They're Not Horses They're Unicorns
Bayside Lyrics


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You're pulling out your teeth
And I'm the Novocaine you pump in your cheek
That's why I'm still around, you've got blood running down your chin
But you suffered peacefully

She was a termite
Eating away at my roots
I was just a lost soul who needed a home
I was filling a void with you

And I can't, can't wait
Till you've see see seen
What death and disgust
Have done to me

And I spent three years
Wishing for two things
That one day you'd break
And I'd get to see

How all the choices you've made
Would drive you insane
I wish we never met

As angry as I sound
That's just the way I cover up, the way I feel
I've been that way for years and years
Slave to broken hearts and sex appeal

And she was a termite
Eating away at my roots
I was just a lost soul who needed a home
I was filling a void with you

And I can't, can't wait
Till you've see see seen
What death and disgust
Have done to me

And I spent three years
Wishing for two things
That one day you'd break
And I'd get to see

How all the choices you've made
Would drive you insane
I wish we never met

She was a termite
Eating away at my roots
I was just a lost soul who needed a home
I was filling a void with you

And I can't, can't wait
Till you've see see seen
What death and disgust
Have done to me

And I spent three years
Wishing for two things
That one day you'd break
And I'd get to see

How all the choices you've made




Would drive you insane
I wish we never met

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bayside's "They're Not Horses They're Unicorns" touch on themes of heartbreak, anger, and the need for closure. The song tells the story of a toxic relationship that has left the singer feeling used and broken. The opening lines reference the pain of a dental procedure, likening the singer's presence to a temporary numbness masking the deeper pain of betrayal. The image of blood running down the chin is visceral and haunting, conveying the physical toll that emotional trauma can take.


The metaphor of the termite eating away at the roots of the singer's life is a powerful one, suggesting a slow and insidious decay of the self. The line "I was filling a void with you" highlights the way in which the relationship was one of convenience rather than love, echoing the idea of toxic codependency. The chorus of the song, with its repeated refrain of "I can't, can't wait till you've seen, seen, seen what death and disgust have done to me" reveals the sense of bitterness and resentment that the singer feels towards their former lover.


The second verse echoes the themes of the first, with the singer wishing for their ex-partner to break so that they can witness the destructive consequences of their choices. The final lines of the song, "I wish we never met", reveal the depth of the singer's pain and their longing to go back in time and prevent the relationship from ever happening.


Line by Line Meaning

You're pulling out your teeth
You're causing yourself harm by doing things you shouldn't be doing


And I'm the Novocaine you pump in your cheek
I am the temporary relief from the pain you're causing yourself


That's why I'm still around, you've got blood running down your chin
You need me to survive, even though you're hurting yourself in the process


But you suffered peacefully
You are willing to endure the pain and suffering, regardless of how peaceful it is


She was a termite
She was slowly eating away at my emotional foundation


Eating away at my roots
She was slowly destroying the source of my emotional stability


I was just a lost soul who needed a home
I was searching desperately for somewhere to belong


I was filling a void with you
I was using you to fill the emotional emptiness within me


And I can't, can't wait
I am impatient for this moment to come


Till you've see see seen
Until you finally understand what I've been through


What death and disgust
The overwhelming sense of negativity and despair that I've faced


Have done to me
The ways in which these emotions have impacted me


And I spent three years
I have wasted three years of my life


Wishing for two things
Obsessively hoping for two outcomes


That one day you'd break
Hoping that you would finally fall apart


And I'd get to see
So that I could witness your fall from grace


How all the choices you've made
The decisions you've made in life


Would drive you insane
Would eventually lead to your downfall and insanity


I wish we never met
Regretting that we ever crossed paths


As angry as I sound
Even though my anger is evident


That's just the way I cover up, the way I feel
It's just a facade for how deeply hurt I really am


I've been that way for years and years
I have been hurting for a long time


Slave to broken hearts and sex appeal
I am a prisoner to my own emotions and physical desires




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Anthony S Raneri, Christopher John Guglielmo, Jack A O'Shea, Nick Ghanbarian

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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