The One I Love
¤ The Rasmus Lyrics

The Rasmus's song The One I Love is a powerful expression of a person's emotional torment, caused by a toxic relationship. The opening lines of the song are graphic in their representation of the singer's mental and physical state. He hasn't slept for a week, and his bed has turned into a "coffin" due to his misery. The use of this metaphor is potent because it shows the singer's feeling of being trapped or stuck in this sorrow. He feels like a bomb that is still ticking or waiting to go off anytime. This representation, as well, expresses the extent to which he has been affected by the relationship, and how it is impacting him in every aspect of his life.

The chorus deals with the way the singer is being controlled by the person he loves. The phrase 'striking me down' possibly implies that the person he loves is emotionally or physically abusive. The singer feels helpless toward the feeling of being trapped, and unable to break free from the cycle of abuse. He feels like he is drowning every time he thinks of this person, as his thoughts are overpowered by this relationship's toxicity. The phrase 'dragging me under' vividly shows that he is feeling suffocating, and he is powerless over the impact this relationship has on him.

The second verse of the song continues to build on the way the singer feels. He is losing himself to the toxicity of the relationship, and even the night sky is tempting him - taking on a hypnotic quality as he finds himself lost in it. The singer describes the emptiness he feels inside of him, which is a contrast to the night sky's vastness and endlessness. Paradoxically, he feels surrounded by darkness, even though he seems to be enveloped with light. The singer feels like he is broken, and he is left with nothing, not even faith or pride, and he doesn't want them anymore.