Slowly into my shivering eyes
It seemed to take forever to happen, gradually creeping into my vulnerable and frightened eyes to inflict even more pain.
I might walk upright
Although I have the ability to stand tall and move forward in life,
But then again
On the other hand,
I might still try to die
I might still feel the urge to end my life, as the darkness of existence sometimes feels overwhelming and unbearable.
Never prayed, never paid any attention
I never took the time to talk to a higher power, nor did I pay attention to the world around me or the people in it.
Never felt any affection
I never experienced love or tenderness from anyone in my life.
Never a lot of thought to life
I never really considered the meaning or purpose of life and just went through the motions without any sense of direction or purpose.
Where is God when you hate him the most
When you feel like everything is going wrong and you're filled with anger and frustration towards a higher power, you wonder where that power is when you need it most.
When the mouths in the earth come to bite at my robes
When life's challenges and difficulties seem to be attacking and chewing away at me, like ferocious jaws of the earth itself.
Hell that sits below would do well to bellow at the cold
The fiery underworld and its demons would benefit from loudly expressing their disdain towards the icy cold that fills the hearts and souls of those who are suffering.
The lifeless, the worsening souls
Those of us who are struggling through life, feeling trapped and helpless, and whose existence seems to be growing darker and more hopeless over time.
Contributed by Aaliyah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.