Savior
Beth Crowley Lyrics
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I see angels and devils and heaven and hell when I look at you
I try to escape but your lies are more real to me than the truth
That's how it's always been
Now you're begging me
'Cause your mind is a cage and you say I'm the one who can set you free
So wrapped up in your pain that you can't see the chains that are binding me
I've got demons of my own
I'm not your savior
I'm just trying to keep my head above the water
I won't sacrifice myself to make you stronger
When I know you'd never do the same for me
Save yourself and finally let me breathe
You're unsatisfied
So you wave your mistakes right in front of my face like you think they're mine
You won't take the blame but somehow still expect me to sympathize
I can't let you bring me down
I'm not your savior
I'm just trying to keep my head above the water
I won't sacrifice myself to make you stronger
When I know you'd never do the same for me
Save yourself and finally let me breathe
You buried yourself so far in the ground
I offered a hand to pull you back out
But your misery just wanted company
I'm not your savior
I'm not your savior
No, not this time
I'm not your savior
I'm just trying to keep my head above the water
I won't sacrifice myself to make you stronger
When I know you'd never do the same for me
Save yourself and finally let me breathe
The lyrics to Beth Crowley's "Savior" tell the story of a toxic relationship in which one partner is constantly seeking validation and support from the other, without reciprocating in return. The singer sees "angels and devils and heaven and hell" when they look at their partner, indicating the inner turmoil and conflicting emotions they feel towards them. The partner is described as being "wrapped up in [their] pain" and unable to see the damage they are causing to the singer. The singer recognizes that they have their own demons to deal with and are not capable of being their partner's savior. They refuse to sacrifice themselves to make the other person stronger or allow them to drag them down.
The chorus emphasizes the singer's stance that they are not their partner's savior and refuse to be treated as such. The partner's mistakes and shortcomings are waved in front of the singer's face, but they refuse to take the blame for them. The singer has tried to help their partner in the past, but their "misery just wanted company." They ultimately decide that they need to save themselves and breathe, urging their partner to do the same.
The song highlights the importance of recognizing when a relationship is no longer healthy and acknowledging one's own limitations. It also reinforces the idea that it is not one person's responsibility to "fix" another and that both partners should be equally invested in supporting and uplifting each other.
Line by Line Meaning
No it's nothing new
The situation that they are in is not a new one.
I see angels and devils and heaven and hell when I look at you
When looking at the person they are addressing, they see both the good and the bad in them.
I try to escape but your lies are more real to me than the truth
They attempt to run away from this person's deception, but it feels like their lies are more real than the truth.
That's how it's always been
This has always been the dynamic between them and the person they are addressing.
Now you're begging me
The person they are addressing is now begging for their help.
'Cause your mind is a cage and you say I'm the one who can set you free
The person they are addressing feels trapped, and believes that they are the only one who can help them get out of that state.
So wrapped up in your pain that you can't see the chains that are binding me
The person they are addressing is so consumed by their own pain that they don't realize the difficulties the singer is facing.
I've got demons of my own
The artist has their own problems to deal with as well.
I'm not your savior
The artist cannot save the person they are addressing.
I'm just trying to keep my head above the water
They are just trying to keep themselves afloat and manage their own problems.
I won't sacrifice myself to make you stronger
They will not put themselves in a difficult place to help the person they are addressing.
When I know you'd never do the same for me
The artist believes that the person they are addressing would not help them in the same situation.
Save yourself and finally let me breathe
They suggest that the other person should save themselves so they can finally have some peace.
You're unsatisfied
The person they are addressing is not content with their current state.
So you wave your mistakes right in front of my face like you think they're mine
They blame the singer for their own mistakes and bring them up as if they are responsible.
You won't take the blame but somehow still expect me to sympathize
They refuse to accept responsibility for their actions, yet expect the artist to still be understanding.
I can't let you bring me down
They cannot allow this person to drag them down as well.
You buried yourself so far in the ground
The person they are addressing has dug themselves deep into their own misery.
I offered a hand to pull you back out
The singer has attempted to help the person they are addressing in the past.
But your misery just wanted company
The person they are addressing is not looking for solutions, but instead wants someone to commiserate with them.
No, not this time
They cannot help the person they are addressing this time.
Contributed by Vivian Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ronniedavis3397
Damn shout to my mom. It took me 22 years to realize but my mom is the most horribly narcissistic and manipulative person I’ve ever met. Its officially been a year since I cut her out of my life. My mom had a lot of problems and no real friends. One of her daughters died and the other one is constantly in and out of rehab so I turned into her “last hope”. She’d tell me all the time I was her only friend and the only one who would listen to her and she’d tell me I was wise beyond my years and unload all the troubles adults face that children should never have to think about. But I loved her and I knew she struggled and lot and I wanted to help. So while I was young I carried her baggage around for her. I promise you when I say 90% of the stuff that comes out of her mouth is negative and I’m not exaggerating. But at the same time when I was younger I’d get grounded for things I didn’t do but she was convinced I had. She’d call me a liar and sneaky and a horrible child and all’s I could do was cry and try to tell her that it wasn’t true. That I hadn’t done the things she had accused me of. Like for example we were screaming at each other one day and she called the cops on me because she said I threaten to stab her???? Which I swear on my dead sisters grave I would never harm her or anyone for that matter. But who is the cop supposed to believe? An adult woman or a teenage girl who can’t stop crying long enough to explain her side of things. Not long after that I tried to kill myself and while I was recovering in the hospital she didn’t visit me once. Soon after that I moved in with the man that is now my husband. He taught me to set boundaries with her like telling her that I couldn’t always be an ear for her because I had my own demons I was facing. After that I thought our relationship Improved. When we initially got engaged she acted happy for us. Even offered to pay for half the wedding and I thought we were officially turning a new corner. Three days before the wedding when I text her the final details she texts back letting me know she will not be attending and that I can forget about the money she had promised. It was completely out of the blue. We’d been getting along great until then. I tried to call her but she’d send me to voicemail so my husband called her and she picked up. He had her on speaker phone in the room so I could hear what she was saying. She was telling my husband that I was a pathological liar and that I was using him and stealing his money. She tried to convince him to leave me. Luckily him and I had been best friends for years even before we started dating so he already knew that my mom was a liar. I talked to my maid of honor about it and she said she’d also periodically get calls from my mom telling her lies about me. My maid of honor has known me since we were 6 so she knew better than to listen to anything she had to say but she was afraid to tell me because she didn’t want to ruin my mother and I’s relationship. I even texted my mother after I found out all of that and told her you have one more chance at having a relationship with me. Come to my wedding or don’t expect to see me ever again.
She never showed.
Edit: sorry for the long rant sometimes I have to put out the evils my mom made me suffer through to feel less alone. It had been exactly a year since I sent her that text on September 21st.
@tazzycookielover8628
I completely understand. My mother is a manipulative narcissistic schizophrenic alcoholic who blamed me for her problems....
I have always had a lot of medical crap going on. Several open heart surgeries followed by a heart transplant, failing kidneys, a deadly blood disorder and I even had a stroke as a young child just to start...
She says she drinks because of me. (A load of crap because my grandmother says shes been an alcoholic since she was in her late teens)
Anyways, one of the biggest things was a couple of years ago I had meningitis and she left me alone to die in the hospital while she went home and got drunk.... and blamed me....
My aunt ended up coming to stay with me in the hospital and took me home when I finally recovered.
I cut her out of my life for quite a while and finally agreed to meet for lunch on Saturdays if she "behaves".
I love my mother and I know she loves me, but I refuse to be subject to her shit and then her play the victim....
I am sorry you have to go through this type of situation too.... our parents are suposto love and care for their children no matter what, but so many of them fail and then we are left alone in this world....
I get it....
@bethjcrowley
Make sure to go watch my official music video for "Savior" here: https://youtu.be/2pwlfUfy7I4!
@JefimijaStosic
Your voice is the most calming ever!!!! You are on of my favorite singers!!!!
@theresamonaghan4364
Your voice is amazing
@softmochiboba8395
Ok
@Lady_lucifer0109
I love this song
@mariasensio5113
bethjcrowley you just made my day!!! Thank you for your Thank You Card!!!!
-Mari Giselle Asensio.
@caitlinstarke3903
The funny thing is that I don't even have to listen past the first note to know I will adore the music that you create, thank you for being an incredible artist...
@amwilder4351
For me this song is about toxic relationships, of all sorts, whether its friendships or parent/child relationships or whatever. I know everyone here probably realizes it, but I'll say it anyway: You are not responsible for other people's choices. You can be there for them, but you have to look out for your own mental and emotional health first, because sadly you're probably the only one who will. If they're threatening that by their toxic behavior, its time to let them go. You can't help them, because they don't want your help, they just want to infect you with their pain. Until they want to heal themselves, you can't help them. Sometimes loving them from a distance is what's best. Pray for them, and hope that they make better choices moving forward, so one day you can be in each other's lives again. Lots of love and prayers to everyone struggling right now. God bless.
@fallenangel6456
God bless you too 🖤
@deecyp64
Exactly! They always forget parents