Eighteen
¡Forward Russia! Lyrics


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Time to fall asleep
And take the fractions of emotions
That still litter your stale dreams like barley
I'm falling asleep

I'll bear this broken cross with you
Piece it together like you wanted me to
I'll protect your sense of right
I'll dissect your senses till you find me

I'm hurting myself
If the value won't depreciate
Appreciate it somewhere else
Leave me on the shelf

And though it still hurt to say
You always said that you wanted it that way
I'll protect your sense of right
I'll dissect your senses till you find me

And it's another obsidian bloodbath
But don't lie
When you said the Alps never would grow flat
You called wolf too many times

It's hard to save a life
When the dreams you enter fracture through
A million and one reflections
But tonight I'm saving a life

Through the hissing of watches and the ticking of clocks
I'll show the hours my open palm
I'll protect your sense of right
I'll dissect your senses till you find me

I'm falling asleep, I'm falling asleep
I'm falling asleep, I'm falling asleep
I'm falling asleep, I'm falling asleep

I'll protect your sense of right
I'll dissect your senses till you find me

And it's another obsidian bloodbath
But don't lie




When you said the Alps never would grow flat
You called wolf too many times, called wolf too many times

Overall Meaning

The song "Eighteen" by ¡Forward Russia! is a haunting and introspective piece that grapples with themes of protection, sacrifice, and the broken dreams that lurk beneath the surface of our waking lives. The lyrics are quiet and meditative, yet full of emotional intensity as the singer reflects on their own sense of identity and the role they play in the lives of those around them.


The first verse opens with the line "Time to fall asleep", setting the stage for a dream-like atmosphere that permeates the rest of the song. The singer speaks of the "fractions of emotions" that remain in their subconscious, and how these fragments continue to plague them even as they try to rest. The imagery of barley scattered throughout the dreamscape gives a sense of something ancient and timeless, like the remnants of a long-dead harvest.


The following verse introduces a sense of duty and sacrifice, with the singer pledging to bear a "broken cross" and "protect your sense of right". The "you" in question is left ambiguous, but it could refer to a lover, a friend, or even a sense of self. There is a sense of desperation and urgency in the narration, as the singer talks about "hurting myself" and searching for a way to "appreciate it somewhere else". There is a tension between the desire to protect and the fear of being consumed by the same forces that threaten the ones they care about.


The chorus is where the song really takes flight, with the repeating phrase "And it's another obsidian bloodbath". The word "obsidian" suggests something sharp and cutting, while "bloodbath" implies violence and chaos. There is a sense of frustration and rage as the singer accuses someone of "calling wolf too many times", perhaps suggesting that they have cried out for help without ever following through.


Overall, "Eighteen" is a powerful and evocative song that explores the depths of the human psyche. The imagery is rich and flowing, with each verse building upon the last to create a complex web of emotion and meaning.


Line by Line Meaning

Time to fall asleep
It's time to start moving on and letting go of your emotions.


And take the fractions of emotions
Take only small parts of your emotions with you, not everything.


That still litter your stale dreams like barley
Your dreams are still filled with pieces of your old emotions that you need to let go of.


I'm falling asleep
I'm ready to let go of these emotions and move on.


I'll bear this broken cross with you
I will help you carry your burdens and troubles.


Piece it together like you wanted me to
I will try to fix your problems the way you want me to.


I'll protect your sense of right
I will help keep you on the right path.


I'll dissect your senses till you find me
I will help you understand your feelings until you find your way back to me.


I'm hurting myself
I am causing myself pain trying to help you.


If the value won't depreciate
If the value of our relationship doesn't decrease.


Appreciate it somewhere else
Find someone else to appreciate it, if we can't appreciate it together.


Leave me on the shelf
If we can't appreciate our relationship, then just leave me alone to be forgotten.


And though it still hurt to say
Even though it was painful to admit.


You always said that you wanted it that way
You always wanted things to be this way, even if it caused pain.


And it's another obsidian bloodbath
It's another emotional battle.


But don't lie
Don't deceive yourself and pretend everything is okay.


When you said the Alps never would grow flat
You said something impossible would never happen, but it did.


You called wolf too many times
You've made too many false promises and said too many things that weren't true.


It's hard to save a life
It's difficult to fix your problems.


When the dreams you enter fracture through
When your emotions and dreams are broken and scattered.


A million and one reflections
There are many aspects to your emotions that need to be addressed.


But tonight I'm saving a life
Tonight, I will help you through your issues and save you from your problems.


Through the hissing of watches and the ticking of clocks
Despite the noise and distractions of time passing, I will still be there for you.


I'll show the hours my open palm
I will be open and accepting of the time it takes to help you heal.


I'm falling asleep, I'm falling asleep
I'm slowly releasing my emotions and letting go of my troubles.


And it's another obsidian bloodbath
The emotional struggles continue.


But don't lie
Don't lie to yourself about your emotions and problems.


When you said the Alps never would grow flat
When you said something impossible would never happen, but it did.


You called wolf too many times, called wolf too many times
You've made too many false promises and said too many things that weren't true.




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KATHRYN ROSE NICHOLLS, ROBERT FRANCIS CANNING, SAMUEL NICHOLLS, THOMAS DOMINIC WOODHEAD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@patrickmchugh9366

Grew up thinking twelve was their best hit. As an adult this song resonates tons more!

They really where great.

@patrickmchugh9366

Also that fucking synth build 🤘

@SkinnerIJA

I remember starting my first semester at a university and there were TVs around the food court tuned to MTV U and this song would be on rotation. Ugh, takes me back to those mornings of innocence.

@jackmccart5642

Anthemic AF 😃

@fujiwarataku

more people have to know this band.

@vaiority

took me a few listens to get used to the vocals, but forward russia is definitely amazing =)

@martintube24

Strong vibes of Bloc Party - Price of Gas involved in here. 😅

@LomoMop

Its hard to believe i saw this on MTV a coulpe years ago on a think called MTVU not the tv channel now but the widget made for the mac

@MalaikaJojo

great!:D

@DeepSpaceNetwork

Do I see the pigeon detectives in this video?

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