Wasteland
10 Years Lyrics


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Change my attempt, good intentions

Crouched over, you were not there, living in fear
But signs were not really that scarce, obvious tears
But I will not hide you through this, I want you to help them
Please see the bleeding heart perched on my shirt
Die, withdraw, hide in cold sweat, quivering lips
Ignore remorse, naming a kid, living wasteland
This time you've tried all that you can, turning you red

Change my attempt, good intentions
Should I?
Could I?
Here we are with your obsession
Should I?
Could I?

Crowned, hopeless, the article read, "Living Wasteland"
This time you've tried all that you can, turning you red
But I will not hide you through this
I want you to help

Change my attempt, good intentions
Should I?
Could I?
Here we are with your obsession
Should I?
Could I?

Heave the silver, hollow sliver
Piercing through another victim
Turn and tremble, be judgmental
Ignorant to all the symbols
Blind the face with beauty paste
Eventually, you'll one day know

Change my attempt, good intentions
Limbs tied
Skin tight
Self inflicted his perdition
Should I?
Could I?

Change my attempt, good intentions
Should I?
Could I?





Should I?
Could I?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to 10 Years' song Wasteland are a deep exploration of the struggles of living in a broken, deserted place. In the first verse, the singer is reflecting on their past attempts to help someone who is struggling with fear and possibly addiction. Signs of their issues were obvious, but the singer did not hide them, yet now they are feeling defeated as though all efforts to help have failed. The chorus asks the question of whether or not the singer should continue to try and help or if it is simply not worth the effort, represented by the lines "Change my attempt, good intentions, Should I? Could I?" This is juxtaposed with the second verse, which describes a headline labeling someone a "Living Wasteland," a term that could be about them or the person they were trying to help. The chorus repeats twice more with the same questions of doubt and confusion about how to help.


In the bridge, the lyrics take on an even darker tone, with violent imagery of silver slivers piercing through victims, and a warning about the dangers of ignorance to symbols. The final repetition of the chorus adds the line "Limbs tied, skin tight, self-inflicted his perdition," suggesting that those who are trapped in their own suffering may be the only ones who can break their own cycle. Ultimately, the song allows for multiple interpretations, but its haunting vocals and trance-like instrumentals create a sense of urgency and despair that makes it a powerful exploration of the human struggle.


Line by Line Meaning

Change my attempt, good intentions
I want to change the way I try to help, with only good intentions.


Crouched over, you were not there, living in fear
You were absent and afraid, as evidenced by your body language.


But signs were not really that scarce, obvious tears
Your tears give away the fact that you are going through something hard, although you may not admit it.


But I will not hide you through this, I want you to help them
I will not shield you from this situation, I want you to help those in need.


Please see the bleeding heart perched on my shirt
Acknowledge the pain I am feeling, and the fact that I am actively trying to help those in need.


Die, withdraw, hide in cold sweat, quivering lips
You feel like you are dying, withdrawing, and hiding due to your fear and anxiety.


Ignore remorse, naming a kid, living wasteland
You are not accepting the guilt you feel, instead focusing on mundane things instead of making progress.


This time you've tried all that you can, turning you red
You have given all your effort, making you exhausted and frustrated.


Crowned, hopeless, the article read, 'Living Wasteland'
You are crowned, feeling hopeless, and labeled as a 'Living Wasteland' by others due to your situation.


Heave the silver, hollow sliver. Piercing through another victim
Your words, although shallow, still have an impact on others, even if it is negative.


Turn and tremble, be judgmental. Ignorant to all the symbols
You shake with emotion, but still hold judgment and do not see the signs that lead to a situation.


Blind the face with beauty paste. Eventually, you'll one day know
You ignore the harsh reality with superficiality, but one day you will have to face it.


Limbs tied. Skin tight. Self inflicted his perdition
You feel trapped and constrained, only adding to your punishment.


Should I? Could I?
I am unsure if I should proceed or not.




Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jesse Hasek, Ryan Johnson, Brian Vodinh, Matt Wantland

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@mandatory210

"Change my attempt good intentions

Crouched over, you were not there
Living in fear, but signs were not really that scarce
Obvious tears, but I will not hide you through this
I want you to help them, please see
The bleeding heart perched on my shirt

Die, withdraw, hide in cold sweat
Quivering lips, ignore remorse
Naming a kid, living wasteland
This time you've tried
All that you can turning you red

Change my attempt good intentions
Should I, could I?
Here we are with your obsession
Should I, could I?

Crowned hopeless, the article read living wasteland
This time you've tried
All that you can turning you red, but I will not hide you through this
I want you to help

Change my attempt good intentions
Should I, could I?
Here we are with your obsession
Should I, could I?

Heave the silver hollow sliver
Piercing through another victim
Turn and tremble be judgmental
Ignorant to all the symbols
Blind the face with beauty paste
Eventually you'll one day know

Change my attempt good intentions
Limbs tied, skin tight
Self inflicted his perdition
Should I, could I?
Change my attempt good intentions
Should I, could I?"



@jettgem

I instantly choked up when he yelled "I want you to help." with that new imaging, ngl

Like, I've loved this song ever since I was a kid - and I never really knew why that was, I just knew I understood it on some deeply intimate level. That it was important to me.

For those of you who have seen the original video: I felt like the fish was me.

A lifetime later, the reasons finally make sense. I didn't know how bad off I was back then, how monstrously I was treated by not only family, but society - it's to such an extent that even if I was to explain it, most people likely wouldn't comprehend the severity of what I'm saying. It's even hard for me to, most of the time. Not because I'm unaware of what I've been through, but because I feel as though I'm not allowed to acknowledge it or what it's done to me.

And that has a lot to do with people around me and the expectations that they have about each other. It's assumed that if I look and act okay, then I have nothing to complain about. That, because it's "hard all around", that should somehow nullify that I was hurt and that I am still hurting and that healing is hard when you've been given no space to heal.

"I will not hide you through this
I want you to help them, please see
The bleeding heart perched on my shirt"

To me, it's about the inability to help one another. Be that the person suffering and unable to help themselves or the people watching and unwilling to see that someone needs help. "Should I? Could I?" Yes, you can and yes you should.
The only ways in which I have ever been able to move forward from my traumas is with a hand in my hand. It takes more than yourself to get better. It's a rare thing for someone to truly save themself by themselves and, honestly, I think you lose something very innocent in yourself when you have to - something you can't replace. It's tragic and it shouldn't have to happen. We and the world are a wasteland because we let each other waste away - no well, no water, no life. Suffocating on this barren earth because no one will check if they have a drink to spare.

I suppose this song has always reminded me of how often it was that I felt alone. Truly, terribly alone in this world. In my worst days, I would look out my window and wish someone would see me, would save me, or at least help me save myself - but they never came. Not back then. I went through a lot more than I ever had to because no one wanted to look at the kid crying for help until it was almost too late. Every day, I feel a little more wasted away, even now.

These days, I take a great deal of solace in the people I've chosen to see, in the people I've tried to help, along the way - and watching them make it, where I didn't, is enough sometimes to keep going until the next day. But, I still remember this. This feeling, this loneliness. This song reminds me that I still wish that more people would help - because I've cared for so many crying children, and that there are still so many more tells me that there are still not enough people choosing to help.



@brandonm9579

Change my attempt good intentions

Crouched over, you were not there
Living in fear, but signs were not really that scarce
Obvious tears, but I will not hide you through this
I want you to help them, please see
The bleeding heart perched on my shirt

Die, withdraw, hide in cold sweat
Quivering lips, ignore remorse
Naming a kid, living wasteland
This time you've tried
All that you can turning you red

Change my attempt good intentions
Should I, could I?
Here we are with your obsession
Should I, could I?

Crowned hopeless, the article read living wasteland
This time you've tried
All that you can turning you red, but I will not hide you through this
I want you to help

Change my attempt good intentions
Should I, could I?
Here we are with your obsession
Should I, could I?

Heave the silver hollow sliver
Piercing through another victim
Turn and tremble be judgmental
Ignorant to all the symbols
Blind the face with beauty paste
Eventually you'll one day know

Change my attempt good intentions
Limbs tied, skin tight
Self inflicted his perdition
Should I, could I?
Change my attempt good intentions
Should I, could I?

Source:Β Musixmatch



@100deep1

Change my attempt, good intentions

[Verse 1]
Crouched over, you were not there, living in fear
But signs were not really that scarce, obvious tears
But I will not hide you through this, I want you to help them
Please see the bleeding heart perched on my shirt
Die, withdraw, hide in cold sweat, quivering lips
Ignore remorse, naming a kid, living wasteland
This time you've tried all that you can, turning you red

[Chorus]
Change my attempt, good intentions
Should I? Could I?
Here we are with your obsession
Should I? Could I?

[Verse 2]
Crowned, hopeless, the article read, "living wasteland"
This time you've tried all that you can, turning you red
But I will not hide you through this, I want you to help

[Chorus]
Change my attempt, good intentions
Should I? Could I?
Here we are with your obsession
Should I? Could I?

[Bridge]
Heave the silver, hollow sliver
Piercing through another victim
Turn and tremble, be judgmental
Ignorant to all the symbols
Blind the face with beauty paste
Eventually, you'll one day know

[Chorus]
Change my attempt, good intentions
Limbs tied, skin tight
Self inflicted his perdition
Should I? Could I?
Change my attempt, good intentions
Should I? Could I?



All comments from YouTube:

@Daemonscharm

Back in 2005 my best friend bought me this CD and I listened to it every day for months. He killed him self in 2012 and this is the 1st time since then I’ve listened to this song. I’m overwhelmed with emotions right now.

@Happy.Uplifted.Motivated

Feel ya

@Happy.Uplifted.Motivated

😒

@Happy.Uplifted.Motivated

Hope the World change and recover from getting to be a Wasteland

@Jason22Douce

You have more allies than you know

@jasongray6268

Jaja friend go brr

131 More Replies...

@MetallicaKing48

Me and my son in the pick up truck together, jamming out to music from over a decade ago. It brought tears to my eyes with my son told me, β€œDad, your music is awesome.” He likes music from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s the most. He doesn’t listen to what his friends listen to. Not bad for an eight year-old I guess.

@karendolan8130

That's awesome

@hobowitachoppa3624

Hell yea brother that's a memory you wont forget. Hope he sticks with it man so yall can make more memories through older music

@Dennis-fq6ss

Dare i say 10 years ago?

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