Jairus Kersey - Vocals
David Knox- Bass/Vocals
Brandon Banton- Guitar
Joel Riley- Drums
Dakota Dufloth- Guitar/Vocals
What Did You Expect
Alive Like Me Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't live up to lies that you have built inside
Your head for all these years
You're gonna cave just like we expected and
When you break I will stand collected staring at the floor
Watching you pick up the broken pieces
Holding back the truth from me so much that
I can start to see right through you
Why did it take so long
To get across the message I’ll have to get
This off of my chest
Slow down
You keep on running when the problem is yourself
So pick your head up and change direction
While you still recognize reflections of yourself
Slow down
The problem’s you and no one else
And if you can close your eyes
And fall asleep tonight
You can escape this nightmare
That you call your life
While your actions are burning bridges down
Shutting doors that your words cannot reopen anymore
Knowing it only gets worse when you wake up
Thinking that there’s something real
When fallacy is all you feel, just tell me
Why did it take so long
To get across the message
I’ll have to get this off of my chest
Slow down
You keep on running when the problem is yourself
So pick your head up and change direction
While you still recognize reflections of yourself
Slow down
The problems you and no one else
What did you expect from being so deceiving?
Every other second you had me believing
There was something wrong with me
But it was just another thing
That I let get inside my head based off all the lies you said
Are you
Holding back the truth from me so much that
I can start to see right through you
Why did it take so long
To get across the message I’ll have to get
This off of my chest
Slow down
You keep on running when the problem is yourself
So pick your head up and change direction
While you still recognize reflections of yourself
Slow down
The problems you and no one else
What did you expect from being so deceiving
Every other second you had me believing
There was something wrong with me
But it was just another thing
That I let get inside my head based off all the lies you said
The song "What Did You Expect" by Alive Like Me is a powerful expression of frustration and disappointment towards someone who has been lying to themselves and those around them for years. The singer is calling out the person, telling them that they cannot continue to live up to the lies that they have built inside their head. The situation is not going to end well for them, and the singer will remain collected as the person crashes down. The lyrics suggest that the person has been hiding the truth for so long that it has become a part of their reality and they cannot face it.
The chorus emphasizes the importance of introspection towards the root of the problem that is causing this person to run away from it. The singer advises them to slow down and change direction before they lose themselves forever. They need to recognize their actions and the consequences that they will face eventually. The second verse seems to be directed towards the person who has been lying to the singer, making them believe that there was something wrong with them when it was just the mirrored image of the person's own insecurities and lies.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna say something you don't want to hear
I am going to reveal a truth that you have been avoiding
You can't live up to lies that you have built inside
The falsehoods you tell yourself are impossible to maintain and are damaging to your well-being
Your head for all these years
You have been carrying these falsehoods around for a long time
You're gonna cave just like we expected
Your façade will eventually crumble
When you break I will stand collected staring at the floor
When you finally show your vulnerability, I will remain composed and observe your reaction
Watching you pick up the broken pieces
I will witness your attempts to repair the damage caused by your lies
Are you Holding back the truth from me so much that I can start to see right through you
Your lack of honesty is so extreme that I can perceive the truth through the lies
Why did it take so long To get across the message I’ll have to get This off of my chest
Why did it take so much time for me to express this openness and honesty
Slow down You keep on running when the problem is yourself So pick your head up and change direction
You must realize that you are the problem and redirect your thoughts
While you still recognize reflections of yourself
While there is still a semblance of your true self left
The problem’s you and no one else
You are the source of your own problems
And if you can close your eyes And fall asleep tonight You can escape this nightmare That you call your life
Sleeping will be the only way to avoid facing the harsh realities of your life
While your actions are burning bridges down Shutting doors that your words cannot reopen anymore Knowing it only gets worse when you wake up
Your actions are destroying relationships and opportunities that cannot be mended by your words alone
Thinking that there’s something real When fallacy is all you feel, just tell me
If you recognize that your beliefs are untrue, be honest with me
What did you expect from being so deceiving?
There is no positive outcome from dishonesty
Every other second you had me believing There was something wrong with me But it was just another thing That I let get inside my head based off all the lies you said
You made me doubt myself with your lies, but I now realize that it was your deception that caused the issue
Contributed by Jacob W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Yeison Serrano
Maldita obre de arte! No puedo parar de escucharla
Vaxos
I've always have had a thing for this genre but never got to invested into it. I find this music to hit a chord in me i quite enjoy.
romans137
Seems like a big season for Rise... definitely some good sounds coming out of this label.
Yuriy Detsyk
This band is great! I believe they will become VERY POPULAR in the future!
Zera Ansel
I agree with you.They are very great!!!
Schwi
After hearing similar bands like this, I get to appreciate the lyrics more that the band intended to voice out
Schwi
"You can't escape the nightmare that you call your life" that line alone hit close to home
Savannah Lee
Loved this band since Start Again was released! THEY BETTER PLAY WARPED NEXT YEAR.
CierrasMusicalWorld
Omg. Thank you RiseRecords for streaming this band. I am now in love. New fan <3 Goes to research hehe :)
Signed Red
Just saw ALM live, and they chose all the songs I love from them, DID NO DISAPPOINT!
(btw, he did indeed sound like Kellin Quinn xD)